Cockpit Counsel Podcast

Ashlyn Donohue has some strategic insights you won't want to miss. From crafting playbooks to closing deals and leveraging data on your legal team, this Cockpit Counsel episode is packed with the perspectives and advice that drive success on any legal team.

Ashlyn will share hard-earned best practices from her time as Manager of Deal Management Contract Systems at Oracle, being the first Legal Ops hire at HubSpot, and joining the legal team at LinkSquares.

Key takeaways

• Strategies for creating playbooks

• Change management tips
• The importance of adaptability
• And more!

Timestamps

• 01:41: Transitioning Roles and Career Growth
• 05:39: Approach to Playbooks
• 11:27: Implementation of Playbooks
• 15:56: Change Management and Transparency
• 18:22: Dealing with Non-negotiable Legal Issues
• 22:52: Memorable Deal Experiences
• 30:56: Embracing Failure and Learning from Mistakes
• 36:38: Rapid Fire Questions

Tim shares his perspective on the significance of using data to make decisions, evaluate the consistency of your legal team, and more.

Regardless of where you're at in your professional journey, it's crucial to make career management a top priority. This episode of Cockpit Counsel features Mosah Goodman, attorney and President of Top Talent Advocates, which helps executives and attorneys secure new roles and manage their careers. He’s got the advice you need to land your next role and plan for the future intentionally.

Mosah also hosts the Hiring Insights Podcast, where he shares insights and tips on executive hiring, job search strategy, interview preparation, compensation negotiation, resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, and more. Check out this episode to hear from a pro.

You'll Learn:

• How to maximize professional opportunities
• Tips for advancing your career and making yourself marketable
• The current job market for in-house and executive roles
• And more!

Ready to ascend your legal career? Tune in today.

Timestamps

• 02:19: Career Path and Top Talent Advocates
• 05:07: Company Growth and Structure
• 07:40: Job Market for Attorneys and Executives
• 12:01: Career Advancement in In-House Legal Roles
• 17:50: Reasons for Going In-House
• 24:16: Personal and Professional Management
• 27:05: Diverse Career Paths
• 31:18: Insights from the Hiring Insights Podcast

Tim shares his perspective on crisis management. He highlights the importance of understanding what you can control and breaking things down into small manageable pieces.

In this segment of Tim's Take, Tim shares his perspective on the elements of legal work that can be enhanced by legal tech. Tune in to learn why he advocates for using technology to simplify processes.

As a legal professional, your work is highly visible and heavily relied on – so it’s crucial to work effectively with the executive team. On this episode of Cockpit Counsel, Bob Cahill is climbing on board. With both CEO and CFO experience, he's teaming up with Tim Parilla, CLO at LinkSquares, to share his insights.

This candid conversation will help you understand and meet expectations across the C-suite, build relationships, and much more.

Key takeaways

• The evolution of the GC role and expectations
• Insights on leadership and talent development
• The importance of data-driven decision making
• And more!

Timestamps

01:47: Bob’s Career Path

03:49: Early Stage Company Experience

05:23: Challenges of Leadership and Talent Development

07:25: Evolution of General Counsel Role

09:51: Expectations and Evolution in Legal Role

10:25: Data-Driven Decision Making

13:03: Centralization of Data and Business Intelligence

14:30: Challenges of Transitioning to CEO

19:22: Communication Tips for CLO and CEO Relationship

24:35: Managing Risk and Understanding Business Objectives

26:51: Embracing Technology

29:12: Transitioning to Leadership Roles

30:33: Developing Management and People Skills

32:16: Legal's Role in Hard Conversations with the Executive Team

33:07: Leading Teams in a Remote Environment

35:12: Charitable Cause: Michael J Foxx Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/

Tim shares his perspective on weighing potential risk vs. business needs when advising the company on a decision. He highlights the importance of understanding and internalizing what the business is trying to accomplish before weighing the legal risk.

Transitioning careers as a legal professional can be a daunting task. The move from Big Law to an in-house product counsel position presents its own set of unique challenges. Listen to this episode of Cockpit Counsel and learn from someone who's been there and done it successfully.

Meet Mannat Sharma, product counsel at a major tech company. She's built a TikTok community of legal professionals, sharing her career journey and advice. From valuable frameworks for a career transition to insightful guidance on setting boundaries, you don’t want to miss this conversation.

Key takeaways

• Skills that are most important to in-house success
• Time-saving hacks and tips to steer clear of burnout
• The importance of community as a legal pro
• And more!

Timestamps

01:44: Career Path and Transition to In-House Role

05:15: Transition from Big Law to In-House Role

05:57: Experience as Product Counsel

07:55: Sharing Experience on TikTok

14:48: Differences in Working In-House vs. at a Firm

16:57: Understanding Business as In-House Counsel

17:53: Importance of Providing Clear, Actionable Advice

19:38: Building Confidence and Taking a Position

20:06: Collaboration and Communication with Business Counterparts

21:47: Leveraging Colleagues for Challenging Conversations

23:57: Managing Escalations and Decision-Making

29:42: Work-Life Balance and Personal Well-being

31:40: Frameworks for Life and Career Decisions

32:58: Productivity Tips

35:14: Rapid Fire Questions

36:10: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: https://www.aspca.org/

Check out this short episode where Tim shares his thoughts on the importance of building a strong relationship with the board as a legal leader.

Description

Rob Chesnut is the former General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer at Airbnb, and Author of the Bestseller Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead An Ethical Revolution. Earlier in his career, Rob was the Senior Vice President, Trust and Safety at eBay. It’s safe to say, he’s got stories to share that you won’t want to miss!

This episode of Cockpit Counsel is all about the importance of integrity in the workplace and how legal can effectively promote a culture of integrity.

Key takeaways

• Defining integrity and how Rob drove integrity into the culture at Airbnb
• Common “integrity traps” for companies, and how to avoid them
• Leadership advice and traits of an effective legal leader
• And more!

Timestamps

00:29: Rob Chesnut’s Introduction and Background

17:53: Managing Up: Integrity

19:08: Vulnerability and Integrity Moments

21:46: Potential for Integrity Problems

30:22: The Importance of Transparency and Trust

35:40: Navigating Gray Areas

37:21: Defining Company Values

41:19: Rob’s Integrity Class at Airbnb

45:45: Integrity in Regulated Industries

48:13: Career Growth Advice

50:11: Impact of Supporting Families (Check out Safe & Sound here!)