The PERSUIT Podcast

Modernizing a large legal department isn’t an easy task. What’s your strategy?   Buy tech? Build tech? Experiment until something sticks? This week, we sat down with Sarah Flint, Director of Legal Operations and Technology at HubSpot to see how it’s being done at one of the world’s biggest CRM companies. Join us as we discuss:  - Hubspot’s recent wins and challenges in legal ops [8:08] - If legal ops need to come from a legal background [11:47] - What role generative AI has played [15:08] - Forming your ESG Pillars around your company culture[20:27] A critical part of building for the future of your organization, and tackling changes in AI and ESG is to have the conversation about being aligned with your vendors. Asking them how they are moving forward and how they can pivot with you and your organization will have the edge as these new developments in AI and ESG continue to evolve. 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Rozan Simoni spent his early childhood in Albania under a despotic Soviet regime. Soon after the Berlin Wall fell, U.S. Secretary of State Jim Baker came to visit Rozan’s country. The young Albanian boy never forgot two simple words that Baker uttered that day: “Freedom works.” Today, as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary - North America at COFCO International, Rozan is paying it forward by giving his colleagues the autonomy they need to reach their potential. In this captivating episode, Rozan shares how his journey to the U.S. shaped his outlook on mentorship and why he’s excited about the future of AI innovation in legal.   Join us as we discuss: - Mentorship and giving young lawyers autonomy (5:53) - Leaving a positive impact on internal relationships (17:27) - How AI will allow firms to respond to client needs much faster (26:41) 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How does an organization’s in-house legal team help farmers worldwide feed billions of people? According to Cornel Fuerer, Senior VP, General Counsel, and Secretary at Corteva Agriscience, they start by tackling change one bite at a time. Cornel built up a wealth of private and in-house legal experience during his globetrotting journey toward his current role at Corteva. And he did it by looking at every new challenge as a learning opportunity. In this episode, Cornel shares his incredible career path and how his team is embracing innovation to buy back time to work on the things that matter. Join us as we discuss: - Exploring opportunities with an invaluable life partner (6:50) - Bringing legacy in-house teams together post-merger (12:38) - AI and the value of legal operations during rapid change (19:20) - How innovation is affecting relationships with external firms (29:26) 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Change is a constant, but when embraced, it becomes a superpower. This week we sat down with Alex Guajardo, the Global Director of Commercial Strategy at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. Alex shared how she is using change in legal ops to not only stay current but to get a step ahead of the curve. Sometimes we dismiss the power of information in the process of change, but it seems the more we have, the better off we are. In this episode, we not only get an inside look at legal ops, who they are, and what they do, but we also get to see how someone's perspective on change is helping make a difference in real-time. Staying in the know is critical in a legal ops role, and Alex is among the best in the business. Join us as we discuss: - Establishing a brand new global team in a natural disaster’s aftermath (3:58) - Convincing outside firms that low prices don’t always equal good value (10:12) - Why flexibility and data can be legal operations’ greatest strengths (14:24) - How to justify AFAs to the C-Suite and euthanizing the billable hour (23:27) - Alex’s alternate timeline if she hadn’t gone the legal route (27:30) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Alex Guajardo - Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When Damon Hart left big law to join the in-house team at Liberty Mutual Insurance, he didn’t have a specific career goal in mind. But one thing he knew for certain was he wanted to lead change from the front. Today, as Liberty’s Chief Legal Officer, he’s enterprising legal leadership in the C-Suite by working towards the best interests of not just his team, but all 50,000 Liberty employees. Damon gives us an exclusive peek into how he gained the trust of his peers through active listening as well as how he thinks AI will disrupt the legal industry. Join us as we discuss: - How in-house legal departments are comparable to a team sport (8:11) - Gaining the trust of C-Suite peers by being present in the moment (14:36) - AI’s impact on the legal industry and the human connection (22:39) - Why legal firms can no longer ignore tools that drive efficiency (35:19) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Damon Hart - Liberty Mutual Insurance 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What drives you? Is it success? Is it the competition? For Dana