From Zimbabwe to Nairobi, Otilia Phiri (https://www.linkedin.com/in/otilia-phiri-19354141/?originalSubdomain=ke) has solidified her reputation as a leader in the African legal tech space.As Principal Corporate Counsel for the Africa Regional Cluster at Microsoft (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/), she’s committed to transforming how legal departments support business objectives, promoting diverse perspectives and innovative approaches to in-house projects.Otilia gives us an exclusive peek into how Microsoft is transforming the African continent with exciting new technology and how she thinks AI will give legal professionals more creative freedom.Join us as we discuss:[15:38] AI conversations at Microsoft and African agencies[25:33] Use cases for AI tools in Microsoft’s legal departments[32:08] DEI and career advancement opportunities[46:06] Why old traditions are holding the legal industry backCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Microsoft Africa Development Center (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/madc)Microsoft Responsible AI Principles (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/responsible-ai?ef_id=_k_CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLFQHSpZOqvhnvBdmWpGGB3l_fmtVW7t4v9sv_75AA-rblmGLNUl5hoCPI4QAvD_BwE_k_&OCID=AIDcmm1o1fzy5i_SEM__k_CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLFQHSpZOqvhnvBdmWpGGB3l_fmtVW7t4v9sv_75AA-rblmGLNUl5hoCPI4QAvD_BwE_k_&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLFQHSpZOqvhnvBdmWpGGB3l_fmtVW7t4v9sv_75AA-rblmGLNUl5hoCPI4QAvD_BwE)Copilot for Microsoft 365 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/copilot-for-microsoft-365?ef_id=_k_CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLqPIlmoL35cKQJXiTZG6-sEITYcCX9dJC6TOmccb68GODYjP0eN6RoCTUUQAvD_BwE_k_&OCID=AIDcmm9xzw3cn3_SEM__k_CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLqPIlmoL35cKQJXiTZG6-sEITYcCX9dJC6TOmccb68GODYjP0eN6RoCTUUQAvD_BwE_k_&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMLqPIlmoL35cKQJXiTZG6-sEITYcCX9dJC6TOmccb68GODYjP0eN6RoCTUUQAvD_BwE)100 Most Influential African Leaders in Technology & Telecommunications (https://get.knect365.com/africa-tech-festival-african-leaders-report/?_gl=1*1epegyl*_gcl_au*MTMxMDAzNTkyLjE3MTgxMzg5OTU.&_ga=2.186345071.736715078.1718138995-1283031606.1718138995)Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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.

How does one begin to measure the social impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in legal? And how can you get others to buy in? When Porter Merriman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/portermerriman/), VP & Assistant GC at AutoDesk (https://www.autodesk.com/), helped spearhead her department’s new DEIB program, she knew she couldn’t force people to be fully invested. But she could acknowledge and reward those who were. In this episode of our new Mission Possible series, Porter gives other legal leaders a map to help them charter their own DEIB programs and build diverse partnerships. Join us as we discuss: - Why DEIB can’t be a string of start-stop initiatives (1:54) - Factoring DEIB in the external sourcing process (7:59) - Advice to legal leaders starting internal DEIB programs (14:29) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: AutoDesk FY2023 Diversity & Belonging Report (https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/www/pdf/diversity-belonging/Autodesk_FY2023_D_B_Report.pdf) Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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.

Ulrike Schwarz-Runer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulrike-schwarz-runer-bcg/?originalSubdomain=uk), Managing Director and Senior Partner, GC and CLO at Boston Consulting Group (https://www.bcg.com/) (BCG), has long been a champion for DEI and psychological safety in the workplace.While she’s overseeing BCG’s global legal operations, she’s also leveraging her position to empower her people to feel safe and heard while participating in international forums on inclusivity.Ulrike shares how BCG is driving DEI initiatives through innovation, effective communication, and expertise deployment.Join us as we discuss:➡️[5:11] Why diverse teams are more effective and innovative➡️[14:32] The importance of psychological safety in the workplace➡️[21:39] Keeping the human connection in digital transformationCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:➡️The Positive Domino Effect of Psychological Safety (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/positive-domino-effect-of-psychological-safety) (BCG)➡️Flexible Teams Are Key for In-house Lawyers to Share Expertise (https://www.ft.com/content/c61c958a-6d5f-4fa3-8fe7-224f4842814e) (Financial Times)Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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 takes everyone, from corporate leadership to interns, to drive successful DEI initiatives through an in-house legal department.So, when Forbes recognized NiSource as one of the top employers for diversity in the energy field in 2023, André Wright and his team knew their efforts had paid off.The VP & Deputy GC for NiSource joined us to talk about how they implemented their DEI strategy and share some of the surprising challenges and outcomes of bringing everyone along.Join us as we discuss:[4:05] Carrying out DEI initiatives at the strategic level[11:59] The need to find like-minded suppliers and partners[16:48] Why it’s important to consider opposing viewpointsCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (https://www.lcld.com/) (LCLD)NAMWOLF (https://namwolf.org/)Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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.

