________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Embedded in decisions
When Erica joined KARL STORZ, the regional legal function was still taking shape. Without an established in-house team, she helped build one while defining how it would operate within the business.“ There had been no regional legal department previously, so it was important to establish a foundation and define what we should be effectively supporting internally instead of externally,” Erica recalls.
The work began with identifying areas of risk, then expanded into how legal supports day-to-day business activity. Hiring reflects both priorities, with an emphasis on subject matter expertise as well as how individuals collaborate across teams.
“ When building the team, we focused first on the subject areas of greatest need. That meant doing a risk-based assessment and hiring accordingly. From there, we placed equal focus on character and fit because we wanted to create a legal team that people want to approach and work with.”
That accessibility shapes how legal operates in practice. While the team receives formal requests for support, there is also a strong emphasis on engaging early both formally and informally, often joining conversations as ideas are taking shape.“ We value relationships because potential issues aren’ t always obvious upfront. Sometimes important considerations surface during a simple chat, so we look for team members who are curious about the business and enjoy proactively building those connections.”
As a result, legal becomes part of how decisions develop rather than a step at the end of the process. The focus shifts from review to involvement.“ Our leadership supports legal and recognizes we’ re here to partner, not just review things at the end. That tone from the top encourages increased collaboration and more thoughtful decision-making overall.”
Across systems
Healthcare products move through systems that operate differently across regions, where regulation, logistics, and cost structures remain closely linked. At KARL STORZ, that complexity reflects a global footprint built over decades and shaped by family ownership, as well as the need to deliver consistent product performance across diverse healthcare systems.
Those pressures often become most visible where supply meets policy, particularly when external decisions affect how materials move across borders or how costs are distributed across markets.
Erica points to tariffs as one of the clearest examples:“ Tariffs have changed the landscape for many companies. We keep them high on our radar,” she notes.
That shift requires ongoing coordination across many business teams, particularly when managing supply continuity across
64