The Legal Leaders Podcast

David Lancelot, CLO & EVP of Advocacy at LawVu speaks with Bjarne Tellmann - Author of the essential “Building an Outstanding Legal Team” and General Counsel to share his framework for modern legal leadership. Bjarne shares his thoughts on the evolution of the role of the Legal Leader, the purpose of the modern legal team and his advice on starting a new General Counsel role.

Emma Coxhead is joined by Megan Gray to share Megan’s career journey and how her identity has evolved through life events throughout her career. Megan is a Knowledge Development Lawyer in London and has spent the vast majority of her career specialising in capital markets. Megan explains to us what the motherhood penalty is and how Megan is using her position as a legal leader to advocate for gender equality and her hopes for the future of legal practice.

Emma Coxhead is joined by Matt Maruca to share Matt’s journey to GC and how becoming a multi-disciplinary lawyer boosted his career. Matt is a legal and communications counsel in Canada with 10 years experience as a General Counsel. He is the only lawyer to complete the prestigious Master of Communications Management gradate program through McMaster and Syracuse Universities. Matt is responsible for first-of-its-kind, in-depth research on the relationship between lawyers and communicators, allowing him to assist and advice legal departments in a variety of sectors.

We take a look into the dynamic career journey of Zaid Gardner, General Counsel at Property Finder in the UAE. Zaid has an impressive career and in this episode, he shares the importance of taking risks and seizing opportunities in one's career path and how this has shaped his career.

We delve into the universal experience of facing challenges and setbacks in our careers, particularly in the demanding field of law. I am joined by Teresa Allen who is the VP, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer at Capgemini in Sydney Australia.

Teresa shares her own journey with mental health, setbacks and challenges throughout her career and personal life and how these have helped her grow as a person and build resilience.

We're exploring how you can own your career and prepare for the future of work. We are breaking down what it means to have flexibility in your work, how to build a career that is fulfilling and aligns with your passions and make micro transitions to get there.

To share their experience and expertise, I am joined by Helen Doukas. Having worked in private practice, tech, ride-sharing and airspace for the likes of Yahoo, Microsoft, Uber and Airways and most recently as General Counsel at LawVu, Helen has developed an arsenal of cross-functional legal and business skills. Helen also shares with us her recent pivot out of law as she is now exploring entrepreneurial pursuits at the intersection of tech, career satisfaction and the future of work.

I'm thrilled to be joined by Megan Fouty, General Counsel and CHRO at Glowforge. Megan wears many hats, overseeing legal, HR, customer support, recruiting, and facilities teams. She's also the founder of Diversity University and a respected figure in the legal community.

In this conversation, we delve into the intricacies of being a General Counsel in 2024. From expanding your role, to securing a seat on the board, managing legal budgets, and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion within your team, Megan provides invaluable insights.

Adam Wardel shares his journey to becoming a General Counsel and discusses the importance of embracing artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal industry. He highlights the need for Lawyers to be proactive in understanding and incorporating AI into their practice. Wardel also emphasizes the importance of approaching uncertainty with a positive mindset and finding opportunities within challenging situations. He advises lawyers to practice emotional intelligence and constantly seek knowledge through reading and learning. Wardel encourages lawyers to communicate effectively and adapt to the dynamic business environment.