The Legal Leaders podcast

In this episode, your host David Lancelot, CLO & EVP of Advocacy at LawVu speaks with Paula Pepin – Founder of the ⁠GC Collective⁠, former General Counsel and certified Professional Coach to share Paula’s career journey, the importance of building community in the legal profession, how to evolve into a legal professional with business skills and what skills Paula views as crucial for legal leadership in the future.

In this episode, your host Emma Coxhead is joined by Josh Lute, VP Legal – Employment & Franchise Law at Dutch Bros Coffee. Josh shares with the community a pivotal decision in his career which highlights the delicate balance between serving clients, meeting business objectives, and nurturing personal career growth. Josh takes us through the journey of setting up a legal function in a fast growing company and then hiring his boss to take the company to the next level.

This conversation emphasizes the importance of setting aside one’s ego and recognizing when to seek assistance, take a break, or step back. Josh shares what he has learnt from this experience and advice he would have for other lawyers in a similar situation.

In this episode, your host Emma Coxhead sits down with Shaun Plant, Author & Chief Legal Evangelist at LawVu & InView to discuss his new book, “How to make in-house a powerhouse.” In this conversation we cover Shauns career journey from project management specialist to lawyer to in-house lawyer to now author, why Shaun decided to write a book and how he found the writing process, what his book is about and how it will change the way in-house legal professionals operate, what is the connected legal framework and how does it address the challenges in-house legal professionals are facing, how to start making changes now to re-build and prioritise so that you can focus on the interesting, complex, high value legal work.

In this conversation, Shaun will share valuable insights from his book on how in-house legal professionals can redesign the way they work to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. We explore practical strategies and innovative approaches to empower legal teams to become a driving force within their organizations. Tune in to discover actionable tips and transformative ideas that can help your in-house legal team thrive.

Get your copy of the ‘How to make in-house a powerhouse’ book here.

In this episode, your host Emma Coxhead is joined by Darshana Parekh, Inclusion Consultant & Legal Counsel in Australia. We take a comprehensive look at Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as more than just a buzzword or policy, but as a multifaceted concept and practice that is something we each need to develop and continue to refine. Darshana explores the importance of setting boundaries as employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance and foster inclusivity.

Darshana shares her own experience as a woman and mother in the legal field and why she is passionate about educating individuals and organisations about DEI. We discuss the significance of embracing diversity in work styles and supporting parents as they return to work.

In this episode, your host Emma Coxhead is joined by Seshani Bala, General Counsel at KPMG New Zealand to explore the art of thriving during challenging times by adopting a “do less but do better” mindset. We delve into the power of focusing on quality over quantity and discuss how this shift in mindset can lead to greater success and fulfilment.

Seshani shares how her role today would not be possible without embracing technology and the important of staying up to date with technological changes to keep up with the business. Additionally, we examine the synergistic relationship between humans and AI in the realm of in-house legal practice. Seshani warns of the risk of not looking at your teams data as there is work to be done before you can truly enjoy the benefits of embracing AI.

In this episode, your host Emma Coxhead is joined by Michael Guilday, General Counsel & Head of Property at Sydney Fish Market. Michael & Emma discuss what exactly is it that in-house lawyers do and what is the value they bring to the organisation? We delve into the ethical challenges faced by lawyers engaged in non-legal tasks when they wear multiple hats in an in-house environment and explore strategies for maintaining integrity in such roles. We discuss effective ways to demonstrate professionalism and efficiency while upholding ethical standards. Drawing from personal experience, Michael, a Sole Legal Counsel, shares insights into how he builds connection in a standalone legal role and what he believes is the most important aspect of a legal leaders role.

Emma Coxhead is joined by Asim Khan, International Commercial Counsel in the UK to discuss the development dilemma faced by in-house legal teams. Asim takes us through what the development dilemma is and his perspective on the challenges of progression and retention while highlighting the crucial role of people, process, and technology. We explore the hurdles hindering career advancement within in-house legal teams which stems from a structure similar to that of private practice law firms. Additionally, we examine the difficulties in retaining talent, considering factors such as job satisfaction and work-life balance in the legal profession. To address these challenges, Asim shares a fresh perspective on strategies for developing and retaining top talent, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and fostering a supportive work environment.

Emma Coxhead delves into Elisabeth Flett’s inspiring career journey, highlighting the pivotal career decisions she made to align with her personal values. By sharing her story, Lis hopes to empower listeners, emphasizing that prioritizing alignment with one’s values over accumulating impressive entries on a CV is paramount for building a long-term, fulfilling career. Lis shares the different strategies and approaches to leadership she has observed during her career and what parts she has chosen to build into her own style and the lessons she has learnt along the way.We explore strategies for building a more inclusive work environment that accommodates returning to work mothers and Lis shares her experience as a working mother.

Emma Coxhead is joined by Lauren Zajac, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer at Extrahop. Lauren shares with us her career journey as an in-house lawyer in technology companies and how she knew early on this was where she wanted to be.

Lauren shares with us her view on enabling the business to interact with ChatGPT and generative A.I. while safeguarding against cyber attacks. Lauren points out the biggest threats and how you can mitigate risks for the business, as well as the legal landscape you need to consider.

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.