The Crafty Show - Crafty Counsel's in-house legal podcast

This week we are bringing you a special episode of our podcast, Inside In-House Legal. Once a quarter, we host Crafty Innovates - a call open to anyone in the legal ecosystem interested in innovation (in it's many varieties!).Back in September, we dived into the critical topic of mental health in the legal profession with our Crafty Fest 2024 Charity Partner, LawCare. This discussion, between Toby Hornett, Elizabeth Rimmer (Chief Executive, LawCare) and David McCahon, explores mental health in the legal profession to share guidance and raise awareness.

In the latest episode of the Insight In-House Legal podcast, Ben White chats with Michael Bernstein, Senior Legal Counsel at Trustpilot.Michael shares how his entrepreneurial upbringing and creative background shaped his approach to in-house legal roles, emphasising problem-solving, adaptability, and building strong professional relationships.He also discusses the transformative role of AI in legal and offers advice for young lawyers: “Your job as an in-house lawyer is to be the brakes on the car—knowing when to say yes and when to say no.”Don't miss this episode packed with insights!

In the latest episode of the Inside In-House Legal podcast, Ben sits down for a chat with Grainne O'Driscoll, Product and Marketing Counsel at Credit Karma.Grainne's journey—from navigating the 2008 global financial crisis to unexpected detours like scuba diving—shows that success isn't always linear. She shared powerful reflections on resilience, flexibility, and the importance of strong support systems and relationships in the workplace.Her story is an inspiring reminder of the value of perseverance and creating a positive work environment.Listen to the full episode for more!

In the latest episode of the Inside In-House Legal podcast, Ben is joined by Alex Williams (Legal Director & Company Secretary).Alex shares insights from his in-house legal career spanning Nike, Uber, and now leading the legal team at Zelus. He discusses the challenges and rewards of working across diverse industries, the importance of building strong relationships, and the unique experience of establishing a legal function from scratch.Alex also highlights the value of his dual role as Legal Director and Company Secretary, emphasising prioritisation, organisation, and the effective use of external resources.Listen to the full podcast for more insights from Alex Williams!

Join Ben White as he interviews Daniel Whitehead, Global Head of Issuer Services Legal at Citi, in this engaging episode. Discover Daniel's remarkable career journey and his volunteer work with Medical Lifelines Ukraine. Gain insights into navigating change, proactive problem-solving, and fostering a positive workplace culture. Learn about the importance of achieving balance in high-pressure roles and how Daniel's dedication to both his professional responsibilities and humanitarian efforts provides a unique perspective on leadership and making a meaningful impact. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about Daniel's experiences and the incredible initiatives he's involved in!

Taking a look inside the career of an in-house lawyer with Adam Hirschovits!Tune in to the latest episode of the Insight In-house Legal podcast where Ben White sits down to chat with with Adam Hirschovits, Senior Commercial and Legal Director at The Roald Dahl Story Company.Adam and Ben dive into exploring Adam's career journey so far. Discussing the opportunities and challenges of being a sole in-house lawyer, navigating the recent acquisition by Netflix, and the intricacies of managing intellectual property rights in the entertainment world.It's a must-listen for in-house legal professionals!

In this special bonus episode of The Crafty Show, we've pulled together some of the words of wisdom our various in-house lawyer interviewees shared during our conversations. We asked them whether there was any advice they had been given that they still use to this day, and we received a range of fascinating (and, of course, helpful!) insights.So, whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned in-house counsel, this episode is packed with relatable stories and actionable advice to help you navigate the ups and downs of your legal career.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

James Smither, co-founder of the Neurodiversity Network, sits down with in-house lawyer Connagh McCormick, and private practice lawyer Jessie Smith to discuss the importance of understanding and embracing neurodiversity in the legal field.During their conversation, they share personal experiences and perspectives, highlighting the need for organisations to support neurodiverse individuals.They also emphasise the various ways lawyers can take small steps to break the stigma often associated with neurodiversity, offering examples of different strategies legal professionals can use to disclose it in the workplace.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

Lee Castleton purchased a Post Office in Bridlington, Yorkshire, in 2003. When the Post Office management discovered a loss of £25,000 in the computer system, they blamed Lee, who argued that the Horizon IT system was at fault. The Post Office sued him, won the case, and pursued legal costs amounting to £321,000, which led to Lee's bankruptcy. To this day, he is still awaiting compensation.Lee graciously shared his story at Crafty Fest 2024 in a fireside chat with Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel. He provided a unique perspective on the best and worst aspects of the legal profession. 

