Case Study: Specialist technology operations counsel for a global pharmaceuticals company

Challenge

The client is a global pharmaceuticals company operating internationally, with a technology operations function that depends on a complex web of supplier, services, and technology agreements. Its legal team supports high-value contracting across strategic vendors, working under Swiss law and internal governance standards while advising business stakeholders on risk, compliance, and commercial terms.

The function needed senior contracting expertise quickly: a lawyer able to take ownership of complex supplier and services agreements independently, combining genuine drafting and negotiation depth with the commercial
judgement to advise the business directly. That profile was demanding, and the pool of lawyers able to operate at that level from day one was too narrow for a conventional permanent hire to meet the need in time.

Interim Legal’s approach

Working closely with the client’s legal team, Interim Legal developed a precise understanding of the contracting workload, the strategic suppliers involved, and the profile of lawyer suited to the environment. Drawing on its network of legal and commercial specialists, Interim Legal identified a lawyer whose experience was an unusually close fit: 10+ years across legal and commercial roles, including leading a legal and sourcing team at a global healthcare group with a spend base exceeding CHF 1.5 billion.

That background combined contract negotiation depth with commercial fluency to advise the business directly, supported by an executive master’s in international business law and multilingual capability. Rather than presenting a broad shortlist, Interim Legal focused on this single evidence-led match, giving the function specialist contracting coverage exactly when it was needed.

Outcome

• Rapid deployment: Senior technology operations counsel was embedded into the client’s legal function, taking ownership of contracting from the outset.
• Specialist contracting coverage: The lawyer led drafting and negotiation of supplier and services agreements, applied contract standards and risk management, and advised business stakeholders on commercial terms.
• Extended 5+ times: The mandate was extended on more than 5 occasions, reflecting the sustained value delivered to the function.
• Trusted integration: The lawyer worked effectively alongside internal stakeholders across the business, becoming a trusted contributor to the client’s contracting work throughout the engagement.