Pearls On, Gloves Off #85 - Edward Jones CLO Is Moneyball-ing Legal Risk
Keir Gumbs, Chief Legal Officer at Edward Jones, isn't here to maintain the status quo. He joined the largest U.S. financial services firm not to run legal as usual - but to lead a transformation. In this episode, Keir and Mary talk candidly about what it takes to build a modern legal function inside a legacy institution - and why the traditional law firm model may not survive the decade.
Keir brings a rare 360° view of the legal world, with leadership roles at Uber, Broadridge, Covington, and the SEC. Now, he's putting that experience to work reshaping how legal, compliance, and risk teams partner with the business and what true enablement looks like.
In this episode:
- Transformation Playbook: Why Keir spent his first year meeting with 500+ team members - and what it taught him about culture and leadership.
- Shared Services, Shared Wins: How he's connecting legal, compliance, and risk through a shared services model that's breaking down silos and boosting speed.
- Enable First, Protect Second: Keir's core legal philosophy - and how it's changing how his team shows up across the organization.
- Law Firm Economics, Under Fire: Keir sounds the alarm on unsustainable rate hikes and why smaller, specialized firms are increasingly winning the work.
- Outcome Over Hours: What he's looking for in alternative fee models, and the reality check law firms need to hear.
If you're thinking about legal transformation, technology, or the future of firm partnerships, this conversation is a blueprint for what's next.
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