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Lucie Cruz, Content Producer at Crafty Counsel, is joined by Harriet Dedman, Counsel at Tiny, journalist, photographer, and filmmaker.Beginning her career at Hogan Lovells in 2008, Harriet spent a decade exploring various legal roles. In 2014, she transitioned into freelance journalism and filmmaking while continuing her corporate law work.In 2015, she left corporate law to cover the European refugee crisis in Greece as a freelancer. Her talent eventually secured her a full-time role as a Staff Producer/Director at VICE News.After a career in media spanning Europe, Hong Kong, and the U.S., collaborating with outlets such as BBC News, HBO, The Guardian, and CNN, and earning two Emmy nominations, Harriet returned to the legal field in October 2018.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel, sits down with Karl Wilson, a seasoned lawyer turned legal consultant with over two decades of experience and, since 2015, also a professional actor.During the course of their conversation, Karl speaks candidly about the significant upsides as well as the hurdles he's encountered while juggling both legal consultancy and acting. He offers valuable insights and guidance for fellow in-house lawyers looking to pursue interests beyond the legal realm.This episode was kindly sponsored by Re:link - the flexible legal resourcing platform from Linklaters.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode, Lucie Cruz, Content Producer at Crafty Counsel, is joined by Richard Barnett, General Counsel at The National Gallery.Responsible for advising The Gallery on all regulatory and commercial matters, Richard has played a crucial role in facilitating the acquisition of Thomas Lawrence's “Red Boy” through a private treaty sale, as well as procuring works by Veronese, Pissarro, Poussin, and others.In this episode, Richard opens up about the considerations and negotiations involved in acquiring artworks. He also shares his work for The National Gallery's Bicentenary - celebrating 200 years of bringing people and paintings together.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Toby Hornett, Head of Community at Crafty Counsel, sits down with Mel Nebhrajani CB, Director General for Litigation with Justice and Security at GLD.Mel, who previously served as Legal Director at the Department for Health and Social Care, led the department's legal response to the pandemic while also navigating EU Exit challenges. She is now Director General for Litigation with Justice and Security at GLD In this episode, Mel shares insights from her experiences so far, as well as the lessons she has learned from her role in both the response and inquiry.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel, speaks with Natalie Salunke, an experienced GC from the Tech and other sectors who recently started her practice as a Fractional General Counsel, and Shrina Shah, formerly the Group General Counsel & Company Secretary at Puregym. In addition to their roles as in-house counsel, Natalie and Shrina have both taken on the additional responsibility of serving as Trustees. Shrina ventured into her first Trustee role in 2018 and presently holds the position of Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Kiln Theatre. Natalie occupies a dual trustee role, contributing her expertise to both Kent Union and the Young Urban Arts Foundation.In this episode, they explore their daily responsibilities, discuss why GCs are well-suited for these roles, and offer insights on balancing extracurricular commitments with professional responsibilities.This episode was kindly sponsored by Taylor Root, a global legal, risk and compliance search and recruitment consultancy.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel, speaks with Shika Soni, Assistant General Counsel at Principal Asset Management.Before joining Principal, Shika worked as Senior Legal Counsel at Royal London Asset Management. She also spent time in New York on secondment from Orchard Solicitors, where she passed the NY Bar exams and became admitted in New York State.Alongside her career, Shika serves as a mentor to a large number of lawyers and aspiring lawyers, as well as individuals exploring careers in law or financial services. In this conversation, Shika discusses the value of mentorship, reflecting on her own experiences and the impact it has had on her career.This episode was kindly sponsored by Taylor Root, a global legal, risk and compliance search and recruitment consultancy.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White, sits down with Fintech Day 2023 speaker Chrissy Hill (General Counsel at Parity Technologies). Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Chrissy discusses her move to the UK in 2002. She shares her journey from Linklaters to Barclays and then recounts her nearly decade-long experience working with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, where she provided operational, legal, and regulatory guidance.Currently serving as General Counsel for a software developer (and leading contributor to Polkadot), Chrissy also discusses her experience working in the blockchain space and explores the longevity and relevance of blockchain technology and AI. She shares her expectations that the impact and influence of these technologies will continue to evolve and become seamlessly integrated into our lives, ultimately serving as tools that improve various aspects of our daily reality.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel, speaks with Stephanie-Kate Bratton, General Counsel at AgriFutures, Australia.Stephanie's journey as a lawyer began in Sydney, Australia, where she worked as a lawyer at Clayton Utz and stayed for several years, honing her legal skills. However, her story took a fascinating turn in 2016 when she decided to transition from private practice to in-house lawyering. She relocated across the globe to join Amazon in Seattle as corporate counsel. In the midst of her career and far from home, Stephanie battled kidney disease, and in a surprising turn of events, she found herself unexpectedly pregnant. Missing home, she moved back to Sydney with Amazon in 2020 before taking on her current role as General Counsel at AgriFutures.During the course of this conversation, Stephanie speaks about health issues, hidden disabilities, life in a different country, and her book, “My Mummy is a Lawyer," which brilliantly simplifies the diverse roles of lawyers, using concepts that little ones can understand. The book has not only created a sense of community and connection among working mothers but has also highlighted the importance of embracing the multifaceted roles that mothers play.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel sits down with Simon Duffield, Lead, Legal - COVAX, at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.  Simon shares his professional journey, which began with a career in London as a trainee at Linklaters, where he stayed for over 11 years. In 2019, he then made the move to Switzerland and in-house to join Verisure as Group Corporate & Transactions Counsel. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Simon joined Gavi to support the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.  Simon reflects on the pandemic, its impact, and his unique role as a lawyer actively working to ensure that vaccines reached those in need during a time of unprecedented crisis. He also discusses the excellent work that Gavi does and its global impact, which has led to the immunisation of over a billion children through various programmes over the years.This episode was kindly sponsored by Re:link Linklaters, the premium contract lawyer platform from Linklaters.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with one of our Fintech Day speakers, Kate Luton (Senior Counsel at Motive Partners).Kate shares her journey from private practice to in-house roles in the legal tech and fintech industries, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities she's encountered along the way.Kate's experience working with startups and established law firms has given her a fresh perspective on the legal industry. She highlights the importance of diversity of thought, collaboration across teams, and the entrepreneurial mindset required to thrive in these dynamic environments.This episode was kindly sponsored by Ignition Law, an entrepreneurial law firm supporting startups, scale-ups, and growing businesses.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

