On this episode, Aine Lyons, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at VMware, joins Mary to talk about legal ops, her time at VMware and new technologies. More than a decade ago, Aine was approached by a former GC at VMware about taking on legal ops. She declined because she didn’t know anyone in legal ops and didn’t know anything about it. Times have certainly changed. Aine now sees a lot of movement in the industry surrounding digital transformation, with more companies adding chief transformation officers and legal transformation leads to their lineup. There is also a rise in the number of consultants, both independent and with the Big Four. Aine believes in using creative storytelling to communicate to the entire company the mission and successes that the legal department is a part of. She likens it to Formula 1 racing, using terms like fast-track sales ordering and smooth-track transitions. Aine is a believer in communication across departments, and she says the easiest way to learn about what others in the company are doing, is simply to ask. Most people naturally want to learn from or mentor others. Aine sees a transformation coming in the next 24 months surrounding generative AI tools, and she believes that legal professionals should embrace the changes and educate themselves to be prepared for the inevitable. Resources: Aine Lyons - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ainelyons/

VMware - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vmware/ If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. You can find more information, as well as the resources mentioned in this episode, at ironcladapp.com. #LegalOps #LegalCareer