As corporate legal departments accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence technologies, a recent report from the on-demand legal services provider Axiom notes a significant disparity between the pace of adoption and the implementation of essential safeguards. This gap leaves many organizations vulnerable to potential liabilities and operational pitfalls. The report suggests that while investment in…
Sauer Brands, a company known for its range of condiments, dressings, and sauces, has recently appointed Wendy Fiel as its new General Counsel following a substantial sale for approximately $1.5 billion in February. Fiel comes from a position as Chief Legal Officer at Sabra Dipping Co., known for its hummus products, and brings with her…
LexisNexis, a leader in legal research, and Harvey, a prominent player in legal AI, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at redefining the landscape of legal technology. The partnership seeks to meld LexisNexis’s vast repository of legal content, including primary law materials and Shepard’s citations, with Harvey’s cutting-edge AI capabilities to develop innovative workflows within…
The landscape for legal operations professionals is shifting significantly with the advent of generative AI. According to insights from the Blickstein Group’s recent webinar titled “Legal Ops: Top Challenges and KPIs—and Leveraging Technology for Positive Impact,” legal ops experts are increasingly finding themselves at the intersection of rapidly evolving technological demands and expanding responsibilities. This…
US Steel has announced the appointment of Scot Duncan as the new senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary of the company. This change comes as Duane Holloway, who has served in the position, is set to depart on July 18. Duncan, who has been with US Steel for a decade, takes over this crucial…
San Antonio-based Whataburger, renowned for its popular fast-food chain, recently transformed its legal operations through a strategic investment in legal technology. According to Whataburger Legal Operations Manager Debra Baird, prior to this transformation, the company’s legal department relied heavily on manual methods such as emails, Excel, and guesswork. Baird highlighted this shift during a recent…
Sabastian Niles, once a prominent figure at Wachtell Lipton, has made a notable transition to Salesforce, a move that has piqued the interest of many in the legal and tech communities. As the newly appointed president and chief legal officer of Salesforce, Niles is leveraging his background in high-tech corporate law to influence the strategic…
Albertsons Cos. Inc.’s top legal officer, Thomas Moriarty, has seen a substantial increase in his compensation package following the fallout from the terminated merger with Kroger Co. According to Albertsons’ proxy statement, Moriarty’s total earnings for the fiscal year 2024, which ended February 22, rose to approximately $6.4 million, representing a 34% year-over-year increase from…
The legal landscape is witnessing a notable shift as a recent report reveals a reduction in the average size of corporate legal teams over the past year. Simultaneously, there is a slight increase in the number of legal departments leveraging technology, such as e-signature and e-billing tools, to boost efficiency. It’s a clear indication that…
At the helm of DoorDash’s legal team, Tia Sherringham has navigated a period of intense transformation and growth for the company. Joining as the second legal hire in 2017, Sherringham has been instrumental in building a team that now comprises over 40 lawyers. Reflecting on her journey, she identified scaling both herself and the team…
Amidst ongoing protests in Los Angeles against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, law firms located in Downtown LA are adapting to challenging conditions. A curfew imposed by Mayor Karen Bass continues to affect the operations of many firms, prompting them to enhance remote work policies. Most Am Law 100 firms, initially operating on a hybrid schedule,…
The obsession with negotiating rate cuts out of law firms may not address the underlying cost issues that general counsel face. Laurie David-Henric, head of legal operations at biotech company Argenx, suggests a more strategic approach to law firm relationships can offer better results. Building strong foundational relationships with legal service providers can lead to…
In the evolving landscape of legal operations, the practice of tracking diversity metrics for outside counsel has come under renewed scrutiny. According to Jennifer McIver, a legal operations consultant at Wolters Kluwer, the current conversation is shifting from the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives to the potential risks associated with tracking these…
In recent discussions within the corporate legal community, the practice of tracking diversity metrics for outside counsel has come under scrutiny. Jennifer McIver, a legal operations consultant at Wolters Kluwer, pointed out that the focus is shifting from the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to assessing whether the risks associated with tracking these…
Recent findings from the AI in Legal Departments: 2025 Benchmarking Report, conducted by Counselwell and Spellbook, highlight an increase in artificial intelligence adoption among corporate legal departments. The survey, which involved 256 in-house legal professionals across North America, notably found that 38% of these departments are actively utilizing AI tools, while an additional 50% are…
Spotify Technology SA has announced the promotion of Kevan Choset to the position of Permanent General Counsel of the company. Choset had been serving as the interim head of the legal department since January, following the departure of former General Counsel Eve Konstan. Choset’s elevation to a permanent role comes after he updated his profile…
Thomson Reuters has unveiled what it refers to as the “next gen” CoCounsel artificial intelligence platform, initiating a significant shift from traditional AI responders towards agentic systems designed to plan, reason, and execute complex workflows in professional settings. The upcoming release, which promises advanced capabilities for the legal profession, aims to redefine how professionals engage…
In the modern legal landscape, corporate legal departments are facing demands to cut costs while delivering results with greater speed, prompting a reevaluation of how they measure value and manage external counsel. Chris Ochs, Vice President of Legal Operations at UnitedLex, notes that some may focus merely on discounts from law firms, missing the broader…
Dutch information services giant Wolters Kluwer has announced its agreement to acquire Brightflag, a company specializing in legal spend management software, for €425 million in cash. At approximately $482 million, the acquisition is notable within the legal sector, following Thomson Reuters’ $650 million purchase of legal technology firm Casetext just two years earlier. Brightflag, known…
Paralegals have long been the backbone of legal operations, but their skills extend far beyond traditional tasks. According to a recent analysis by Vanessa Torres at Lowenstein Sandler, there is an emerging recognition of the dynamic role paralegals can play in business functions such as marketing and client development. Law firms that are working towards…
Amid rising costs in legal services, corporate legal operations leaders are exploring novel strategies to mitigate the impact of increasing rates from large law firms. Jessica Williams, director of legal operations strategy and data at Geico, pointed out that these rate hikes are becoming common, with some as high as 20%, occurring just months after…
Ford Motor Co. has initiated a RICO lawsuit against several prominent Los Angeles law firms, alleging that these firms fraudulently inflated legal fees by at least $100 million. The allegations touch upon thousands of cases concerning auto manufacturers, spanning a five-year period. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of…
Legora, a Sweden-based legal AI startup, has successfully raised $80 million in its latest funding round, bringing its overall valuation to $675 million. The extra capital injection signals a strategic move to strengthen its foothold within the U.S. legal market, a sector known for its robust demand for technological innovation. The funding announcement follows Legora’s…
In-house legal teams are cautiously exploring the integration of generative AI to enhance operational efficiency and performance, a move met with both enthusiasm and apprehension. According to Mike Ferrara of FTI Consulting, while there’s a notable eagerness to embrace these technologies, the potential risks involved necessitate a careful approach. This hesitant adoption stems in part…
In recent years, there has been a significant push towards adopting contract lifecycle management (CLM) software within corporate legal departments. These tools, promising increased efficiency through features such as cloud storage and automated redlining, aim to help legal teams streamline processes from drafting and negotiation to execution and termination of agreements. However, the anticipated benefits…