The Crafty Show is back! Launching season 4 with this special episode featuring the awesome keynote that Andy Cooke, General Counsel at TravelPerk, delivered at Crafty Fest in June 2023.Andy takes us on a journey - delving into the headwinds facing the legal industry today, addressing issues such as changing client demands, evolving knowledge consumption patterns, and the crucial role of trust in the profession. He also discusses the impact of AI technology on the legal landscape and how it's reshaping our approach to legal work.Andy provides valuable insights into how legal professionals can thrive amidst these challenges. He explores the concept of treating legal as a product and emphasises the importance of customer-centricity. He shares his experiences in trying innovative approaches and embracing change to find greater fulfilment and create value in the legal field.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with Leisa Turner,  General Counsel - Eurasia at Komatsu Mining Corp.Leisa takes us through her career journey which saw her starting her career at Blake Dawson in Australia before making the jump in-house to a mining company, Joy Global Inc. From there, Leisa then took another leap as she moved to the UK to become Joy Global's first General Counsel for Eurasia and build the legal function for the region. In 2016, Joy Global was acquired by Komatsu Mining Corp in a global acquisition. Leisa talks to us about the wide variety of things she's achieved in the 12+ years she's been with Joy Global (now Komatsu). From establishing a new legal function and working on both sides of acquisitions, to tackling a male-dominated industry to become the first woman AND lawyer on the regional management board.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register for the Crafty Counsel Community for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with Rhian Ravenscroft, Head of Legal EMEA at MarketAxess.Rhian talks us through her career journey so far which included a later start to her legal career and then making the move in-house at only one year PQE. In 2018, Rhian also moved to Amsterdam with MarketAxess to establish their European office post-Brexit.This conversation also explores Rhian's passions for mentoring and cycling. Within her role at MarketAxess, Rhian is involved in their mentoring scheme. Whilst outside of this, she has competed in cycling and is now on the Board of the Cyclists Alliance. Rhian talks to us about how Cyclists Alliance are providing holistic support to female cyclists, and shares her experience of building strategy, awareness, lobbying the sports governing body, and building the mentor programme.Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register on the Crafty Counsel website for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with Sofia Gohir, a senior in-house lawyer.Sofia talks us through her varied career journey. From starting as a paralegal in London during the financial crash, to making the jump and working in legal operations for Coca-Cola in Dubai.  Sofia also shares her experience of moving back to the UK after many years in Dubai and the differences between the two. Subscribe to The Crafty Show wherever you get your podcast. Find comprehensive show notes for this episode (and more content) on the Crafty Counsel website. Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register on the Crafty Counsel website for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with Richard Given, Group General Counsel at OpenPayd.Richard talks us through his varied in-house legal career which started with Cisco Systems and HSBC. After five years with HSBC, Richard then made the jump to Fintech startup world with 10x Banking before his current role as Group General Counsel with OpenPayd. Alongside his busy legal career, Richard also used to play rugby for Sarcaens and co-founded Longlands - a luxury glamping experience in Devon.This conversation is a fascinating look at Richard's career. Similarly, Richard provides insights on building legal functions from the ground up and the importance of remembering your role as a lawyer in upholding the law.  Subscribe to The Crafty Show wherever you get your podcast. Find comprehensive show notes for this episode (and more content) on the Crafty Counsel website. Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register on the Crafty Counsel website for free.

