In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O’Carroll sits down with Anna Richards, Director of Global Legal Operations at John Deere. With over 15 years of experience, Anna brings deep insights from companies like Autodesk, Zendesk, and Micron Technology.Mary and Anna dig into: Transitioning to John Deere: Anna details her onboarding journey, where Deere laid the groundwork by first understanding the role of legal operations and investing in its success. Unique Challenges: As one of...

In this episode of "Pearls On, Gloves Off," Mary sits down with Dawn Hinz, legal operations leader at Avery Dennison. Together, they dive into the nuances of leading and transforming the legal ops landscape. In The Episode: Exploring Strategy and Improvement: Dawn’s role at Avery Dennison: strategy development, process enhancement, and resource optimization. She shares her methodologies in change management and the hurdles faced during large-scale tech implementations. Cultivating Success:...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O'Carroll welcomes the formidable Charlene Barone, currently steering the ship as the Director of Legal Operations at the New York Times. Charlene, with her rich history traversing from contracts manager to legal ops leader, brings a wealth of knowledge from both the startup world and the franchise legal landscape of Orange Theory Fitness. A Tale of Two Worlds: Mary and Charlene explore the contrasts and challenges f@aced in the legal...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O’Carroll sits down with Chris Clearfield, a true trailblazer in the world of leadership and management. As the CEO of Clearfield Group and the co-author of “Meltdown,” Chris brings a fresh take on how to lead through the chaos and complexity of today’s business landscape. Change Leadership, Not Management: Mary and Chris dig into why “change management” just doesn’t cut it. Chris suggests we need to shift our focus to “change leadership” -...

In this solo episode, Mary O’Carroll shares her insights on Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM). She explores: The Challenges of Contracts: Overview of common issues in contract processes and the potential for improvement. Ownership of CLM: Advocates for General Counsel to lead CLM processes, highlighting the strategic value of contracts data. Evolution of CLM Technology: From basic database systems to modern, comprehensive CLM solutions that facilitate collaboration and integration....

In this compelling episode of "Pearls On, Gloves Off," Mary hosts Mike Russell, a seasoned expert in legal operations and legal technology with a career spanning over three decades. From the dawn of internet technology in law firms to the current emphasis on efficiency and innovation, Mike shares invaluable insights into the evolution of legal ops and tech. The Journey Through Legal Tech Evolution: Discover Mike's early experiences in the 90s with the advent of internet technology in law...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off Episode: Leadership and Learning with Darek Kochman Mary O'Carroll talks with Darek Kochman, Director of Global Legal Operations at Kimberly-Clark Corp, about his journey from the military to leading global operations. Here’s what they cover: Diverse Background: Darek's path through the military, KPMG, and into legal operations showcases a non-traditional approach to leadership. Key Leadership Imperatives: Darek outlines his leadership...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off:   Join Mary O'Carroll in a riveting conversation with Andrew Perlman, a visionary in law and technology. As the Dean and Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School, Perlman is pioneering the future of legal innovation. AI's Legal Landscape: Perlman takes us through the evolution of AI in law, forecasting its transformative impact while addressing confidentiality concerns. Realistic Expectations for AI Tools: Dive into the practicality of AI...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off Mary sits down with her own own executive coach, Kim Kokoska, for a deep dive into the psychology of self-perception and empowerment. Listen in as they unpack some transformative ideas: Victim vs. Observer Mindsets: dissecting the 'victim triangle', featuring the roles of victim, persecutor, and rescuer. They explore how we often oscillate between these roles in interactions. Embracing the Empowerment Triangle: Transitioning from victimhood,...

Mary O'Carroll welcomes the dynamic duo of Trista Engel and Jessica Markowitz, leaders at Paragon Legal and co-founders of Calyx Capital Partners. Both seasoned MBAs from the University of Chicago Booth Business School, they share insights on reinventing legal talent in today's fast-paced world. Flex Talent Revolution: Mary and her guests unpack the concept of flex talent. They argue it's not just an option but a necessity for modern legal departments. Key focus areas? Legal ops, tech...

In this episode of "Pearls On, Gloves Off," host Mary O'Carroll sits down with Sheila Dusseau, whose transition from finance to legal operations has been nothing short of a masterclass in adaptability and strategic thinking. Busting Myths: Shiela and Mary debunk common misconceptions about legal ops. Sheila advocates for a shift in perspective, from seeing legal ops as mere 'support' to recognizing it as a crucial 'partnership' or 'collaboration' within the organization. The...

In this episode, I'm thrilled to sit down for an in depth conversation with the amazing Jason Boehmig, CEO of Ironclad. Here's what we cover: Jason’s Unique Path: Discover how Jason transitioned from investment banking to law, setting the stage for his future endeavors. The Birth of Ironclad: Jason delves into the origins of Ironclad, highlighting the pivotal moments and decisions. Community at the Core: The rise of the CLOC community and its significant impact on the legal tech world....

