In-House Outliers

On this episode, Darek Kochman (Director of Global Legal Operations at Kimberly-Clark) joined the show to discuss how he approaches legal ops initiatives, and the importance of leaning on high-quality data when making decisions.Darek also discussed his fascinating career journey, which led him from the US Army to financial accounting to legal operations.

On this episode, Jeff Barlow (SVP, GC and Corporate Secretary at Momentive Technologies) joined Alex Kelly for an insightful discussion about the key role legal department metrics play in formulating a strategic plan around how legal work is managed, the value of clear communication with outside counsel.Jeff also reflected on his journey to becoming an in-house legal leader, and his advice for those looking to transition to working in-house.

On this episode, Charles Stanley (Senior Manager of Legal Operations and Technology at Vinted) discussed his career transition from CLO to legal operations, and his strategic approach to legal ops initiatives.Charles also shared his thoughts on the growing role of AI and technology within legal departments, and the projects he's most proud of having implemented.

On this episode, Laura Revie (Legal Operations Senior Manager at FanDuel) joined the show to discuss the importance of change management when implementing new processes or technology as a legal operations professional.Laura also shared insights into her fascinating career journey from costume designer to legal ops, and discussed how AI is impacting in-house legal teams.

On this episode, Laura Gleeson (GC and VP of Legal & Compliance at Brightflag) joined the show to discuss: The benefits and challenges of transitioning from her role as a partner at a major law firm to working as an in-house legal leader How data transforms what a General Counsel and their in-house team of capable of achieving in terms of legal service delivery The ways in which in-house work is changing in the face of increasing regulations, and how legal leaders can adapt

On this episode, Bridget Franklin (VP of Legal & Compliance at Leaf Home) joined the show to discuss her experience navigating the transition from working at a firm to working in-house, how she's leveraged technology to gain greater visibility into legal spend, and her feelings on the growing role of AI within legal departments.

Brightflag's Kevin Cohn returns to the show for an in-depth conversation about his legal ops and legal technology predictions for 2025, touching on topics including AI regulations, the evolving CLO-legal ops relationship, and CLM consolidation.

On this episode, legal operations leader Nicole Arbiv joined the show to discuss how her accounting background helped facilitate her move into legal ops, and the projects she was most proud of spearheading in her legal operations roles. Nicole also shared insights from her career journey, and how she's applied legal ops skillsets to her work in Customer Success.

On this episode, Eric Greenberg (EVP, GC, and Corporate Secretary at Cox Media Group) joined Alex Kelly to share his thoughts on legal operations, strategic partnerships with outside counsel, and the career journey that led him to working in-house. Eric also discussed how legal technology is shaping legal strategy, and his legal team's recognition by The American Lawyer's Corporate Counsel Awards.

On this episode, Sarah Irwin (CEO and Founder of ITGC) joined Alex Kelly for a discussion about her fascinating journey from private practice, to GC of a high-growth SaaS company, to Founder and CEO of her own business. Sarah also shared insights into what to prioritize when building a legal function from the ground up, and discussed her thoughts on how legal teams should approach technologies like AI.

On this episode, Tiffani Huynh (Director of Legal Innovation, Technology, and Analytics at DHL) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her approach to process optimization, how she assesses legal tech providers, and how working for an organization that's known for efficiency informed her approach to legal ops initiatives. Tiffani also shared her thoughts on the value AI can bring to in-house legal teams, and highlighted key learnings from her career journey.

On this episode, Legal Operations Leader Reeta Sharma joined Alex Kelly for a discussion about how pairing thoughtful process improvements with innovation legal technology can multiply the value that in-house legal teams can deliver to their organization. Reeta also shared her thoughts on the use of AI tools for legal departments, offered advice to those starting out in the legal ops field, and talked about insights from her own career journey to the field of legal operations.

On this episode, Damier Xandrine (Chief Legal Officer at Tala) joined Alex Kelly to discuss the value that understanding an organization's financial situation can bring to an in-house legal team's ability to do its best work. Damier also discussed her thoughts on the importance of the legal operations function, and shared insights from her career journey.

