Contract Heroes

In this conversation, procurement expert Samah Mahdi, with 15 years of experience in procurement, logistics, and supply chain management, joins to discuss the transformative impact of AI and robotics. She explores how AI enhances efficiency, optimizes supplier management, and automates procurement tasks while robotics revolutionizes warehousing and transportation. Samah highlights key challenges, including resistance to change and data quality, and shares her vision for a future driven by AI-powered, autonomous supply chains.

FEATURES TIMESTAMPS[02.12] The process of selecting a contract lifecycle management (CLM) system.[05.15] The importance of addressing pain points. [07.00] The requirements for the successful implementation of a system.[09.16] The deciding factor.[11.15] The importance of having thorough, real-life testing when implementing a new system.[13.28] The importance of cross-functional collaboration and early alignment. [17.24] User adoption dashboards.[19.55] The critical role of communication and training.[23.43] Managing change and addressing user fears.[29.16] Susan’s advice for implementing any system. RESOURCESConnect with SusanLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/szagorski/

Today's episode features Hal Bretan, Contract Standards Executive in Residence at World Commerce & Contracting. In this conversation, Hal explores the importance of achieving "speed to contract" to enhance business efficiency, profitability, and collaboration. He highlights the challenges of traditional contracting practices and emphasizes the need for fair, balanced templates to streamline negotiations. Furthermore, Hal stresses the role of prioritizing risks, leveraging data to demonstrate economic benefits, and fostering teamwork across stakeholders. He advocates a top-down and bottom-up approach to drive organizational change. He offers insights into how WorldCC's contracting principles and workshops empower professionals to improve processes.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:What is Claims Management? Jerry defines claims management and explains how a deep, holistic understanding of contract documents can help prevent disputes and strengthen third-party relationships.The Role of Communication: Discover why clear, ongoing communication throughout the contract lifecycle is essential for successful project execution.Three Pillars of Claims Management: Jerry outlines the three key components: prevention, mitigation, and avoidance, and discusses how to implement each effectively.Technology and Data in Claims Management: Learn how early data gathering, such as through robust RFP processes, can provide the foundation for addressing potential claims.Change Management: Jerry highlights the critical importance of effective change management in preventing large claims at the end of a project and how building strong contracts upfront adds value for clients and reduces risk.The Role of AI in Contract Management: Explore the growing importance of artificial intelligence in streamlining contract management and enhancing decision-making.Guest Bio:Jerry Pessah is a seasoned civil engineer and contract management expert with over 27 years of professional experience. As Senior Director of Contract Management at Fluor Corporation, he has worked on some of the world’s largest engineering, construction, and mining projects, bringing extensive expertise to the art and science of contract management.Key Quote from Jerry:"Preventing claims starts with a holistic understanding of contract documents, clear communication, and robust change management practices—it’s about being proactive every step of the way."Connect with Jerry: Don’t miss this deep dive into the art of claims management. Tune in now to gain practical strategies for managing risks, resolving disputes, and driving project success.

This week’s episode of the Contract Heroes podcast, recorded at the World Commerce and Contracting America Summit in Atlanta, features Jerry Silber, Hal Bretan, and Lita Bollimpalli discussing the benefits of relational contracting over traditional methods. Jerry highlights why traditional contracting often fails and emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships through principles like a no-blame culture, mutual objectives, and continuous improvement. Lita discusses the contracting paradox and shares examples of successful transitions by companies like Dell and FedEx. Hal introduces the World CC’s relational contracting guide, which offers practical steps and checklists for implementation, especially valuable in fast-changing technology landscapes.

