In this episode of The Abstract, Tyler Finn is joined by Tina Hwang, Head of Legal at ClassDojo, whose career spans Google, WhatsApp, Ancestry, and Twitter. She built a career by staying curious, stepping outside her remit, and proactively solving legal and product challenges. She talks about starting out as a commercial attorney, finding her way into privacy and regulatory strategy, and how she learned to lead initiatives without being asked. Tina also shares actionable advice for junior and senior lawyers on navigating career growth, finding the right environments, and redefining legal’s value in cross-functional teams.

Read detailed summary: https://www.spotdraft.com/podcast/episode-110

Topics
Introduction – 00:00
Finding fit in the legal profession: from courts to Google—01:05
Discovering the business side of legal at Google—04:56
From Google to WhatsApp: chasing the excitement of building —07:20
Scaling the legal team at WhatsApp: lessons in hiring and growth – 10:44
Leadership evolution: from problem solver to team developer – 13:46
Mindful management: a four-part framework for legal leaders – 18:54
Evaluating new opportunities: people, trust, and executive chemistry – 22:00
Building the legal function from scratch at ClassDojo – 25:42
People, process, tech: where to start when scaling legal—28:26
Metrics that matter: proving legal’s impact to the business – 33:10
Hiring for adaptability and stage-fit in legal teams – 42:21
Rapid-fire Questions – 49:32

Connect with us:
Tina Hwang - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-hwang-a9556a19/
Tyler Finn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerhfinn
SpotDraft - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotdraft

SpotDraft is a leading contract lifecycle management platform that solves your end-to-end contract management issues. Visit https://www.spotdraft.com to learn more.

Ep 110: From Product Counsel to Privacy Leader: Tina Hwang's Journey