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, Crafty Counsel's Founder, Ben White sits down with Laura Jeffords Greenberg, Interim General Counsel at Worksome based in Denmark. Laura talks us through  her incredible career journey in this episode. From starting out at the National Football League in New York and a brief stint in private practice in LA, to moving in-house once more, but across the world this time to Red Bull Media House in Austria. With such a variety of in-house legal roles between Europe and the US, Laura provides a look at her experiences, including cultural differences in new countries and adjusting to a new sector. This conversation also touches briefly upon technology, especially the potential of AI,  for in-house legal teams. Subscribe to The Crafty Show wherever you get your podcast. Find comprehensive show notes for this episode (and more content) on the Crafty Counsel website. Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register on the Crafty Counsel website for free. 

In the latest episode of The Crafty Show podcast, we delve into the world of Jordan Breslow, a seasoned former General Counsel whose expert advice and timely intervention saved his CEO from potential jail time. Jordan talks to us about his experience working in California's flowering ecosystem of innovation and tech in the past decades. This conversation takes a focused look at Jordan's time with Opsware and the role he played in preventing his CEO and one of the most important venture capitalists, Ben Horowitz, from facing prison. Jordan reflects on this experience - including the responsibility of the General Counsel in saying “no” when necessary, the question reporting lines for General Counsel, and building a culture grounded in transparency where people can speak up.Subscribe to The Crafty Show wherever you get your podcast. Find comprehensive show notes for this episode (and more content) on the Crafty Counsel website. Join the Crafty Counsel Community to discover a space where in-house legal professionals can find joy, insight, and connection. Register on the Crafty Counsel website for free.

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Ben White (Founder & CEO at Crafty Counsel) is joined by two guests - Sharon Harris, an experienced General Counsel turned Executive, and Alexandra Badel, Head of Legal for Morgan Sindall Infrastructure.During their time together at Costain,  Alex and Sharon did something unusual by actually sharing the role of General Counsel. This conversation explores this experience and what in-house legal professionals can learn from it.  Look at everything from the unexpected surprises, and reality of making it work, to Sharon and Alex's key advice for others considering job sharing.This episode was kindly sponsored by Taylor Root, a global legal, risk and compliance search and recruitment consultancy. At Crafty Counsel, we provide an authentic, collaborative community for in-house legal professionals seeking joy, insight, and connection in their careers. With members from across the globe, representing a diverse range of professional backgrounds, our community is a hub for sharing experiences and forming invaluable connections. You can register to join the Crafty Counsel community for free.

