I grew up watching Formula 1 and Moto GP with my dad on the weekends. We followed it together, and I have always had a soft spot for it.
This past weekend, we sat down and watched Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, a documentary series which explores the 2009 Brawn GP team, their struggles, financial difficulties and, ultimately, their domination of the sport despite their precarious position.
I remember following the team at the time and how exciting it felt, but I had no idea how much was going on behind the scenes. Watching the series now, it struck me how critical a role their in-house legal director played. She was interviewed by Keanu Reeves alongside their CEO and the drivers, receiving as much attention as these more public-facing team members.
At a time when Brawn had cut a significant percentage of their team, contracted their former “fuel guy” (who was working a day job as a London plumber) to assist only over race weekends, and Jenson Button was flying to race locations on EasyJet, they still heavily relied on their legal team – and thank goodness they did.
The team was in a dire financial situation, with funds being withheld, but their legal counsel was instrumental in crafting a confidentiality clause for a key contract that enabled the release of these funds. Once this confidentiality was breached, the contract became void, putting Brawn in an even stronger position – as anticipated and prepared for all along!
It was refreshing to see the legal function given as much air time as the drivers, engineers and C-suite figures, and to see how clearly the team valued their input.
This is a powerful example of how in-house counsel can drive business success, even in the most challenging circumstances – sometimes especially so in these cases. Whether navigating complex contracts or offering strategic advice, their impact can be transformative, and with their deep understanding of the business, they can often find ways to add value that external counsel cannot.
At SSQ, we help organisations at all stages add value and navigate pivotal moments in their growth by hiring in-house counsel – get in touch for a discussion of your legal recruitment needs. And if you want to see how bringing in legal counsel can transform a company, as well as enjoying an excellent miniseries, I’d highly recommend making time for Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story (currently on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer) over the holiday season!
