Innovative Legal Leadership

The ambiguous nature of legal work can leave clients skeptical when it comes to alternative fee arrangements. But by overcoming their fear of overpaying for legal aid, clients can actually get the value they deserve. David Falstein , VP of Customer Success and Strategy at PERSUIT , shares why he believes alternative fee arrangements will be the ultimate successor to the billable hour. Join us as we discuss: Debunking the uncertainty around alternative fee arrangements (13:34) Challenges to transitioning to a fixed fee model in law firms (24:30) The mental health connection to billable hours (30:49)  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.

The billable hour is infamous for its toll on mental health in the legal field. Rather than promote innovation and inclusion, billable hours create undue stress by influencing unrealistic quotas and meaningless labor. By abolishing old behaviors, firms can attract talented and diverse associates who are eager to make a difference through out-come driven results. Nathan Collier, Director of Content Marketing at PERSUIT, joins Jim Delkousis for a candid conversation about billable hours and their negative impact on the industry. Join us as we discuss: - Mental health statistics for the legal field (6:29) - What an outcome-driven model looks like (32:21) - Why the billable hour is the enemy of diversity (48:07) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Nathan Collier - PERSUIT Further reading on this topic: - The CDC’s 2016 Report on Professional Suicide Rates 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.

For this episode, we hop in the Innovative Legal Leadership time machine to revisit our conversation with Leslie Davis, CEO of the National Association of Minority & Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Minority and women-led law firms fighting for equal opportunities is a continuing struggle. Raising awareness and presenting clear strategies to eliminate the discrimination are essential to creating change. So, come along with us as we recap Leslie’s journey into law and how she’s moving the needle for these firms. Join us as we discuss: - Leslie’s call to action to general counsel (8:16) - Initial steps to start hiring NAMWOLF firms (16:55) - Positive influence from mentors and advice (21:44) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Leslie Davis National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms  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.

Legal ops goes a lot deeper than managing templates and a list of law firms. A big focus of the function is on tracking data and determining what bits are useful for process improvement. In this episode, we chat with LaTrece Johnson, Head of Legal Operations at Palo Alto Networks, about the what, the why, and the how of setting up a legal ops function. We discuss: - The primary goals for setting up a legal function - Why the legal ops function is important - What success looks like for legal ops - Understanding spend rather than controlling it Hear more stories by subscribing to 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 easy to overthink the little things. Sometimes, the corporate legal ladder can look like Mt. Everest, but something as simple as a positive attitude can help you reach the summit. You just have to be willing to escape your comfort zone and go for it. Jeff Langlands, General Counsel of Corporate, Digital, and Networks at BT Group Plc and Director of EE Limited, spoke with us about setting his stall out in becoming a GC. Join us as we discuss: Opportunities for “the next challenge” (15:55) Traits Jeff looks for as a mentor (22:29) Notable differences between in-house and external firms (25:37)   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - BT Group Plc - EE Limited - DLA Piper 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.

Many legal counsels find their early spark while mastering the art of the corporate deal. Those formative years can be critical in learning to acknowledge priorities and narrow the scope of your clients’ needs. Philip Kirkpatrick, Regional General Counsel - North America at Rabobank, tells us how his early days as a deal fanatic translated into his stance on authentic leadership as a GC. Join us as we discuss: Importance of transparency in your legal team (12:10) Foreseen challenges in the legal field (22:41) COVID’s impact on team engagement (26:19)  Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Philip Kirkpatrick Rabobank  You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here. 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 had the privilege of talking to several standout legal professionals who defied family expectations to take a path less traveled. Be it love for language or logic that launches these careers, pivotal moments often influence these pillars of the legal community to help bridge the gaps in their field. Chaman Sidhu, Chief Legal Officer at Xero, joined us to how her experience in high-growth environments shaped her growth and narrowed her approach to risk. Join us as we discuss: - Innovating and questioning the status quo (10:47) - Advice for GCs at a high-growth company (23:09) - Technology’s role in the future of legal (31:44) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Chaman Sidhu - Xero You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here. 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.

Preparing a legal team for a fresh IPO launch is exciting, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Communication is key, and authentic leadership is needed so that different perspectives can freely join the conversation.  Christina Lai, Vice Presid ent, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Robinhood, tells us how her experience prepared her to lead her team into the future.   Join us as we discuss: - Christina’s first-time experience helping launch an IPO (17:23) - Her legal department’s values and long-term strategy (29:46)  - The importance of authenticity in leadership and growth (37:37)  Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Christina Lai  - Robinhood  - Breakthrough Silicon Valley  You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or here .   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.

General counsel shouldn’t be seen as an obstacle to the success of the company; and yet, they are often seen as the unnecessary evil when reminding the team about compliance. In this episode, we speak with Jonathan Polk, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Melio, to learn about his mission to find balance in legal while generating consensus around the things that help a company grow. Join us as we discuss: Balancing compliance with culture Building trust with the team and consumers Walking the tightrope of compliance triage 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.