On this episode, Legal Operations Leader David Krebs joined Alex Kelly for an insightful discussion about the challenges of navigating legal ops initiatives, and how he has approached major projects throughout his career. David also reflected on his career journey, and shared his thoughts on the impact legal tech and AI is having on in-house legal teams.

On this episode, La-Toya Hackney (SVP, General Counsel & Secretary at Saint-Gobain North America) joined Alex Kelly for a candid discussion about her amazing career journey, the importance of valuing diversity in the legal field, and her general philosophy when it comes to managing an in-house legal department. La-Toya also shared her thoughts on the value that legal operations provides to a legal team, and underscored the importance of the various mentors she's had throughout her career.

On this episode, Brandy Musick (Senior Manager of Legal Operations at Keurig Dr. Pepper) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her approach to implementing legal technology. Brandy also shared insights from her career journey, and talked about the importance of e-billing for modern legal departments.

On this special episode, Brightflag Co-Founder and COO Alex Kelly goes from host of the podcast to guest as he joins Brightflag Chief Customer Officer Kevin Cohn for a candid interview. During his conversation with Kevin, Alex discusses his own career journey, Brightflag's early beginnings, his thoughts on the growth of AI and legal operations, and much more.

On this episode, Louisa Toy (Legal Operations Manager at One Medical) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her legal operations journey. Louisa also shared insights into the most valuable skillsets for legal ops professionals to have, and the importance of embracing the legal operations community.

On this episode, Matthew Campobasso (General Counsel at Enfusion) joined Alex Kelly for an insightful discussion about embracing a proactive mindset as a GC. Matthew also shared his thoughts on the power of the legal operations function, and discussed his move in-house after over a decade working as an Associate and Partner with Chicago-based law firms.

On this episode, Brent Dyer (Director of Legal Operations, Employment Law, and Litigation at Trend Micro) joined Alex Kelly to discuss how to identify the initiatives that will have the greatest impacts on your in-house team. Brent also discussed how e-billing transformed his legal team's spend management capabilities, and shared insights from his journey into legal operations.

On this episode, Chris Beahn (Director, Legal & Global Affairs Operations at Splunk) joined Alex Kelly to discuss the consulting and project management principles that have had the greatest impact on his legal operations career. Chris also shared his thoughts on how the legal industry has pushed technological innovation forward over the years, and the value that networking and being a part of a legal ops community can provide.

On this episode, Legal Leader Samara Abrams joined Alex Kelly for a discussion about how to navigate the legal ops function, and the importance of combining good data with trusted relationships to affect change. Samara also shared insights into how her work in Business Development informs her legal ops strategies, and shared her top tips for facilitating communication and eliminating silos.

Recorded live at 2024's CLOC Global Institute, this episode features Timothy Melchior (Trane Technologies) and Tom Rice (TravelPerk). Timothy dove into the key pillars he prioritizes when executing legal ops initiatives, including how he works to create a lean legal function. And Tom shared his insights on the rise of AI tools and how they're transforming legal work.

Recorded live at 2024's CLOC Global Institute, this episode features Stéphanie Hamon (Head of Legal Operations Consulting at Norton Rose Fulbright) and Kshitij Dua (Head of Legal Operations at HashiCorp). Stéphanie discussed the path that led her to legal operations and her key takeaways from CGI 2024, and Kshitij talked about the benefits of embracing new learning opportunities in legal ops and setting clear professional goals.

Recorded live at CLOC Global Institute, this episode features legal leaders Jason Winmill (Argopoint, Buying Legal Council) and Katrina Gowans (IFM Investors). Jason underscored the importance of engaging with the community as a legal ops professional, and talked about how to navigate obtaining resources for your legal team. Katrina discussed her approach to finding the right pace when implementing change for the in-house team, and touched on her observations about the impacts generative AI tools are already having on legal work.

Our 2024 "Live from CLOC Global Institute" podcast series kicks off with Heather Torres (Assistant General Counsel at Sonnedix) and Denise Doyle (Extreme Networks). Heather stopped by to reflect on her first year at CGI, and how data changes the way legal work gets done. Denise discussed the value of prioritizing legal spend management, the progress that is left to be made when it comes to leveraging legal data, and the potential of AI tools for legal work.