In this last episode of Season Two of The Crafty Show, we pulled together some of the nuggets of wisdom our interviewees shared with us. We asked whether there was any advice they had been given that they use….We spoke to several lawyers with fascinating career stories. We spoke to a former Olympic fencer and learned that no matter how successful you are, even the best lawyers can suffer from imposter syndrome.  Explored how dyslexic thinking can be a great strength for a lawyer and can assist in the problem-solving part of the job. We discovered the charitable causes members of Crafty Counsel's community are passionate about and give their time to as trustees. We even learned from in-house lawyers who support Saas and blockchain companies and spoke about Crypto and the metaverse.Counsel's podcast focuses on the career journeys of in-house lawyers. Crafty Counsel is on a mission to spread joy, insight and connection for in-house legal professionals, and we host online and in-person events.  Crafty Counsel's community of in-house lawyers meet up regularly, online and at in-person events, to discuss ideas, offer support and network.  If you want to know more, why not sign up to the community? 

In this episode of the Crafty Show, Renée Graham, the Head of Content at Crafty Counsel is joined by Emma Haywood, Associate General Counsel at Babylon, an international digital healthcare company. Before joining Babylon's in-house team in April 2021, Emma worked at the Magic Circle firm Slaughter and May for eight years. Emma graduated with a first-class degree in Modern and Medieval languages from the University of Cambridge.  Emma is a mentor with The Social Mobility Foundation and leads a mentoring partnership between Babylon's legal team and a mentoring charity called GROW. Among other things Emma talks about her career journey from the Magic Circle to in-house counsel in the healthcare sector, what she learned from moving in-house, her passion for social mobility and mentoring and what brings her joy. Emma is part of Crafty Counsel's community of in-house lawyers who meet up regularly, online and at in-person events, to discuss ideas, offer support and network.  If you would like to know more why not sign up to the community? 

In this episode of The Crafty Show, Renée Graham, the Head of Content at Crafty Counsel is joined by Harpreet Kaur Mangat, in-house counsel at Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation).   Before joining Sony in July 2019,  Harpreet worked as in-house counsel at YouGov. She also worked at Amazon twice in the more recent role at the company, she focused on regulatory dispute resolution and also provided legal support to Amazon's Advertising and Loss Prevention teams. Harpreet started her career as a paralegal in London before moving to New York City for work. A role as a paralegal at Japan Tobacco International brought her back to the UK again. She is one of the founding Trustees of Making Mum Proud, a charitable organisation that supports young students who lost a parent or guardian to meet their educational goals. Among other things Harpreet talks about her career journey, the highlights and challenges of working in-house, her work at Playstation and her passion for helping young people who have faced adversity. Harpreet is part of Crafty Counsel's community of in-house lawyers who meet up regularly, online and at in-person events, to discuss ideas, offer support and network.  If you would like to know more why not sign up to the community? 

In this episode, Ben White, the Founder of Crafty Counsel, is joined by Pav Gill,  who was the Head of Legal for the Asia-Pacific region based in Singapore at the now defunct German fintech company Wirecard. Pav uncovered widespread fraud at the financial services provider and became a whistleblower. In 2018 Pav was forced out of the company after his efforts to conduct an internal investigation were thwarted. He then went to the media. Pav spoke to the Financial Times and the journalist who worked on the story, Dan McCrum, wrote a book about the widespread fraud at Wirecard called Money Men. Pav shares what he learned from his experience and what advice he would give to other in-house lawyers. 

In this episode of The Crafty Show Renée Graham, Head of Content at Crafty Counsel is joined by Alex O'Connell, the Head of Legal and Company Secretary at FeverTree, a company that specialises in premium tonic waters and mixers. Alex first entered the drinks industry when he was seconded from the Magic Circle firm Freshfields to AB InBev. He joined the company's legal department on a permanent basis. Before becoming a lawyer Alex enjoyed a successful career in fencing and took part in the 2008 Olympic Games as part of Great Britain's fencing team. Among other things, Alex talks about how his athletic career influenced the kind of lawyer he is today and his experience of working on the major acquisition of SABMiller while in private practice. 