Creating a positive culture is hard — especially in the legal space.Old institutions and ways of doing things are difficult to unseat, and modern corporate legal departments need to lean heavily into building culture that works for both the company and its people equally.Kailee Goold (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaileegoold/), VP of Litigation and Legal Operations at Cardinal Health (https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en.html), sits down with PERSUIT’s own Michelle Landy to discuss how to disrupt outdated patterns of thinking and behavior when it comes to culture and belonging inside of your organization.When everyone has a seat at the table and is comfortable sitting in it, legal departments win.Join us as we discuss:[3:30] Acting as an “actor in a playground of critics” [6:15] Tailoring DEIB to your department’s culture[11:00] How disrupting existing patterns can impact legal department healthHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), or your favorite 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 the Director of Legal Operations, Employment Law, and Litigation at Trend Micro (https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/business.html), Brent Dyer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentedyer/) is leading the transformation of legal operations within the multinational cybersecurity giant. His journey from aspiring opera singer to legal innovator is not just a fascinating career transition but a testament to the dynamism and versatility required in the legal ops landscape.Brent joins us to unpack the world of legal ops, sharing insights on enhancing operational efficiencies, strategic litigation management, and spearheading initiatives that challenge the conventional law firm model.Join us as we discuss:[6:57] The duality of legal ops and traditional legal work[15:44] Optimizing litigation management and billing issues[26:02] Why law firms need to care more about the client experience[35:15] Underappreciated value of non-lawyers in legal opsHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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.

Most of our guests started their legal journeys in private law firms before pivoting to corporate in-house legal departments. In this insightful episode, the shoe is on the other foot.Veronica Gromada (https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-gromada/) spent nearly 20 years with Walmart’s in-house legal department, leading teams of attorneys, paralegals, and various professionals and managing the retailer’s extensive tort litigation portfolio.Now, as a partner at the prestigious law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (https://www.shb.com/), Veronica is not only overseeing their products liability group. She is also the co-chair for multiple ESG initiatives.Hear how Veronica is using her Fortune One experience to give her colleagues new perspectives on business relationships and how she’s championing diversity in AMLAW firms.Join us as we discuss:[3:03] Pivoting from a massive in-house department to private practice[13:51] Why law firms need to adopt a business mindset[23:56] The challenges of being a black female partner[34:34] How AI will free legal professionals to better serve clientsHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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 roles of chief legal officer or general counsel can mean different things in different corporate hierarchies.But if there’s one thing that Ben Adams (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-adams-7a438511/) has learned on his way to becoming CLO and Corporate Secretary at Western Union (https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/home.html), it’s that those men and women must be true problem solvers.He’s always reminding his in-house team that a uniform legal background will only get them so far. It’s the willingness to adapt and learn the ins and outs of their business that will take them places. Ben gives us an exclusive peek into how his team manages the legal challenges that can arise in financial services and how they’re cautiously approaching AI to help with international transactions.Join us as we discuss:[7:53] Core values and the Western Union Foundation[19:46] If in-house legal job titles really tell the whole story[28:53] How technology ties into transparency in legal departmentsCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Western Union Foundation (https://www.westernunionfoundation.org/)Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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 AI tools continue to infiltrate the global workforce, how can legal ops teams separate relevant AI services from ill-fitting alternatives? And how can in-house teams best leverage some of these exciting new data models to make informed decisions?Sue Manik (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-manik-21232840/?originalSubdomain=uk), Head of Supplier Performance at Standard Chartered Bank (https://www.sc.com/en/), believes that legal professionals must reevaluate how they think about data if they want to keep up with accelerated innovation.Sue walks us through the changes she’s witnessed in legal operations’ evolution from data-wielding sidekicks to collaborative partners and how Standard’s D&I task force is breaking barriers.Join us as we discuss:[3:10] How embedding in legal operations opens up new opportunities[12:43] Why legal professionals should never take data at face value[20:44] Measuring ROI on legal operations initiatives[33:32] Standard Charter Bank’s D&I task forceHear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), 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 role of the GC has come a long way since the days when everyone only wanted to work for big law firms.GCs have now evolved into a more strategic and important role within organizations, where lawyers are doing more of the legal work and interacting with the business. For the role to continuously improve, lawyers must stay endlessly curious, evaluate what they’re doing and improve upon it, and learn how to delegate.This week, we're joined by Sterling Miller (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinglmiller/), CEO and Senior Counsel at Hilgers Graben PLLC (https://hilgersgraben.com/). Sterling’s diverse professional experience has enabled him to strategically adapt to each position, embrace change, and disrupt the legal department.In this interview, we delve into what it takes for the GC to chart a more strategic path within their organization.Join us as we discuss: [08:23] How the GC role has evolved [21:34] How lawyers can be more productive[26:01] How to foster innovation and diversity in the legal departmentCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Sterling Miller (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinglmiller/)Hilgers Graben PLLC (https://hilgersgraben.com/)PERSUIT (https://www.persuit.com/)Hear more stories by following Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-legal-leadership/id1561049844), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/38y9ttpYcoeDWbVILtRpIP?si=LfxR-TgnQNWOlkn8CmWUQw), or your favorite 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.