On this episode, legal leader Kaylyn Nichols joined Alex Kelly to discuss her approach to process optimization, as well as what she views as the central pillars of an effective legal operations strategy. Kaylyn also shared insights from her career journey, and discussed the transformative impacts AI will likely have on legal teams in the coming years.

On this episode, Chad Hallberg (Legal Operations Lead at Stripe) joined Alex Kelly to discuss the central pillars of the legal operations function, and Chad's approach to launching initiatives related to each pillar. Chad also underscored the importance of leveraging spend management as a launching pad for other legal ops projects, and discussed his career journey.

Lorna Khemraz (Lead AI Counsel at Legal OS) joined Alex Kelly on the podcast this week to discuss the ways that AI is poised to improve all facets of legal work. Lorna also shared her thoughts on the major differences between working in-house vs. private practice, and shared insights from her fascinating career journey.

On this episode, Martinique Aguero (Legal Operations Specialist at Zendesk) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her approach to improving legal department processes. Martinique also shared her top resources for developing her professional skillsets, and discussed the skills from her time working as a paralegal that she has carried over into her legal ops role.

On this episode, Savannah Ramsey (Senior Legal Operations Manager & Chief of Staff at Motive) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her "less but better" mindset and how it guides her legal ops strategies. Savannah also shared insights into how her mentors influenced her professional journey, and discussed how legal tech solutions have increased the functionality of her organization's legal team.

On this episode, Legal Operations Leader Sol Brody joined Alex Kelly for an in-depth discussion about the strategic initiatives that all legal ops professionals should implement when stepping into their roles. Sol also shared his advice for those new to the legal operations field, and talked about his own professional journey from the world of global trade to legal ops.

On this episode, Michael Dineen (VP of Data Science at Brightflag) joins Alex Kelly to discuss the recent rise in the functionality of A.I. tools, and how legal teams are contending with it. Michael also shares his thoughts on ChatGPT, how A.I. models work, and where generative A.I. might take the legal departments in the years ahead.

On this episode, Jessica Williams (Director of Legal Team Strategy and Operations at FanDuel) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her experience building out a legal ops function at FanDuel, and why she chose to prioritize e-billing. Jessica also discussed her fascinating career journey, and the knowledge-building initiatives she's leading for the Buying Legal Council.

On this episode, André Barrow (Head of Legal Operations at FARFETCH) joined Alex Kelly to discuss how he applies project management principles to his work in the field of legal operations to change how legal work gets delivered. André also shared his thoughts on the key priorities to focus on in a legal ops role, and discussed the importance of being part of a community while working in this industry.

On this special episode, Ian Nolan (Brightflag CEO and Co-Founder) joins Alex Kelly to reflect on Brightflag's incredible journey in celebration of the company's 10-year anniversary. Ian also discusses the rise of legal ops, the value that A.I. brings to legal departments' functionality, and what's on the horizon for Brightflag.

On this episode, Lindsey Marandola (Director of Legal Operations at Temple Health) joined Alex Kelly for an in-depth conversation about the challenges of building out a legal ops function from the ground up. Lindsey also shared insights into how she leverages data to make her in-house team more efficient, and discussed her fascinating journey to legal ops.

On this episode, Stano Gejdos (Global Category Manager at Syngenta) joined Alex Kelly for a discussion about the key learnings Stano has applied to legal operations from his experience working in procurement. Stano also shared tips for implementing alternative fee arrangements, and discussed the importance of evaluating the ROI of all the legal department's processes to improve cost savings and efficiency.

On this episode, Ashlee Best (Founder of Compass Legal Operations and Wellness) joins Alex Kelly to discuss how her IT background led her on a very unique journey to the field of legal operations. Ashlee also shares her thoughts on how legal tech can transform the legal ops function, and her goal of making health, wellness, and balance a focus for those working in the industry.

