Innovative Legal Leadership

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 discuss:[4:05] Carrying out DEI initiatives at the strategic level[11:59] The need to find like-minded suppliers and partners[16:48] Why it’s important to consider opposing viewpointsCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)NAMWOLFHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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and Legal Operations at Cardinal Health, sits down with PERSUIT’s own Michelle Landy to discuss how to disrupt outdated patterns of thinking and behavior when it comes to culture and belonging inside of your organization.When everyone has a seat at the table and is comfortable sitting in it, legal departments win.Join us as we discuss:[3:30] Acting as an “actor in a playground of critics” [6:15] Tailoring DEIB to your department’s culture[11:00] How disrupting existing patterns can impact legal department healthHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 litigation management, and spearheading initiatives that challenge the conventional law firm model.Join us as we discuss:[6:57] The duality of legal ops and traditional legal work[15:44] Optimizing litigation management and billing issues[26:02] Why law firms need to care more about the client experience[35:15] Underappreciated value of non-lawyers in legal opsHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 overseeing their products liability group. She is also the co-chair for multiple ESG initiatives.Hear how Veronica is using her Fortune One experience to give her colleagues new perspectives on business relationships and how she’s championing diversity in AMLAW firms.Join us as we discuss:[3:03] Pivoting from a massive in-house department to private practice[13:51] Why law firms need to adopt a business mindset[23:56] The challenges of being a black female partner[34:34] How AI will free legal professionals to better serve clientsHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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. Ben gives us an exclusive peek into how his team manages the legal challenges that can arise in financial services and how they’re cautiously approaching AI to help with international transactions.Join us as we discuss:[7:53] Core values and the Western Union Foundation[19:46] If in-house legal job titles really tell the whole story[28:53] How technology ties into transparency in legal departmentsCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Western Union FoundationHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 in legal operations’ evolution from data-wielding sidekicks to collaborative partners and how Standard’s D&I task force is breaking barriers.Join us as we discuss:[3:10] How embedding in legal operations opens up new opportunities[12:43] Why legal professionals should never take data at face value[20:44] Measuring ROI on legal operations initiatives[33:32] Standard Charter Bank’s D&I task forceHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 Hilgers Graben PLLC. Sterling’s diverse professional experience has enabled him to strategically adapt to each position, embrace change, and disrupt the legal department.In this interview, we delve into what it takes for the GC to chart a more strategic path within their organization.Join us as we discuss: [08:23] How the GC role has evolved [21:34] How lawyers can be more productive[26:01] How to foster innovation and diversity in the legal departmentCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Sterling MillerHilgers Graben PLLCPERSUITHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 across different functions in the banking industry has enabled him to tackle challenges head-on, question the status quo, and implement positive disruption within his organization. In this webinar, we delve into what it takes to initiate change within an organization. Join us as we discuss:  - [07:40] How Shane created the legal ops function at Commonwealth Bank - [14:18] Shane’s problem-solving process and how he implemented a rollout - [20:53] Strategies for winning the hearts and minds of lawyers - [24:36] What proper change management looks like Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Shane O’Connor - Commonwealth Bank of Australia - PERSUIT Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 loopholes are and what companies should do to test different approaches to handling mass arbitrations. He also leaves us with some tips regarding what companies requiring legal consultation must do. Join us as we discuss:  - The definition of mass arbitration (00:10) - Maui’s best examples of mass arbitration cases (02:44) - Three steps that companies should follow related to mass arbitration (07:18) Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 some do’s and don’ts when transitioning from big law firms to in-house teams. Join us as we discuss: - How the role of GC has evolved from tactical to strategic (8:12) - Generative AI and its impact on relationships with outside counsel (14:27) - The evolution of the young lawyer’s traditional training ground (25:03) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Infosys Topaz Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.