In-house legal leaders must pay attention to their sales skills in an increasingly competitive environment and to ensure they retain the 'trusted adviser' brand, London Luton Airport general counsel Swati Paul has said.

In conversation with Law.com's Legal Week, Paul said skills related to best promoting and selling the legal teams that in-house counsel work with are increasingly important.

Acknowledging that the comparison to sales may be "controversial", Paul explained that the reference goes to show that "the only way the business can see you as a business partner is if when you give advice, you go beyond what is the law".