From Zimbabwe to Nairobi, Otilia Phiri has solidified her reputation as a leader in the African legal tech space. As Principal Corporate Counsel for the Africa Regional Cluster at Microsoft, she’s committed to transforming how legal departments support business objectives, promoting diverse perspectives and innovative approaches to in-house projects. Otilia gives us an exclusive peek into how Microsoft is transforming the African continent with exciting new technology and how she thinks AI...

How does one begin to measure the social impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in legal? And how can you get others to buy in? When Porter Merriman, VP & Assistant GC at AutoDesk, helped spearhead her department’s new DEIB program, she knew she couldn’t force people to be fully invested. But she could acknowledge and reward those who were. In this episode of our new Mission Possible series, Porter gives other legal leaders a map to help them charter their...

Ulrike Schwarz-Runer, Managing Director and Senior Partner, GC and CLO at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), has long been a champion for DEI and psychological safety in the workplace. While she’s overseeing BCG’s global legal operations, she’s also leveraging her position to empower her people to feel safe and heard while participating in international forums on inclusivity. Ulrike shares how BCG is driving DEI initiatives through innovation, effective communication, and expertise...

It takes everyone, from corporate leadership to interns, to drive successful DEI initiatives through an in-house legal department.So, when Forbes recognized NiSource as one of the top employers for diversity in the energy field in 2023, André Wright and his team knew their efforts had paid off. The VP & Deputy GC for NiSource joined us to talk about how they implemented their DEI strategy and share some of the surprising challenges and outcomes of bringing everyone along. Join us as we...

Creating a positive culture is hard — especially in the legal space. Old institutions and ways of doing things are difficult to unseat, and modern corporate legal departments need to lean heavily into building culture that works for both the company and its people equally. Kailee Goold, VP of Litigation and Legal Operations at Cardinal Health, sits down with PERSUIT’s own Michelle Landy to discuss how to disrupt outdated patterns of thinking and behavior when it comes to culture and belonging...

As the Director of Legal Operations, Employment Law, and Litigation at Trend Micro, Brent Dyer is leading the transformation of legal operations within the multinational cybersecurity giant.  His journey from aspiring opera singer to legal innovator is not just a fascinating career transition but a testament to the dynamism and versatility required in the legal ops landscape. Brent joins us to unpack the world of legal ops, sharing insights on enhancing operational efficiencies, strategic...

Most of our guests started their legal journeys in private law firms before pivoting to corporate in-house legal departments. In this insightful episode, the shoe is on the other foot. Veronica Gromada spent nearly 20 years with Walmart’s in-house legal department, leading teams of attorneys, paralegals, and various professionals and managing the retailer’s extensive tort litigation portfolio. Now, as a partner at the prestigious law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., Veronica is not only...

The roles of chief legal officer or general counsel can mean different things in different corporate hierarchies. But if there’s one thing that Ben Adams has learned on his way to becoming CLO and Corporate Secretary at Western Union, it’s that those men and women must be true problem solvers.He’s always reminding his in-house team that a uniform legal background will only get them so far. It’s the willingness to adapt and learn the ins and outs of their business that will take them places....

As AI tools continue to infiltrate the global workforce, how can legal ops teams separate relevant AI services from ill-fitting alternatives? And how can in-house teams best leverage some of these exciting new data models to make informed decisions? Sue Manik, Head of Supplier Performance at Standard Chartered Bank, believes that legal professionals must reevaluate how they think about data if they want to keep up with accelerated innovation. Sue walks us through the changes she’s witnessed...

The role of the GC has come a long way since the days when everyone only wanted to work for big law firms. GCs have now evolved into a more strategic and important role within organizations, where lawyers are doing more of the legal work and interacting with the business.  For the role to continuously improve, lawyers must stay endlessly curious, evaluate what they’re doing and improve upon it, and learn how to delegate. This week, we're joined by Sterling Miller, CEO and Senior Counsel at...

If lawyers and the legal function are going to thrive in tomorrow’s workforce, they need to be tech-savvy, forward-thinking, and able to project manage. The legal landscape is in a constant state of evolution, and teams must embrace that change to stay ahead. They need to push alternative ways of doing things and work differently. This week, we're joined by Shane O’Connor, General Manager of Strategy and Operations at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Shane’s extensive experience...

Unbeknownst to many, mass arbitration is actually something that recently evolved in the legal landscape as an alternative to large class action lawsuits. What should companies be aware of, and how can they deal with mass arbitration successfully? This week, we're joined by Maui Gevero, Senior Manager of Legal Advisory at PERSUIT. We dive into what mass arbitration is and how companies can proactively address challenges arising from this. Maui also shares his views on where the system...