In this episode, Renée Graham, the Head of Content at Crafty Counsel is joined by Sam Lester, Director and Senior Legal Counsel at TD Securities, which is a leading Canadian investment bank and financial services provider that offers capital market and advisory services to corporate and institutional clients globally.Before joining TD Securities Sam was a Legal Director for Investment Banking and Capital Markets, for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Credit Suisse and before that Vice President – Investment Banking Legal (EMEA) at global investment banking firm, Jefferies, which is headquartered in New York.Among other things Sam talks about his career journey, the highlights and challenges of working in-house in investment banking and the best advice he has received.Sam is part of Crafty Counsel's FTSE and Friends group. Crafty Counsel's community of in-house lawyers meet regularly, online and at in-person events, to discuss the things that matter to them.

In this episode Renée Graham, Head of Content at Crafty Counsel, is joined by Sebastian Goldsmith, General Counsel of Medigold Health, which is a leading occupational health and wellbeing service provider in the UK. Before joining Medigold Health in March 2020, Sebastain worked as a commercial associate at IFM Investors. He was a corporate solicitor at Latham & Watkins and he trained and qualified at Nabarro LLP. Among other things Sebastian talks about his career journey, the highlights and challenges of working in-house, neurodiversity in the workplace and his passion for legal tech. 

In this episode of The Crafty Show Renée Graham, the Head of Content at Crafty Counsel is joined by Atik Ahmed, Head of Legal at the Marco Polo Network, which is a blockchain enabled trade finance platform company. Before joining the company in 2017, Atik worked in the insurance industry at Unum and Bupa and he trained at Pinsent Masons. Apart from being a lawyer, Atik is a keen sportsman and avid Crossfitter. Atik was also a keen student journalist and was shortlisted for an award by The Guardian newspaper for Student Sports Journalist of the Year in 2006. Among other things Atik talks about his career journey, the highlights and challenges of working in-house, working in blockchain and steering the legal function at a high growth company as it scales up. 

In this's episode of The Crafty Show , Crafty Counsel's In-house Legal Podcast, host Ben White, the founder of Crafty Counsel talks with guest Genevieve Landricombe, a  Legal Transformation Director, about her career journey, and how she supports in-house legal teams to transform the legal function. Genevieve's background is in financial services, technology and the legal industry. She leads high performing teams and helps them formulate strategies to deliver profit and sustainability in the business.  Most recently Genevieve consulated on procurement for the Grosvenor Group, and before that for financial services provider Santander. Genevieve worked for the RBS for a number of years. She was the Deputy Head of Resilience and Continuity and a Senior Transformation Manager at the bank. She started her journey with the Royal Bank of Scotland doing legal sourcing. Among other things I'll talk to Genevieve about her career journey, how she supports in-house legal teams to transform the legal function, her strategic and operational advice and how legal teams can illustrate their performance and value to the Board. 

In this episode, Ben White, the founder of Crafty Counsel talks to Emma Norman, Senior Legal Counsel at Invesco, an asset management company. Emma spent 8 years at Freshfields and worked in restructuring and insolvency at the firm before she joined the in-house legal team at Invesco. In her spare time, Emma is a trustee for the Luminary Bakery, which is a charity and social enterprise in London that offers support and training, creates community and provides employment opportunities for women who have experienced social and economic disadvantage.Among other things Ben talks to Emma about her career journey, the highlights and challenges of working in-house, taking on in-house trainees at Invesco and using her skills to assist a charitable organisation. Emma is part of Crafty Counsel's FTSE and Friends group. Crafty Counsel's community of in-house lawyers meet regularly online and at in-person events to discuss the things that matter to them. 