Pierre-Louis the Deputy General Counsel at Norfolk Southern Corporation simply put, it’s “excellence”. “From a very early age, the insinuation of excellence and doing above and beyond was always there.” – Dana We sit down and talk about everything from what inspired her journey (she started at 7 years old) to how she plans on passing her learnings and experience on to her children. In this episode, we delve into a life of corporate law and how family is a much bigger piece than you may think. Join us as we discuss:  - Where it all started for Dana and how it was much earlier than most [2:36] - How pivotal moments, though uncomfortable lead to success [8:54] - How finding the correct place to grow may be one of the most fundamental things in your career [20:28] - The importance find perspective before you find success [32:37] 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Rene Du Preez always felt she had to jump right in and give her all with everything she did. Rene started her career as the only female associate at her first South African law firm in the early 90s. Since then, the GC at Standard Bank Group has become an advocate and mentor for other African women breaking into the field. Rene shares how her experiences in investment and retail banking helped shape her as a leader and a champion for change in the African legal space.   Join us as we discuss: -Testing boundaries when new challenges arise (10:02) - Breaking down the silo mentality across in-house departments (16:58) - Justifying legal work through outcome-driven results (31:47) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Rene Du Preez - Standard Bank Group 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

According to a March 2023 report from Russell Reynolds, Fortune 500 companies made significant headway in hiring female GCs to lead their legal teams in 2022. But as LaTanya Langley, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Edgewell Personal Care, suggested, female legal professionals must continue to use their gifts to take up space. For much of her career, LaTanya had to overcome conventional biases. But instead of wilting, she embraced her differences as strengths and took her spot in the room. LaTanya tells us how she’s leveraging relationships to sponsor other women and young black professionals in the legal industry and what challenges they still face today.   Join us as we discuss: - What attracted LaTanya to in-house legal work (4:36) - Collaborating with outside counsel to help young black lawyers (11:14) - Underrepresented groups in legal teams and the C-Suite (17:59) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - National Bar Association Commercial Law Section (NBACLS) - More Diversity, More Experience: Meet the Fortune 500 General Counsels 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Megan Beauregard thought she was living out her dream at a small law firm in New Hampshire, but after a client suggested she consider moving in-house, her curiosity was piqued. So when she happened upon a Craigslist posting in 2008 for legal counsel in the energy industry, she knew it was the right time to explore new possibilities. Fifteen years later, as the Chief Legal Officer at Enel North America, Megan is moving the needle in DEI initiatives for her industry. Megan gives us an exclusive peek into the day-to-day of legal professionals in the power sector and addresses the double-edged perception of AI tools. Join us as we discuss: - Chasing curiosity and leaving private practice for in-house (4:06) - Why risk management is her team’s top priority (10:06) - Finding new ways to appreciate your people’s value (18:49) - Why women need to fill more seats at the head table (24:30) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Megan Beauregard - Enel North America 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Veta Richardson, President and CEO of the Association of Corporate Counsel, thinks everyone deserves a hand up if they can find the humility to ask for it. That’s why she’s a champion for greater inclusion of women and people of multicultural backgrounds in the global marketplace. Veta believes in the power of helping others, putting those values to paper in her best-selling book, Take Six: Essential Habits to Own Your Destiny, Overcome Challenges, and Unlock Opportunities. Today, Veta and her team drive initiatives to empower underrepresented groups and give GCs and CLOs a voice in the C-suite. Join us as we discuss: - Helping organizations attract a more diverse workforce (3:42)  - Opening a direct line between in-house legal officers and CEOs (10:31) - Mentoring young lawyers and clarifying career goals (13:39) - Issues keeping the industry’s CLOs up at night (19:00) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Veta Richardson - Association of Corporate Counsel - Seat at the Table - Take Six: Essential Habits to Own Your Destiny, Overcome Challenges, and Unlock Opportunities - Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) - Georgetown Law School 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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.