There is a strong nexus between being a good black-letter lawyer and being a trusted business adviser. For Heela Arsala, this means understanding and learning from internal stakeholders so as to ensure alignment between what is being negotiated and drafted and optimal business outcomes. In this episode of The Corporate Counsel Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Buchan general counsel Heela Arsala (who was a finalist in the GC of the Year category at the 2023 Women in Law Awards) to discuss what it’s like working as an in-house lawyer for an architectural firm and her reflections on such work in recent years amid the global pandemic, why authenticity is so critical in drafting contracts for one’s business, especially when it comes to urgent priorities such as environmental, social and governance considerations. Ms Arsala also delves into the need to retain and make time for the black-letter legal skills to best support one’s business, why being a good lawyer makes one a good business adviser, bringing other business units along for the ride in negotiating contractual clauses, having broader awareness of corporate behaviour, and looking ahead to growth phases and how to support one’s business through such a transition. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, X and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!