In this episode of The Crafty Show Ben White, founder of Crafty Counsel, is joined by Richard Moorhead, Professor of Law at the University of Exeter.Ben and Richard talk about recent ethical crises in UK businesses and what in-house lawyers can learn from them. Richard is an empirical legal scholar who focuses on lawyers' ethics and regulation, the courts and legal services, and access to justice. He is interdisciplinary in his approach and his academic and policy interests encourage significant levels of public engagement. In particular, Richard is one of the UK's experts on ethics for in-house lawyers. Many listening to this may have encountered Richard's work on the Post Office scandal that has been a most unfortunate part of public life in the UK in recent years. Richard is part of a research team at Exter examining the Post Office scandal's implications for corporate governance, lawyers' ethics, and organisational culture. 

In the first episode of the second season of The Crafty Show Ben White, the founder of Crafty Counsel, speaks to Max Garth, Senior Counsel and Director of Legal EMEA at Databricks and his colleague Ben Eastham, Senior Legal Counsel. Before joining Databricks both Max and Ben worked for a range of well known tech and SaaS companies. Max headed the legal team at Qumu Corporation, an enterprise video platform, he was theCorporate Counsel at Docusign and worked at DXC Technology. Ben Eastham worked in the legal team of the anti-virus software company McAfee, at Utility Warehouse and before that he was at Ernst and Young (EY). Databricks is a cloud based web platform that is used for processing large quantities of data and exploring that data by using machine learning models.  Among other things Ben talks to Max and Ben about their work at tech companies, like Databricks, what legal tech tools they use, how they use data to measure performance and what valuable lessons they have learned in their careers. 

In this week's episode Renée Graham, Crafty Counsel's Head of Content, is joined by Mel Scott who hosts her own podcast called Counsel, which is aimed at in-house lawyers. Mel is based in Brisbane, Australia and is a  Senior Legal Counsel at global technology company Megaport. Mel started her legal career as junior lawyer at Corrs Chambers Westgarth where she advised private and public companies on corporate, securities and commercial matters. Mel then moved in-house to work as a legal counsel at the Brisbane Airport corporation and then pivoted into the technology sector when she joined Megaport in 2017.  Mel has hosted Counsel, her highly recommended podcast, since April 2020.  Mel talks to Renée about her in-house career journey,  how she manages her time between being a full-time lawyer and her podcast side-hustle, and her advice on successfully implementing a new piece of legal tech.  She also shares her thoughts on building a personal brand as an in-house lawyer and why it is important. 

Welcome to this episode of the Crafty Counsel Show.  Join Ben White (the founder of Crafty Counsel) as he speaks to Dr Funke Abimbola MBE, CEO and Founder of the Austen Bronte Consultancy, a global consulting firm whose main goal is to improve leadership by leveraging the impact of diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity, across the business world. Clients include many global household names including Levi Strauss & Co, Johnson and Johnson, Macquarie Bank and Sky.Funke's illustrious professional career began in the legal sector, where her roles included being General Counsel and Head of Financial Compliance at Roche, the world's largest biotech. She has also held various operational and commercial roles within the global pharmaceutical industry and solicitor roles in private practice. During this time, Funke won numerous awards as a leader and innovator in the legal sector and in particular for her work as a champion for diversity and inclusion. She received an MBE in 2017 for services to diversity in the legal profession and to young people. Since 2020, Funke has been focusing on her consulting and advisory business, and we'll be talking today about opportunities for in-house lawyers to expand their horizons inside and outside of law, about diversity in the legal sector and what lawyers can do to drive change. 

In this episode of The Crafty Show  Ben White (Crafty Counsel's Founder) speaks with Kate Sherburn, the Head of Legal at Who Gives a Crap based in Melbourne, Australia.  Kate was the first in-house lawyer at Who Gives a Crap and was awarded ‘New In-house Lawyer of the Year' by the Association of Corporate Counsel in Australia in 2020. Ben and Kate talk about balancing work and kids, what it's like being the first in-house lawyer in a company, and why Kate cares about working for a mission-based organisation 

“I think for us lawyers, sometimes giving away that title and that security and that training…and that identity that you've built all the way through…can be quite difficult.”   Karen Kerrigan, Chief Operating Officer Moneybox. Karen Kerrigan has managed to do something many in-house lawyers want to do, which is to move to a business role.  Karen is the COO at Moneybox, which is a savings and investment platform with more than 700,000 customers.  Prior to Moneybox, Karen was the Chief Legal Officer and then COO at Seedrs, the well-known equity crowdfunding platform.  She studied English at Oxford University before commencing her legal training. Karen worked in private practice at Simmons & Simmons before moving in-house. She talks to Ben about her career journey and transition from law to operations and what she learned along the way. 