On this episode, Kristen Hart (Senior Paralegal, Corporate and Legal Operations at Vantage Risk Companies) joins Alex Kelly to discuss the challenges of establishing new processes within legal departments, and how strong communication between legal ops professionals and the General Counsel can help. Kristen also shares insights from her own legal ops career journey, and how others in the industry can find opportunities to continue to grow professionally.

On this episode, Brightflag's Chief Customer Officer Kevin Cohn returns to share his annual legal ops and legal tech predictions for 2024. Kevin also recaps his 2023 predictions, and offers insights into the role of A.I. within legal departments in the year ahead, what the future holds for legal operations hiring and compensation, and more.

On this episode, Alisa De Dominicis (VP Global, Legal, and E&C Operations at Rimini Street) joined Alex Kelly to discuss the various skill sets—from project management to technology integration—that go into being an effective legal operations leader. Alisa also shared insights into her career journey, and underscored some of the data that CEOs seek out from legal teams, as well as how that data is collected.

On this episode, Legal Operations Leader Laurie David-Henric joined Alex Kelly for a discussion about the importance of creating your own career opportunities by seeking out professional challenges, and how that mindset helped her build out the legal operations functions in the various roles she has held. Laurie also shared insights into how she has helped legal teams maximize limited resources through data, and the importance of cross-collaboration when working in legal ops.

On this episode, Kimberly Williams (Head of Legal Operations at SMBC Group) joined Alex Kelly for a conversation about her professional journey, and how it led her from working as an Associate to leading the legal operations function at her organization. Kimberly also discussed the keys to making legal technology implementations work, and how gathering the right data makes effective resourcing possible.

On this episode, Victoria Swedjemark (Founder of Glowmind) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her professional experiences working in both business and legal roles—and how each function ultimately inspired her interest in exploring the legal operations and consulting field. Victoria also shared her thoughts on how the legal ops mindset can evolve, and stressed the importance of legal leaders pushing the boundaries of what their teams can do.

On this episode, Curt McDaniel (Chief Legal Officer at Ferring Pharmaceuticals) joined Alex Kelly for an in-depth discussion about how he went about implementing his organization's first legal operations role, and the importance of embracing new technological advancements in the field of legal work. Curt also discussed the impacts of using data to spot inefficiencies, his career journey, and his passion for writing.

On this episode, Mark Allen (Director of Legal & Compliance Operations and Strategy at Zillow) joined Alex Kelly to discuss how legal ops professionals can tactfully implement change within a legal department—even when it might initially seem uncomfortable. Mark also shared insights into some strategies he's used to negotiate with outside counsel, discussed his remarkable career journey, and underscored the importance of advocating for DE&I initiatives in the field of legal ops.

On this week's episode, Lyndsey Cain (Director of Legal Operations at The New York Times) joined Alex Kelly to discuss the holistic approach she takes when undertaking change management initiatives, and the importance of building trust and fostering open communication with the in-house legal team when working in a legal operations role. Lyndsey also shared insights from her own professional journey to the field of legal ops, and how much the industry has changed over the last 10 years.

On this week's episode, Eric O'Donnell (Head of Legal Operations at TotalEnergies) joined Alex Kelly to discuss how data provides the foundation upon which legal spend management initiatives are built, and the role of change management in tackling legal operations projects. Eric also shared insights into his globe-spanning career journey, and how always striving to expand his knowledge and skillsets has served him well in his professional roles.

On this week's episode, Connie Brenton (Founder of LegalOps.com, CLOC Founder and Founding CEO) joined Alex Kelly to discuss her remarkable career journey, the industry-wide impacts she's had on the field of legal operations, and the advice she would offer to those who are just starting out. Connie also underscored the importance of using data to inform strategy, her approach to change management. and the upcoming Running Legal Like a Business Conference that LegalOps.com will be hosting in Las Vegas.

On this week's episode, Ashlyn Donohue (Director of Legal at LinkSquares) joined Alex Kelly to discuss how she leverages data to help develop processes and guidelines that make her legal team more efficient. Ashlyn also shared her thoughts on how to optimize the use of legal technology, and underscored the importance of establishing processes and communication in the era of hybrid work.