Careers and the Business of Law

In this episode of Careers and the Business of Law - Legal Data Intelligence seriese, David Cowen sits down with Odette Claridge (ProSearch), Tara Lawler (Morgan Lewis), and Virginia Ring (Kilpatrick Townsend) to unpack how Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) is transforming mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. They share how data governance, AI, and collaboration are reshaping due diligence and deal execution and why frameworks like LDI's toolkit are now must-haves for modern legal teams.

Key Topics Covered:

• How LDI's corporate working group built the first data-driven toolkit for M&A and divestitures.
• Why today's M&A landscape is defined by the 3 Vs of data, volume, variety, and velocity.
• Practical steps for maintaining data integrity and audit trails across multiple corporate entities.
• The new reality: collaboration between legal, IT, privacy, and compliance is non-negotiable.
• How crowdsourcing best practices across firms accelerates learning and innovation.
• What the Architect Program offers for professionals eager to shape the next wave of legal data frameworks.
• A look ahead: AI governance and ethical frameworks as the next frontier for legal data professionals.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

In this episode of Careers and the Business of Law, David Cowen sits down with Nathan Reichardt, PwC's Lead Managed Services Director and AI Champion, for a conversation that bridges technology and humanity. They unpack why "observability" isn't just a technical concept, it's the foundation of trust in an age of autonomous agents. From building glass-box systems that make AI accountable to recognizing the invisible pressures on professionals, this discussion explores what it really takes to lead responsibly in the era of AI.

Key Topics Covered:

• Agents aren't magic, you must observe them. Why oversight is essential as AI agents act and learn autonomously.
• From black box to glass box. Transparency, explainability, and compliance as non-negotiable design principles.
• Responsible AI in practice. What observability really means for governance, risk, and trust.
• The rise of new roles. Why "AI Observer" and "Observability Lead" may soon become critical titles inside legal and business ops.
• The human dimension. How leaders can apply observability to people spotting stress, isolation, and burnout before it's too late.
• From pilot to practice. PwC's approach to scaling agentic AI safely through iteration, measurement, and feedback.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

What happens when AI gets faster than your legal team? In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the real disruption happening inside law firms, legal departments, and software giants. Microsoft's E.J. Bastien and Relativity's CTO Keith Carlson join David Cowen for a no-holds-barred conversation on AI's impact on legal strategy, workflows, careers and how everything is being redefined.

If you're in legal, tech, ops, or just wondering what your job looks like in 24 months, this is the episode.

Key Topics Covered:

• The AI Wake-Up Call: Why "change resistance" in legal is dead and what's replacing it
• The End of Legal Busywork: How AI is freeing up law firms for high-value thinking
• Billable Hour vs. Business Model: The quiet collapse of traditional legal pricing
• Speed to Insight: Why fast isn't fast enough anymore and how top teams are adapting
• Dark Data, Bright Future: New AI tools surfacing value where no one was looking
• Career Acceleration: Why critical thinkers, puzzle-solvers, and AI-curious pros are thriving
• The AI-Ready Org Chart: What the "firm of the future" looks like (hint: it's flatter and faster)

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

What separates a legal department that saves money from one that builds competitive advantage? Two powerhouse CLOs, Rishi Varma (Cargill) and Tim Fraser (Toshiba America) - sit down with David Cowen to unpack the shift from legal risk managers to business growth drivers. If you're a legal leader, strategist, or tech-savvy operator, this is essential listening.

The future isn't coming. It's here. And these leaders are already in it.

Key Topics Covered:

• The AI Dividend: What it is, how to measure it, and why it's your next performance metric
• Data as Infrastructure: Why CLOs are racing to eliminate the "search function" and build a legal "brain"
• OKRs That Matter: How top legal departments align KPIs to business growth, not compliance checklists
• Tech Stack in Action: Inside the tools (Copilot, GenAI) that are driving real productivity gains today
• Talent Evolution: What CLOs actually look for in 2025, critical thinking, adaptability, and strategic fluency
• Cross-Functional Power Moves: Why your next big win requires partnering with your CIO (or CEO)
• From Perfection to Performance: Why "excellence over perfection" is the new rule of law

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno

Live at ILTACON 2025, in this candid conversation, Shannon Bales, Litigation Support Senior Manager at Munger, Tolles & Olson, shares how he's preparing his team for the AI-driven future, by turning ticket-takers into consultants. From tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Harvey, and Claude, to the foundational skills that matter most (language, curiosity, and communication), Shannon talks shop about what it really takes to lead through change in today's legal tech landscape.

If you manage teams, advise on tools, or just want to sharpen your edge, this one's for you.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why Shannon trains his team to be consultants, not just executors
• ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Harvey, when to use what, and why
• Why there's no one AI winner (yet) and what due diligence really means
• From curiosity to clarity: why communication is the real AI skill
• How GenAI shifts the legal conversation and why workflows must follow
• Why legal tech leadership today means being agile, patient, and connected
• Shannon's weekend writing practice and why he's documenting GenAI's foundation for legal

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno

What does it take to get in "the room where it happens"? Melissa Faragasso, a fifth-year associate at Cleary Gottlieb, didn't wait for permission - she stepped forward, made the ask, and landed a secondment to the firm's innovation team led by Ilona Logvinova.

Live from the floor at ILTACON 2025, in this candid conversation, Melissa shares how a passion for privacy law, a sharp eye on emerging tech, and a dose of courage put her on a path that most associates only dream about. If you're a legal professional curious about GenAI, career growth, or making bold moves, this is your playbook.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Melissa leveraged her privacy expertise to break into legal innovation
• What it really means to "operationalize" GenAI at a top-tier law firm
• The importance of doing it scared and why courage pays off
• How Cleary's acquisition of an AI startup created unexpected opportunities
• Why younger associates might have an edge in emerging tech law
• The value of curiosity, initiative, and asking the right question at the right moment

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno

Live at ILTACON 2025, in this wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Dooley, Director of Electronic Discovery and Litigation Support at Sullivan & Cromwell, we dig into the new rhythm of legal tech, how it's evolving, where the real value lives, and why the smartest professionals are not chasing AI, they're designing with it.

From creative use of ChatGPT to legacy-building with AI-generated video, Stephen shares how he's redefining productivity, growth, and human connection at work and at home. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the noise, or wondering how to lead through change, this one will hit home.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why "value" in legal tech is being redefined and what to do about it
• How Sullivan & Cromwell vets new tools, partners, and AI workflows
• The rise of augmented intelligence and how Dooley uses ChatGPT to think, plan, and lead
• Why creativity, not code, is the real differentiator in this AI moment
• What founders, vendors, and buyers must understand about trust and timing
• Lessons from Andrew Sieja, Omar Haroun, and other tech visionaries shaping the next phase
• How to "come together" in a fragmented market and why small pods of connection matter
• A personal look into Stephen's use of AI for family legacy and memorialization

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno

Live from the floor at ILTACON 2025, in this rich, retrospective conversation, Phil Bryce, longtime legal Knowledge Management leader and strategist - traces the evolution of legal tech from the dawn of email to today's GenAI disruption. But this episode is about more than just tech. Phil shares hard-earned lessons on connection, courage, and how relationships made 20 years ago still shape his career today.

If you're navigating what's next or building your place in this industry, Phil's story is a masterclass in going far together.

Key Topics Covered:

• What GenAI means now and how it echoes the early days of legal tech
• How Knowledge Management, strategy, and innovation emerged from organized chaos
• The power of connection: how one lunch sparked a 20-year peer network
• Why today's best opportunities aren't in job descriptions, you create them
• "Follow the joy": Phil's framework for building a career worth having
• How courage and curiosity created the career he didn't know he was building
• The future of legal tech leadership and why thinking like a managing partner matters

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno Live at ILTACON 2025, Rachel Shield Williams, Director of Client Intelligence at Sidley Austin, breaks down how the smartest legal teams are using AI, not just to save time, but to build stronger relationships, drive smarter decisions, and unlock entirely new ways of working. From ChatGPT to lakehouses, Rachel shares how the future of legal operations is being shaped by clean data, clear governance, and creative thinking. This episode is packed with real use cases, sharp insights, and powerful takeaways for anyone working at the intersection of law, data, and strategy. Key Topics Covered:

• What "client intelligence" really means and why it's a growth engine
• Why governance is the backbone of safe, scalable GenAI
• The difference between data warehouses, lakes, and lakehouses (finally explained)
• How cross-functional teams are reshaping client relationships
• Rachel's ChatGPT workflows - summarizing, strategizing, even grocery shopping
• AI as a leadership tool: how to support your team and stay ahead
• Inclusion, accessibility, and the future of data-driven collaboration

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!

Hosted by David Cowen | Presented by Steno

Live from ILTACON 2025, this episode features a candid, heart-forward conversation with Melanie Prevost, Senior Director of IT Infrastructure & Technical Support at Vinson & Elkins. Melanie shares how GenAI is empowering neurodiverse professionals, reducing barriers to productivity, and creating real inclusion, not just policy-driven but experience-based. We dive into how teams are building confidence, collaboration, and creativity through tools like Copilot, Grammarly, and ChatGPT, along with what it means to work across silos, connect with communications teams, and lead from a place of openness and curiosity.

Key Topics Covered:

• How GenAI tools like Copilot, Grammarly, and ChatGPT are leveling the playing field
• Supporting neurodiverse professionals through AI-enabled workflows
• Building psychological safety and confidence across technical teams
• Working across silos: IT + Communications = new power partnerships
• Why accessibility and inclusion need to be built into tech strategy
• What's changing at ILTACON and why it feels different this year
• From recipes to real strategy: how personal AI use is driving workplace adoption

This Episode is presented by Steno: Smarter transcripts. Faster delivery. Built for modern legal teams

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next!

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/ Never eat alone!