#41 - Breaking Glass and Taking Risks: Charlene Barone on Leadership in Legal Operations

Apr 10, 2024

Charlene Barone, a legal ops leader, discusses her journey from contracts manager to Director of Legal Operations at the New York Times. She highlights the role of general counsel in championing innovation and shares strategic initiatives for career growth. Charlene credits her success to a strong foundation in contract management and emphasizes the impact of supportive legal teams in driving change and implementing technology.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Transition to Senior Legal Ops Role and New Position at New York Times

01:44 • 2min

Contrasting Corporate Cultures: Orange Theory vs New York Times

03:27 • 6min

Driving Change and Technology in Legal Operations

09:43 • 12min

Fostering a Culture of Innovation and Psychological Safety

21:48 • 2min

Digitizing Membership Contracts for Business Scalability

24:11 • 5min

Collaboration with IT Team in Implementing Systems and Tools Solution for Contract Lifecycle Management

29:25 • 18min

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 departments of Orange Theory and the New York Times, highlighting the critical role of general counsel in championing innovation.
Strategic Moves: Charlene opens up about the strategic initiatives that have marked her career, offering golden nuggets of advice for those aspiring to climb the legal ops ladder.
The Brave Leap: From Contracts Manager to Legal Ops Director, Charlene's journey is a masterclass in risk-taking and the indispensable support of a general counsel.
Foundation in Contract Management: Charlene credits her rigorous experience in contract management as the bedrock of her success, encouraging newcomers to start their legal ops journey there.
Initiative and Innovation at Orange Theory: Charlene reflects on her tenure at Orange Theory, emphasizing the impact of supportive general counsel on her ability to implement transformative projects, like a Contract Lifecycle Management system.
Strategy at The New York Times: With a larger team and more resources, Charlene shares her strategic priorities and the open, supportive environment that fosters innovation at the New York Times.
The GC Partnership: The significance of a solid relationship with general counsel, the courage to take risks, and the importance of communication are underscored.
Continuous Improvement: Charlene motivates legal ops professionals to seize opportunities for enhancement, advocating for small starts leading to major leaps.

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