As a major business partner for various pharmaceutical companies, the amount of contracts and legal agreements that SHL handles surpasses one’s imagination.
Enter Winnie Lee, legal counsel of SHL’s Legal department. Winnie goes over legal documents with a fine-tooth comb, ensuring accuracy in contracts and finding solutions to complex and multilingual legal issues.
After earning a Bachelor of Laws from Taiwan’s flagship National Taiwan University, Winnie thrived in SHL’s fast-paced international workplace, becoming a go-to source of comprehensive and expert legal support.
As a Taoyuan local, Winnie’s preference for SHL budded from a decision mainly centered on daily commute and convenience. After joining SHL, the reasons quickly shifted to the company’s unique workplace and friendly colleagues.
“I’ve had the chance to grow fast in my role due to an encouraging work environment where my colleagues consider sharing as caring, allowing me to ask questions all the time,” she said.
This tight-knit team atmosphere also inspired Winnie to proactively launch workshops or challenges for the team to engage in. “We hear each other out, initiate dialogue, and find solutions together. Interaction is an essential tool in aligning people on the team. It enables the team as well as the company to grow,” Winnie said.
One of the valuable takeaways from Winnie’s experience working at the Legal department is that a person could never be too careful. It’s not hard to imagine how the nature of her work requires one to stay at the top of their game when scrutinizing papers and documents. “Always double-checking is the motto the team abides by,” she said.
“We hear each other out, initiate dialogue, and find solutions together. Interaction is an essential tool in aligning people on the team.”
– Winnie Lee, Legal Counsel
Winnie’s professionalism, extreme patience, and rationality support her daily job where she deals with various legal-related emails and inquiries. Describing the legal department as a “protector” of SHL’s business, Winnie strives to secure agreements that works to the best advantage for SHL.
“We dedicate ourselves to shielding the company from any potential legal issues. Our aim is to keep the company, customers, and suppliers at a harmonious balance, far away from disagreements. Thus, we present an approachable manner to our colleagues and encourage them to actively share information with legal whenever necessary. Taking action to prevent disputes is much preferred than passively waiting for things to happen,” she said.
“There is a common knowledge among us contract negotiators, that the first to lose their temper loses the game. So the aim is to persuade the opposite party with effective communication and logic reasoning, instead of simply raising your voice,” Winnie continued.
Outside of work, Winnie loves venturing beyond the concrete jungle and spending time with family, friends and her pet dog – Coco. She acknowledges the importance of breathing in some outdoor, fresh air away from the frenzy of the busy office. “I believe staying outdoors is a must when I’m not working. I like to be where the wind blows, the sun shines, or where the rain falls,” Winnie said.
Although Winnie’s calm temperament might be mistaken by some as a person who is timid or shy, her inner fierceness for social justice tells quite the opposite.
Winnie is an avid environmentalist who has co-organized several beach run/clean-up events, and is also a fervent advocate for the rights of Taiwan’s migrant workers. Her interest in social causes motivates her to actively partake in multiple NGO organizations.
Winnie continues to drive that deep passion for social welfare into her role as a legal counsel at SHL. Her commitment to SHL inspires others to put in their best efforts in driving the company forward.