CLOC Talk

CLOC Talk continues its Clockwise: Year in Review & What’s Next series with a spotlight on Europe—highlighting 2025 as a year of intentional investment, partnerships, and community-building across the region. Host Oyango Snell is joined by Sean Houston, Head of Legal Operations at Heineken and a key leader in CLOC’s European strategy, to discuss the growth of legal ops across the Benelux and beyond, and why Europe’s community culture—open knowledge-sharing, practical takeaways, and “rising tide lifts all ships”—has become a powerful engine for progress.

The episode looks ahead to an ambitious 2026, including the CLOC Europe Summit on February 5, 2026 in London, the launch of the Germany chapter, and the continued expansion of member-driven formats like CLOC Around the Table dinners. Sean also previews new regional programming such as CLOC Connect in the Netherlands—bringing together in-house teams, law firms, vendors, and ALSPs/consultants to tackle real operational challenges like outside counsel management—reinforcing CLOC’s focus on practical learning, local relevance, and whole-ecosystem collaboration.

In this special year-in-review episode of CLOC Talk, host Oyango Snell is joined by Australian legal ops leaders Anna Golovsky, Petra Sterling, and Matthew Duncan to reflect on the milestones, momentum, and lessons that shaped the Australian Legal Ops community in 2025—and to preview what’s ahead in 2026. Together, they explore how a “small but mighty” community is driving real impact through practical innovation, peer collaboration, and honest case studies.

The conversation covers AI adoption and upskilling, spend and vendor management, CLM implementation, data governance, and knowledge management (“curate or wait”), along with the realities of law-firm collaboration and operating in highly regulated environments. They also discuss why ROI-focused AI use cases, mentoring, and community-led learning remain essential—and how Australia’s market dynamics can help influence the global legal ops conversation in the year to come.

In this CLOC Talk: Clockwise Year in Review episode, host Oyango Snell is joined by German legal operations leaders Michael Thompson and Dr. Vera Roedel to reflect on the themes that defined legal ops in Germany in 2025 and what lies ahead in 2026. Drawing from regional listening sessions and community discussions, they explore why German legal teams prioritize practical, solution-oriented approaches—grounded in real examples, metrics, and peer learning—over theory or hype. Topics include process optimization, technology adoption, change management, and the growing recognition of legal operations as a dedicated profession, not a side role.

Looking ahead, the conversation turns to CLOC’s expanding presence in Germany, including the launch of the Germany chapter and a renewed focus on deep peer-to-peer engagement. Michael and Vera discuss how legal ops may evolve through more honest lessons learned, stronger adoption strategies, thoughtful use of legal tech, and increased collaboration across Europe. The episode closes with an invitation to the community to actively participate, share openly, and help shape a trusted, practitioner-led legal ops ecosystem in Germany and beyond.

In this episode of CLOC Talk, Oyango Snell, Executive Director of CLOC, reflects on a transformative year for the legal operations community. He shares key accomplishments from 2025, including renewed member engagement, governance modernization, and expanded global reach. Oyango also explores the mindset shift happening across legal ops—from fighting for recognition to confidently leading at the enterprise level. The conversation closes with a look ahead at what members can expect in 2026, including CGI Chicago and new opportunities to get involved.

This episode features an energizing conversation with Maria Pedroza and Gabrielle Silva, who share their journey building the CLOC Spain community and the importance of staying connected, curious, and collaborative in legal operations.

They give us a preview of what's ahead for the chapter—including next year’s event—and discuss how regional leadership can shape global impact.

Follow Maria, Gabrielle, and the CLOC Spain chapter for updates, and keep tuning in as we continue exploring innovation across the legal ops ecosystem.

In this episode of Clock Talk, hosts Janessa Nelson and Nataly Kian sit down with Curtis Brewer, CEO of Litify, to explore how legal departments can transform their approach to spend and matter management. Curtis breaks down what it means to “move upstream from the invoice,” why it’s critical for modern legal ops, and how data, analytics, and AI are reshaping the future of the legal industry. From smarter budgeting to seamless collaboration, discover practical ways to make your legal department more strategic, proactive, and impact-driven.

In this episode of Clock Talk, hosts Jeremiah Kincannon and Tanya Voda sit down with leadership and DEIB expert Reggie Butler for a thought-provoking conversation about belonging, connection, and humanity at work.

The discussion explores:

• The role of curiosity and empathy in leadership
• How to foster a sense of belonging across teams and organizations
• The difference between scarcity and abundance mindsets
• The evolving importance of “power skills” (formerly “soft skills”) in the hybrid and AI-enabled workplace
• Practical strategies for leaders and employees to build inclusive, human-centered communities at work.

Reggie challenges listeners to lead with intention, expand their “go-to” networks, and “pay attention now” to the human connections that drive real performance and fulfillment.

In this episode, Irene Liu, former General Counsel turned Hypergrowth GC coach, joins the conversation to share her career journey from the DOJ and FTC to leadership roles at Blackberry, Lookout, Checker, and Hopin. Along the way, she took on finance responsibilities, giving her a unique perspective on how legal teams can demonstrate their value beyond traditional expectations. 

The discussion covers how legal operations can showcase impact through metrics, why trust and proactivity are key for success, and how General Counsels can align legal strategy with business goals. Irene also explores the evolving landscape of legal tools and AI, offering insights on how legal teams can stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry. 

Tune in for an engaging conversation on how legal ops professionals can position themselves as strategic drivers of business success. 

Thank you to our 2025 CLOC Global Institute CLOC Talk sponsor, DeepL. 

In this special episode of CLOC Talk, we take you to the 2025 CGI mainstage with the recording of our Powerhouse Perspectives panel discussion. In this thought-provoking discussion, moderator Aine Lyons dive into challenges and opportunities AI presents for legal, with panelists Karen Gally, Eric Dodson Greenberg, and Casey Flaherty. They explore key insights from McKinsey and Deloitte reports, discuss why legal departments must lead AI adoption proactively, and share strategies for integrating AI into daily workflows. 

 From the power of storytelling and data analysis to the importance of curiosity and cross-functional collaboration, this conversation offers a roadmap for legal professionals looking to become AI experts within their organizations. Tune in for practical advice, strategic insights, and a forward-thinking perspective on evolving with technology. 

Thank you to our 2025 CLOC Global Institute CLOC Talk sponsor, DeepL.

Legal services are evolving fast, and AI is playing a major role in reshaping how teams work.

In this episode, Mark Ross, Kami Paulsen, and Rich Levine join host, Jeremiah Kincannon, to break down the shifting landscape from the rise of multidisciplinary expertise to the practical impact of AI on workflows, compliance, and hiring. The discussion covers what legal teams need to do to stay competitive, including adopting new tools, rethinking traditional practices, and preparing for the future. They discuss what legal teams need to do to stay competitive, including adopting new tools, rethinking traditional practices, and preparing for the future.

Tune in for a deep dive into the forces driving change and how legal professionals can adapt.

Thank you to our 2025 CLOC Global Institute CLOC Talk sponsor, DeepL.