Innovative Legal Leadership

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 by 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 by 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 by 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 by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Maui Gevero, Senior Manager of Legal Advisory at PERSUIT, has always had a passion for numbers, so the financial industry seemed like the perfect fit for his talents. But after spending a few years with Goldman Sachs, he knew that the banking life wasn’t for him. He loved digging into data and analytics, but the traditional institution had a traditional way of thinking. He wanted to use the information at his fingertips to tell stories more akin to a Western than an infomercial, so he joined the legal profession and never looked back. Maui talks with us about jumping feet-first into the legal industry, his fascination for RFPs, and the true market price conundrum. Join us as we discuss: - Streamlining a rough RFP process (7:07)  - The chicken and egg problem in fixed pricing models (11:04) - Fighting for transparency in true market price (16:05) - Why the billable hour isn’t the final solution (25:47) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Maui Gevero 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.

After reading The Wise Men in the 1980s, Cameron Findlay knew that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of America’s political trailblazers. He achieved his dream, wearing multiple hats in the judicial and executive branches of the U.S. government before pivoting to the private sector. Today, Cam is serving as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at his third Fortune 500 company, Archer Daniels Midland. Cam shares the incredible insight he’s gained during his colorful journey as an in-house GC, including how much the role has changed during his 25-plus years in the legal industry. Join us as we discuss: - Pros and cons of pivoting between different industries (5:57) - The evolution of the general counsel role in the 21st century (13:19) - Running your in-house legal department like a business (17:14) - Optimizing spending and building relationships with law firms (24:10) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Cameron Findlay - Archer Daniels Midland - The Wise Men 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.

We’ve enjoyed so many sharp conversations with legal experts and industry game-changers on the journey to our hundredth episode of Innovative Legal Leadership. So who better to celebrate this milestone with than Michelle Landy, General Counsel and Chief Operations Officer of PERSUIT. With over 25 years of experience in private law firms and in-house practice, Michelle’s set foot on quite a few branches of the career tree. She calls it such because she argues no one shares the same ladder — everyone’s journey is different. Michelle shares her exclusive veteran insight and explains why we should expand our discomfort zones and simply open up to the adventure that awaits. Join us as we discuss: - Natural curiosity and expanding your discomfort zone (6:53) - Finding the balance between career fulfillment and security (12:37) - Volunteerism and helping with international development (21:27) - Defying perfectionism and relying on gut instinct (26:13) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Kilimanjaro Education Foundation 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.

You could say Nicole Kelsey, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary at Amyris, is addicted to learning. Since Nicole was young, her Algerian mother branded a love for languages and different cultures on her daughter’s heart. Now, she’s bringing her fiery passion for continuing education to the legal profession.     Nicole shares her provocative story of grit and growth in pursuing a GC role and empowering her team through innovative leadership.    Join us as we discuss: - Early inspiration for a life of endless learning (6:36) - Overcoming adversity in career advancement  (16:03) - Finding creativity in a gritty mindset (22:01) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Nicole Kelsey - Amyris 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.

As a competitive chess player in his college days, Alan Tse gained an appreciation for having to make timely tactical decisions. Like competitors in the game of kings, lawyers must often make important judgment calls without all the facts at their disposal, even if that means tough lessons may follow. Now the Global Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Jones Lang Lasalle, Alan leaned on his extensive experience to help his global team navigate a pandemic. And they did so while maintaining an award-winning ethical culture by committing to sustainable values. Join us as we discuss: - Lessons learned from early business startups (6:06) - Recruiting general counsels from outside your industry (13:46) - Operational focuses and gatekeeping reputation (25:41) - Why remaining calm in crisis management is a skill (30:31) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Alan Tse - Jones Lang Lasalle 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.

It’s not uncommon for up-and-coming professionals to follow their parents into law. That was certainly the case for Mike Haven, Associate GC and Head of Legal Ops at Intel. After watching his father give a deposition before the United States Supreme Court, young Mike knew he wanted to walk in his father’s footsteps.   Mike’s journey led him to the crossroad of business and law — legal operations. Today, he’s working with his team to bring legal issues of the mind together with matters of the heart. Join us as we discuss: - Trailblazing legal initiatives for outside firms (8:55) - Identifying priorities in a new legal ops environment (19:44) - Mythbusting legal ops misconceptions (33:12) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Mike Haven - Intel - The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) 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.