In this episode, Mary interviews Abigail Nornoo, Global Head of Operations for Legal, CoSec & Investigative Services at Standard Chartered Bank. She spearheads a team of over 30 professionals, reshaping the landscape of legal ops. From Ghana to London: Abigail recounts her remarkable journey, detailing her transition from Ghana to the heart of London's banking scene, and the inception of her exhilarating career at Standard Chartered. Building from Scratch: Discover how Abigail...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, go behind the curtain of legal ops at Salesforce with their SVP of Legal and Corporate Affairs Léo Murgel. Topics: From IT mergers to legal ops, Léo discusses the transition Unveiling the pillars of legal ops support and strategy AI’s revolutionary role at Salesforce and the legal realm Legal ops duties—what they entail, their significance Léo’s personal anecdotes on shaping legal ops strategy The synergy of different teams working together...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, we delve into the world of corporate operations with Nitin Batra, the Global Chief Operating Officer for Citi Private Bank. We explore his career journey, shedding valuable light on the influence of his legal operations background, the intricacies of corporate management, and the future of both the private banking sector and legal operations as a career path.   - Unpacking the transition from a role focused primarily on legal operations to a...

Mary and Stefan Nunn unravel his journey from aspiring veterinarian to Legal Counsel at TravelPerk, highlighting the transformative power of legal operations, the innovative role of AI in the field, and the importance of entrepreneurial education and networking beyond the legal re From Vet Dreams to Legal Themes: A quirky leap from aspiring veterinarian to the legal counsel realm. Obstacles in the Legal Lane: The hurdles and exhilarating transition to legal operations. GW Pharmaceuticals...

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off: Community at its Finest. Dive into the Irish Tech General Council, chaired and founded by Sarah. The LinkedIn Guru. Sarah’s insightful pieces on legal operations and tech are a must-read. A Seat at the Table. Why GCs need to report directly to the CEO in a rapidly expanding company. Choosing a CLM Provider. Sarah's playbook for picking a contract lifecycle management provider. Plus, a golden scorecard and RFP template! Burnout and AI. Sarah’s...

In this special episode of Pearls On, Gloves off: This isn't your regular episode. It's a mashup of three scintillating conversations from the one and only contracts talk show, Ironclad Live, which Mary hosted in Dallas on September 7th. Dive in as Mary engages with legal luminaries from St. Jude Hospital, the Houston Texans, and L'Oréal. Conversation 1: St. Jude Hospital with La'Resa Young Mary and La'Resa highlight the heart and soul of St. Jude: its mission and the importance of...

On this episode, Alex Kelly, Co-Founder and COO at Brightflag, joins Mary in the world of podcasting, legal operations and the evolving landscape of legal technology. Alex shares his experience running a podcast called "In-House Outliers," featuring conversations with legal leaders, including general counsels and legal operations professionals. The guests on his podcast mainly come from Brightflag’s customer base and community, with a focus on trailblazers and thought leaders in the legal...

On this episode, Aine Lyons, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at VMware, joins Mary to talk about legal ops, her time at VMware and new technologies. More than a decade ago, Aine was approached by a former GC at VMware about taking on legal ops. She declined because she didn’t know anyone in legal ops and didn’t know anything about it. Times have certainly changed. Aine now sees a lot of movement in the industry surrounding digital transformation, with more companies...

On this episode, Lisa Gilley, Chief Legal Officer at Higher Logic, joins Mary to talk about, among other things, community and engagement and how the Higher Logic platform allows organizations to give their community a home where they can interact, share ideas, answer questions and stay connected. Engagement with customers is critical for customer retention in any community, and the legal community is no exception. True engagement ignites a community through the sharing of ideas and...

On this episode, Katherine Roseveare, General Counsel - Global Functions, Global Operations and Legal Solutions, and Alex Herrity, Director - Global Legal Solutions at Adidas, join Mary to talk about managing technology in a global setting, the creative mindset of their legal team and building out a legal tech department and team from scratch. They talk through their creation of new legal technology for the company, which is based on three pillars: technology, efficiency and engagement....

On this episode, Liam Brown, Founder, Chairman and CEO at Elevate, joins Mary to talk about the evolving legal ecosystem, the importance of mentoring, the ways technology continues to help legal department professionals and much more. Liam talks about how his way of thinking about the legal ecosystem has changed over the years. He says the days are gone when business and law were completely separate, and they now work together in many different ways. He makes the argument that having a...

On this episode, Cai GoGwilt, Co-Founder and Chief Architect at Ironclad, and Alex Su, Head of Community Development at Ironclad, join Mary to talk about generative AI and its effect on the legal industry. ChatGPT can change how people work in many different industries, and legal is no exception. Cai sees this as a valuable tool for legal professionals, but he says there are a lot of shortcomings with the platform as it is today. One problem people are finding is that ChatGPT can generate...