This is a special episode of the Crafty Show, a legal podcast hosted by Crafty Counsel. We hosted a discussion between Stephanie Wallace, General Counsel of MetroBank and Andrew Olsen, the sole General Counsel of Globacap. Stephanie and Andrew discuss how they see the role of the General Counsel evolving. Stephanie works with a legal team of ten people at a challenger bank.  Prior to her role at Metro Bank she was Head of Legal at RateSetter, a peer-to-peer lending platform. Before moving in-house Stephanie spent several years in private practice as a regulatory lawyer.Andrew works as the sole General Counsel at Globacap, a capital lifecycle management platform. He trained and qualified as a capital markets lawyer and has worked in the finance and technology sectors for a number of years. Recently he started working with earlier stage businesses. He describes his role as “the legal equivalent of a GP” and deals “with everything from corporate, commercial, employment to IP”.You can read an article about the discussion here:https://craftycounsel.co.uk/blog/general-counsels-discuss-the-changing-nature-of-their-roleSee a short video of the discussion here:https://craftycounsel.co.uk/video/how-is-the-role-of-the-general-counsel-changing

In this fourth episode Ben is joined by Emma Jelley.  Prior to moving to Helsinki in 2018, Emma's legal roles included being the General Counsel at Onfido, and General Counsel for UK and Ireland at Google. Emma shares how while working at the international  law firm Hogan Lovells she was seconded to Gucci and GlaxoSmithKlein and decided to move in-house. In 2007 Emma joined a then fairly lean legal team at Google's London offices in 2007 where she worked for nearly a decade. Emma worked at an Alternative Legal Service Provider (ALSP), Fondia, in Finland for a year before starting her own consulting and leadership coaching business, Jelleyworks. She has a post graduate diploma in sustainable development and is a qualified leadership and career coach. Emma loves to work with people and is driven by her values, which centre around diversity and inclusion.  Emma is a Crafty Counsel community ambassador and facilitates some of Crafty Counsel's online events.

In this third episode Ben is joined by Katie Power.  Katie has had a super interesting career journey.  She has done what many lawyers, particularly in-house lawyers, aspire to.  She has been the consultant General Counsel to various exciting startups, some of them household names. And her portfolio career includes not only being a general counsel for those companies, but also pursuing her own interests such as being a pilates teacher. She originally trained at Norton Rose Fulbright after which she worked as a lawyer at the Financial Services Authority and later as an Associate at Addlesaw Goddard. Katie then took a break from law altogether to become a pilates instructor for a few years before she moved to a portfolio career as an in-house lawyer.  Katie works flexibly to ensure she's outdoors as much as possible and she teaches pilates whenever she can. 

Welcome to the Crafty Show, a legal podcast.Produced by Crafty Counsel, a digital media company and community with the aim to spread joy, connection and insight to in-house lawyers. Join Crafty Counsel's founder Ben White as he speaks to lawyers who have left private practice, often to join in-house legal teams, about their career journeys.In the second episode Ben talks to Ann Silla, a senior legal counsel who trained and then qualified at Linklaters in the private equity corporate team.Ann moved in house after four and a half years and subsequently spent several years in the publishing industry working at The Economist Group as senior counsel. She later joined Deliveroo's legal team and is currently a senior legal consultant. 

Welcome to the Crafty Show, a legal podcast. Produced by Crafty Counsel, a digital media company and community with the aim to spread joy, connection and insight to in-house lawyers. Join Crafty Counsel's founder Ben White as he speaks to lawyers who have left private practice, often to join in-house legal teams, about their career journeys.In this first episode Ben talks to Toby McCrindle, Head of Legal and Compliance at Divido, one of Europe's fastest growing fintechs.  Prior to Divido, Toby was General Counsel at the travel tech company Snowfall and a legal counsel at BAE Systems. Toby started his career at Allen & Overy, dealing with legal for aircraft financing and other matters in London and Dubai.