This week’s episode of the “Contract Heros” podcast features Brendan Raybuck, Chief Revenue Officer at ClearLaw. He is an expert in enterprise software, assisting organizations in developing strong sales and partner networks that drive business growth by providing top solutions. He specializes in digital channel sales ecosystems and partner engagement. He has experience creating go-to-market strategies, leading marketing initiatives, and fostering growth for digital agencies as an executive.Starting today’s conversation, Brendan shares his career background along with the services they provide at ClearLaw. We talk about the complexity of contracts and the importance of structuring contracts in a way that software can analyze them effectively, ensuring that all obligations are clearly outlined to avoid potential liabilities during contract management. Brendan shares his views on the transformation of legal departments, particularly through the use of data in legal tech. He highlights how, similar to the transformation of marketing roles with analytics, chief legal officers can leverage data to improve collaboration across departments, enhance customer support, and ultimately drive revenue.In this phase of the conversation, we move on to discuss the importance of CLM. Beyond accelerating contract execution and lowering legal expenses, its true value is in leveraging contractual data to address larger business challenges such as compliance and marketing needs. Wrapping up the conversation, Brendan kindly shares the critical questions you need to ask when evaluating CLM vendors to ensure their solutions can effectively meet your needs.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00.36] Brendan’s background and what ClearLaw offers the market.[03.33] How ClearLaw’s contracting intelligence AI works.[06.30] Complexity of contracts.[11.10] Advantages of structuring a contract data.[14.36] The transformation of legal departments.[18.49] The importance of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM).[24.48] Data-driven transformation, elevating legal functions in the corporate landscape.[26.24] Complex compliance and regulatory environment.[30.40] Critical questions for evaluating CLM vendors. RESOURCESConnect with BrendanLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/brendanraybuck/Website - clearlaw.ai/ 

Key Points:Introduction to Richard Robinson:Background in legal tech and litigation support.Career journey from law firms to corporate in-house roles, including JC Penney and Toyota.Transition to Toyota:Inherited a mature legal operations team at Toyota.Initial challenges and the impact of COVID-19 on operations.Core Competencies of CLOC:Discussion on the 12 core principles of CLOC.Emphasis on technology and business intelligence.Strategic Approach to Technology:Importance of aligning technology with business strategy.People, process, and technology as the three pillars of legal operations.Stakeholder Engagement:Identifying and involving the right stakeholders.Importance of communication and emotional intelligence in managing change.Power Skills in Legal Operations:Collaboration, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, communication, and leadership.Listening and understanding root causes before implementing solutions.Mentorship and Industry Engagement:Richard's commitment to mentorship and building up others in the industry.Encouragement to connect on LinkedIn for further conversations.

Key Points:Introduction to Tiffany Hamilton:Director of Legal Innovation, Analytics, and Technology at DHL Supply Chain.Eight and a half years at DHL, starting as the sole legal ops resource.Building the Legal Ops Team:Initial challenges and strategic growth of the legal ops team.Aligning team resources with the CLOCK Core 12 pillars.Legacy CLM System Migration:Issues with the in-house legacy CLM system and the need for a new solution.Gathering stakeholder feedback to identify pain points and requirements.Data Cleanup and Governance:The messy process of data cleanup and the importance of data governance.Collaboration with the vendor to ensure clean data migration.Integrating AI in Contract Management:Combining a repository with AI capabilities for contract drafting and data extraction.Ensuring human oversight at every step to confirm accuracy.Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways:Importance of understanding data and stakeholder needs.The role of information governance in system implementation.The significance of user adoption for the success of new systems.Final Thoughts and Contact Information:Tiffany’s enthusiasm for data and information governance.Invitation to connect with Tiffany on LinkedIn or at industry conferences like CLOCK. 

Join us as we welcome Roma Khan, CEO, and Sarah McCormick, COO, of Crush Contracts, to discuss the exciting launch of the Crush Contracts Academy next week, June 21st in Chicago. Listen in as Roma and Sarah share the behind-the-scenes journey of organizing their inaugural event and the overwhelming support they've received from the legal community. From expert-led discussions on negotiation to contract data in mergers and acquisitions, the academy is set to provide practical and high-quality education in contract management. Discover the broader vision of creating a globally accessible Contracts Academy event and the meaningful connections this event promises.

Join us as we sit down with Josh Kramer, the Chief Strategy Officer at Fileread, and embark on a journey through the evolving landscape of legal operations. Josh recounts his time managing the legal services for one of the largest pharma companies during a period of exponential growth amid the pandemic. The conversation uncovers the intricacies of assembling a robust legal team in the midst of global chaos. With a focus on the symbiotic relationship between technology, process controls, and departmental communication, Josh shares the invaluable lessons he took from that experience, now applied in his role at the startup Fileread.