A lot has happened since Inderpreet Sawhney became General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Infosys in 2017. After globetrotting through several firms and businesses, she now oversees an in-house team that is witnessing incredible advances in generative AI firsthand. And like many other GCs and legal professionals, she’s curious to see how these innovations will redefine value in the field. Inderpreet gives us her insights into what generative AI could mean for future lawyers, and...

Nobody loves the billable hour. For too long, law firms have viewed it as a necessary evil, partly because the right technology just hadn’t shown up yet. But now, ChatGPT and large language models have entered the public scene. And Jim Delkousis, Founder and CEO at PERSUIT, is loving every minute of it. Today, he’s watching AI breathe new life into his vision of a legal industry that values outcomes over time. Don’t miss this exclusive peek into how Jim’s career path inspired him to...

Like many young attorneys, Cynthia Lareine, Director of Community Development at PERSUIT, experienced the relentless grind early in her legal career. Feeling the pressure to always say “Yes,” she survived a culture that viewed clocking out as a sign of weakness. But today, she’s channeling her drive and experience to help advance PERSUIT’s mission to drive better outcomes in the legal industry. In this episode, we revisit Cynthia’s passionate interview as she talks about how she thinks...

Litigation is like war. Long, drawn-out, and unpredictable. Which is why many law firms are reluctant to quote fixed fees for these types of matters. But David Falstein, VP of Product at PERSUIT (and former lawyer and legal sourcing expert at J&J), thinks that’s really just an excuse to delay inevitable change. And he gives a compelling argument as to why AFAs can be a winning proposition for clients and firms, alike. Tune in as we revisit this insightful discussion with David about...

There’s a lot of excitement and some trepidation around the introduction of AI in the legal ecosystem. One thing that everyone can agree on is that it’s imperative for legal functions across organizations - regardless of size - to start thinking about their AI strategy. The real value comes from learning what’s working and initiating those conversations early on. In this special webinar recap hosted by PERSUIT’s Senior Manager of Legal Advisory Maui Gevero, we discuss how AI is rapidly...

The hourly bill is a relic in the age of AI. Accelerated change is driving unparalleled efficiency in the legal industry. So it’s time for law firms to stop valuing time and effort over outcomes. Also, it’s just a crappy way to work. In this special webinar recap, PERSUIT’s Director of Legal Advisory, Laura Spalding, and Legal Advisory Manager, Cassieoppia Snowden, present an overview of alternative fee arrangement (AFA) models. From the benefits to practical applications, Laura and...

There was a time when Chris Grant, Head of Legal Engagement at HSBC, started to second-guess his career path in law. A lack of innovative tools and collaboration to help streamline efficiencies gave him a chronic case of wanderlust as he bounced between in-house and private practice. But now that forward-thinking tech vendors and AI technologies are finding their feet, the future that Chris was waiting for is finally here. Chris gives an exclusive peek into the legal operations of one of...

Thanks to large language models like ChatGPT, legal ops has seen incredible accelerated change over the last nine months. And some teams are still struggling with how much they can reasonably integrate these tools into their processes. Gregg McConnell, Global Director of Legal Operations and Innovation at Corteva, thinks they shouldn’t be afraid to hop on the AI train. But embracing this innovation could bring on a whole new set of challenges for the legal ops teams of the future if they’re...

ChatGPT and similar large language models are already making a historic impact on law firms and in-house legal teams alike. So what does the future hold for day-to-day work practices in the industry, and how will we weigh the value of time going forward? In this special episode, we recap our extraordinary webinar with Shannon Thyme Klinger, Chief Legal Officer at Moderna. Jim and other members of the PERSUIT team join Shannon to address the future of AI in legal, as well as answer some...

In early 2021, I. Stephanie Boyce made history as the first woman of color to become President of The Law Society of England and Wales (LSEW) in its 200-plus years. During her tenure, she was instrumental in pushing for new socio-economic initiatives, including the ACT (Achieving Change Together) task force. Although her time as acting President is over, her work to advance the DEI discussion by putting words into action is just beginning. The President of the Leicester University Law...

The growth in demand for legal services has been flat for more than a decade. Can AI help to change this trend and disrupt the way that law firms work? This week we're joined by Maui Gevero, Senior Manager of Legal Advisory at PERSUIT. We dive into some trends that have significantly impacted demand in the legal industry, and how law firms are expanding their teams faster than they’re growing demand. Maui also shares his views on why the traditional law firm business model no longer...

Twitter v. Wachtell.   What can we expect to happen? And what does it mean for the future of the billable hour?  Join PERSUIT’s CEO (and former Biglaw partner) Jim Delkousis as he shares:   - Why the case will settle quickly - Why Wachtell has so much at stake in the matter (besides a mere $60M) - How the case exposes legal procurement’s “black box” and why that needs to change Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen &...