Careers and the Business of Law

This one hits different.

David Cowen sits down with legal operations leader Carl Morrison (Otsuka Pharmaceuticals) for a sharp, high-energy conversation on how legal teams are turning data into strategy, and why now is the moment to clean house, ditch the ROT (redundant, obsolete, trivial), and drive real value.

Yes, we open with Lady Gaga, because transformation has a rhythm. But what follows is a masterclass in Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) and the future of legal operations.

In this episode:

• Why your data is a goldmine, but only if you mine it right
• How AI is changing early case assessment and risk visibility
• What LDI really means, and why it's not just about cost control anymore
• How legal ops teams are becoming strategic drivers, not just back-office fixers

Carl also shares what it means to move from dirty data to strategic sun, and how to build a cleaner, smarter, faster-functioning legal department in the age of AI and collaboration.

Whether you're in legal ops, litigation, InfoGov, or leading a law department, this is your blueprint for going from now to next!

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Don't forget to share this episode with your peers and colleagues.

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

"Life is a carnival—and legal ops is leading the parade." What happens when strategy, storytelling, and AI collide in the hands of a legal operations leader? You get this high-energy, insight-rich episode with Elizabeth Lugones, VP of Professional Services at Mitratech, a legal tech pro who's been writing and speaking about workforce automation since before it was cool. What You'll Hear:

• Why change management is really just executive storytelling
• How Sarah Sawvell at Honeywell, along with Mitratech and Morae, is crushing implementation through collaboration
• The shift from "cut costs" to "see around corners" in legal value
• How Liz and David use AI agents like ChatGPT + Gemini to create time dividends in real life
• Shoutouts to innovators like Stephanie Corey, Stacey Lettie, Anna Richards, Brittany Leonard, and more

If you're leading transformation or trying to ride the wave, it's time to rethink what legal value really means. Elizabeth brings the clarity. David brings the energy. And the future of legal just might be more human than ever.

🎧 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 three top legal innovators challenge everything we know about leadership, AI, and the future of law firms?

In this high-energy episode of Careers in the Business of Law, David Cowen sits down with three powerhouse legal minds who are redefining innovation, knowledge management, and practice transformation at major law firms. But here's the twist—we're not telling you who's who right away!

Topics That Will Change How You Think About Legal Leadership:

• Who's really driving innovation - clients or law firms?
• Why curiosity is more valuable than having all the answers.
• How AI is transforming legal work - but only if you ask the right questions.
• What top law firms are doing to stay ahead of the disruption curve.
• The "hidden ROI" of legal innovation (hint: it's not just about saving time).

Connect with Our Experts & Learn More: - Ilona Logvinova – Director of Practice Innovation at Cleary Gottlieb - Esther Bowers – Chief Practice Innovation Officer at Honigman LLP - Evan Shenkman – Chief Knowledge & Innovation Officer at Fisher Phillips

🎧 Don't just stay informed—stay ahead! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

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

Legal data isn't just for eDiscovery anymore—it's a strategic weapon. AI-driven analytics are transforming legal teams into business intelligence powerhouses, helping HR, compliance, and cybersecurity teams solve problems faster than ever before. In this episode, Benjamin Sexton (JND) shares:

• How AI is shifting legal work—are we saving time or just creating more high-value tasks?
• Why legal teams are becoming the "calculators" of business intelligence
• How Walgreens and other companies use eDiscovery tools to solve compliance challenges in hours, not weeks

If you're in eDiscovery, legal ops, or compliance, this episode will change how you think about legal data—and your career.

🎧 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!

The legal industry is facing its "Netflix vs. Blockbuster" moment. AI, automation, and alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) are rapidly reshaping how legal services are delivered, and the biggest question is: Who will adapt—and who will be left behind? Roger Pilc leads a $600M+ division at Epiq, bringing experience from McKinsey, Booz Allen, CA Technologies, and Pitney Bowes. With insights from Satya Nadella's vision on AI, Clayton Christensen's The Innovator's Dilemma, and leadership lessons from Peter Drucker, Adam Grant(Author of Think Again), and Daniel Pink(Author of Drive), Roger explains how ALSPs are positioned to disrupt legal in ways law firms and Big Four consultancies cannot.

In this episode, we explore how Legal Service Management mirrors IT's digital transformation, why Zach Posner at TLTF is betting on AI-driven legal platforms, and how Nicole Giantonio and the team at Epiq are investing in tech that's changing legal service delivery.

Key Takeaways You Can Use Today:

• Legal is facing a "Simultaneous Equation Problem." GCs must manage rising litigation, regulatory complexity, and shrinking budgets—but traditional models no longer work.
• AI & ALSPs Are Changing Everything. Like Netflix disrupting Blockbuster, AI-powered legal service models are creating massive efficiencies for corporate legal teams.
• The 30% Rule: Leadership is Talent Spotting. Echoing Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jack Welch, Roger spends 30% of his time recruiting and developing top talent—a critical strategy for legal leaders.

📢 If you're in legal tech, legal ops, or law firm leadership—this episode is a must. Tag a colleague who should hear this!

🎧 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! Join The Cowen Café. Stay connected. Stay ahead.

🎙 Host: David Cowen, President of The Cowen Group 👤 Guest: Karen Eber – TED Speaker, Leadership Consultant, Author of The Perfect Story

💡Why This Episode Matters? Your data is airtight. Your argument is solid. So why isn't leadership buying in?

Here's the reality: Data doesn't change behavior. Emotion does.

Today, I'm sitting down with Karen Eber, master storyteller and leadership strategist, to break down:

• Why storytelling—not just numbers—drives decisions in legal & tech
• The biggest mistake leaders make when trying to persuade & influence
• A simple 4-question framework to craft stories that move people

Want to drive AI adoption? Secure budget? Get leadership buy-in? This episode will change how you communicate—forever. 🎯Takeaways You Can Use Today:

• The 4 must-ask questions before making any pitch
• Why legal teams struggle with change—and how to fix it
• How to tailor your message to different audiences

📖 Karen's Book: The Perfect Story 📖 Carla Harris' Expect to Win – A must-read on leadership & career growth 📖 Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People – The power of connection & influence 📖 Jim Collins' Good to Great – Why companies (and careers) succeed or fail

🎤 Karen's TED Talk: How Your Brain Responds to Stories – Watch here 📝 Karen's Blog: Actionable storytelling tips – Visit her website

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next! 📢 Know someone struggling to get buy-in? Send them this episode!

💡 Want more insights on legal innovation? visit https://cowengroup.com/

🔥 Never eat alone. Join The Cowen Café. Stay connected. Stay ahead.

Ever wonder how to build a career worthy of a Lifetime Achievement Award? My latest guest, Jay Leib, has done exactly that—and he's here to share how.

From his early days in software sales at RTI, to leadership roles at EY, Relativity, NextLP, and now Reveal, Jay has built his career through radical curiosity, relentless networking, and entrepreneurial grit.

We cover Jay's jungle gym-like career moves, why curiosity and communication matter more than certifications, and the hacks that helped him create lasting connections—from LinkedIn coffee meetings to mentorship lessons from VC icon Troy Henikoff.

🎧 Tune in for:

• Jay's entrepreneurial story of "cash in, cash out" (and how he learned to handle cash flow stress).
• How answering "rows and columns" in a job interview changed his life.
• Career-defining lessons from EY and Relativity, including the power of focus and punctuality.
• Networking pro tips (and how he credits career success to LinkedIn outreach).
• Jay's weekend curiosity hacks: AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) and lifelong learning.

🎧 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/

Legal teams aren't just tracking data—they're driving business decisions with it. Today, I sit down with Dave Bernstein, Executive Director, Analytics at Wells Fargo, to unpack the rise of Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) and why it's changing everything.

Dave shares his unconventional path from 18 years in shipping to legal analytics, how he built a data-driven legal department alongside leaders like Kim Wolf, Edward L., and Tim Davenport, and why AI tools like Microsoft Copilot are set to revolutionize legal work.

💡 One Big Idea: The best legal ops teams don't just analyze what happened—they predict what's next. 🎯 What You'll Learn in this episode: ✅ How Wells Fargo built a high-impact legal data intelligence team ✅ The must-have skills for legal ops professionals (from meta-skills research by Julia Hasenzahl & Brian Meegan at ProSearch) ✅ Why AI won't replace legal teams—but will replace the ones who don't adapt (Microsoft Copilot is a game-changer) ✅ The truth about talent transformation—who thrives, who doesn't, and why (Farrah Pepper & Adam Rouse are leading the way) ✅ The future of legal ops roles (Chief Legal Data Intelligence Officers are on the rise) 📚 Books Mentioned 📖 Be Data Analytical – Jordan Morrow 📖 Be Data Literate – Jordan Morrow

🚀 What's Next? Meet Dave in Person Join Dave Bernstein at SOLID Atlanta (Nov 4, 2025) alongside Kim Wolf, Farrah Pepper, and other legal ops leaders as they shape the future of LDI.

🔗 Register for SOLID Atlanta → https://solid.legal/solid-atlanta-2025/ 🎧 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/

Legal work isn't just about managing data—it's about unlocking intelligence. AI, eDiscovery, and Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) are transforming how firms analyze, predict, and strategize. Are you keeping up? In this episode, Robert Keeling (Partner, Redgrave LLP) joins David Cowen to unpack how AI, legal data intelligence, and next-gen eDiscovery are transforming the legal industry.

🔹 From Paper to AI: How legal data moved from printed emails to Slack, chat, and AI-powered discovery. 🔹 The AI-Powered Law Firm: Will firms create AI associates like Goldman Sachs? 🔹 Legal Work in 2025: AI isn't replacing lawyers—it's changing who does what and how. 🔹 The AI Dividend: How AI is helping legal teams work smarter, reduce stress, and focus on strategy. 🔹 Order to Chaos: How Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) is bringing structure to the AI revolution.

🔔 Tap play now to future-proof your legal career—or risk falling behind.

💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://cowengroup.com/

📢 The legal industry is at a tipping point. Are you ready? In this episode, David Cowen sits down with Ted Theodoropoulos, Founder & CEO of InfoDash, to unpack the biggest shifts redefining law firms, legal tech, and knowledge management.

From AI-powered legal services to the VC-style approach to tech investment, this conversation is packed with insights that will help you future-proof your career and your firm.

🔥 What You'll Learn: ✅ The AI Wake-Up Call: How AI is pushing law firms to rethink innovation, risk, and business models ✅ Beyond Billable Hours: Why firms are shifting from revenue growth to margin expansion and efficiency ✅ The VC Playbook for Law Firms: How firms like Paul Hastings, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Seyfarth Shaw are investing in legal tech startups ✅ KM as a Profit Center: How Ogletree Deakins turned knowledge management into a seven-figure revenue stream ✅ Who's Leading the Charge? Why firms like Wilson Sonsini (Neuron) and Cooley (Cooley Go) are redefining how legal services are delivered ✅ Career Acceleration: Why lifelong learning, adaptability, and intellectual horsepower are now table stakes

🎯 Who Should Listen?

• KM, Legal Ops, eDiscovery & AI Leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve
• Lawyers & Legal Professionals navigating tech disruption
• Legal Tech Founders & Entrepreneurs building the next big thing
• Anyone interested in how law firms are evolving in the AI era

🔗 Legal Innovation & KM Leaders Mentioned: 🔹 Joe Green (Chief Innovation Officer, Gunderson Dettmer) 🔹 Esther Bowers (KM & Innovation Expert) 🔹 Ed Macnamara (Chief Innovation Officer, ArentFox Schiff) 🔹 Wendy Curtis (Chief Innovation Officer, Orrick) 🔹 Lorie Almon (Chair and Managing Partner, Seyfarth Shaw)

📚 Books Mentioned: 📖 Legal Upheaval by Michele Destefano 📖 The Leader Upheaval Handbook by Michele Destefano 📖 Innovation in Law Firms: Implementing Successful Projects by Stuart Whittle & Catriona Wolfenden

📅 Join the Conversation: 🔥 The Cowen Café – Weekly roundtables on AI, legal careers & innovation 🎤 Legal Week NYC – Meet David & Ted in person at the industry's biggest event

🎧 Subscribe, Rate & Share! If this episode sparked new ideas, subscribe, review, and share with your network.

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And remember: Never eat alone. 🚀

#LegalTech #KM #Innovation #FutureOfLaw #AI #LegalOperations #LawFirmLeadership