This multi-jurisdictional resource provides practical information on cross-border data protection issues, including regulations, data controller obligations, rights to access personal data, international transfer of data, and data processing by third parties.
The current study is the result of the voluntary participation of Brazilian representatives of the legal departments of over one hundred national and international companies. This study covers the relationship between legal departments and law firms in Brazil.
This article profiles Michael Hartman, senior vice president and general counsel of DIRECTV Latin America, and his international legal team. Hartman strives to maintain a bird’s-eye view of the pan-regional operations and allows every subsidiary the leeway to function independently as specialized circumstances dictate. The legal department prides itself on being nimble and non-bureaucratic, something it accomplishes by keeping lines of communication open.
This Leading Practices Profile continues the series of ACC Leading Practices Profiles examining the role of law department leaders and in-house counsel in managing the legal affairs of companies doing business abroad.
The Association of Corporate Counsel and Laurence Simons surveyed corporate legal departments to learn more about their teams in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The ACC/Laurence Simons 2012 EMEA Legal Department Survey is available to members and non-members.
Over the past 15 years, Flávio Franco has served as corporate counsel for a variety of businesses spread across the IT, logistics, retail and e-commerce sectors. As the Latin America Legal & Business Practices Manager, Franco spent five years with global software company Compuware. Then, from 2004 to 2007, he was responsible for the Legal and Regulatory Department of FedEx, while also serving as the Legal Director of a local Express Industry Association. Most recently, as a Legal Director at Walmart, he led a team of approximately 50 professionals who were based in five different Brazilian states. This past August, Franco accepted the position of Legal Director of Netshoes, the largest e-commerce provider of sporting goods in Latin America.
This Leading Practices Profile, an update to ACC’s 2005 Leading Practices Profile, Leading Practices in Law Departments Adding Value and Moving Beyond the Cost Center Model, features law department leading practices for generating and demonstrating value to the organization, as well as best practices for improving the bottom line and optimizing collaboration with business units. In the wake of the economic downturn and increased pressure to “do more with less,” 10 participating corporations share their best value-generating and value-sustaining practices in law department staffing, targeted practice areas, outside counsel management, strategic planning and the use of metrics to measure and track value practices.
In managing a global workforce, companies need to know varying regional regulations, balance the law with corporate policies, and understand cultural differences and how law and policy can be practically applied. Let this article be your guide to meeting the employment and labor challenges of a multinational company.