This episode of ADB Insights - The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast explores how modern data and AI solutions are helping forward-thinking legal departments transform fragmented information into actionable insights.

In a dynamic panel discussion, we examine real-world applications of AI that augment legal judgment by surfacing relevant institutional knowledge.

Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of ADB Insights is joined by Lily Schurra, Senior Commercial Counsel at Sourcegraph, Kevin Keller, SVP, General Counsel at Forward Networks, and Jessica Nguyen, Chief Strategy & Legal Officer at Sandstone to explore the key challenges and opportunities facing legal departments today in the AI era.

Discover how agentic AI can solve legal department pain points by reducing friction and turning institutional data into an intelligent system that drives smarter decision-making, brings context to legal workflows, and provides a sustainable competitive advantage.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Eric Zaazour, Co-Founder of Laurel, an AI-powered automation software that helps knowledge workers optimize timekeeping and boost productivity.

Eric shares how Laurel uses artificial intelligence to automatically generate accurate time entries while ensuring compliance with outside counsel guidelines. He traces the company’s AI journey since 2017, emphasizing the critical role of data collection and model training in creating more efficient, compliant workflows for law firms and professional services teams.

The conversation explores the broader transformation of the legal industry driven by AI — automating low-value tasks, improving accuracy, and freeing professionals to focus on higher-value strategic work. Andrew and Eric discuss how firms must rethink their business models to deliver measurable value beyond the billable hour, exploring approaches such as alternative fee arrangements and outcome-based pricing.

Together, they examine how data-driven insights into time usage can inform pricing models, operational decisions, and productivity strategies. Eric also looks ahead to the next wave of innovation, predicting the rise of localized language models and firm-specific AI tools that will redefine efficiency and autonomy across the legal and business landscape.

This episode offers a practical and forward-looking view of how AI and data are reshaping professional services — from how time is tracked to how value is measured.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of The Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Monica Zent — entrepreneur, investor, founder of Zent Law and Managing Director, The Law Innovation Agency. Long-time pioneer in alternative legal services.

Monica shares her entrepreneurial journey, from building businesses in tech and music to founding Zent Law over two decades ago—at a time when the concept of virtual counsel was still met with skepticism. She reflects on educating clients about flexible legal talent and subscription-based models, laying the foundation for what would become mainstream during the pandemic.

Monica discusses her latest venture, SYNWALL, and her philosophy of building teams around quality over quantity. She also provides a candid look at how legal departments are adopting AI and automation, highlighting the challenges of tailoring processes to diverse types of legal work.

Together, Andrew and Monica explore the growing complexity of legal operations in a risk-on environment—spanning data security, compliance, and global economic shifts. Monica shares her belief that by 2030, AI will be seamlessly embedded into legal workflows, transforming efficiency and redefining value. They also discuss the evolution of subscription models, the persistence of the billable hour, and the cultural foundations needed to integrate technology successfully.

This wide-ranging discussion offers a forward-looking perspective on innovation, risk management, and the future of legal services.

Learn more about her work at:

• Monica Zent: www.monicazent.com | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/monicazent/

• Venture Legal Newsletter: www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7302735858552446976

• Zent Law Group: www.zentlawgroup.com

• Law Innovation Agency: www.lawinnovationagency.com

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Joe Green, Chief Innovation Officer at Gunderson Dettmer.

Joe shares his perspective on the intersection of people, processes, data, and technology, and how these elements come together to drive innovation within legal organizations. He discusses his career path and the strategies he has implemented to foster innovation and efficiency in legal teams.

The conversation delves into the business of law, the adoption of legal technology, and the future of the legal industry. Joe emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology and data-driven approaches to improve processes, enhance client service, and prepare organizations for evolving industry demands.

This episode offers a forward-looking view on legal innovation, providing actionable insights for leaders seeking to implement strategic change and embrace technology in their organizations.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Lora Cheadle, attorney, life and leadership coach.

Lora explores the often-overlooked challenges legal professionals face around feelings of betrayal versus burnout at work. She explains how lawyers can recognize when they are experiencing betrayal and offers strategies to reclaim vitality, joy, and engagement in their professional lives.

The discussion also addresses leadership practices, emphasizing how leaders can cultivate environments where team members feel truly valued, supported, and empowered. Lora provides actionable insights for building trust, improving workplace culture, and creating sustainable engagement for legal teams.

This episode offers practical guidance for lawyers and legal leaders looking to navigate complex workplace dynamics while fostering wellbeing, resilience, and long-term professional satisfaction.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Andrew Brown, President of Bridge Maker Referral Programs.

Andrew shares his insights on the strategic value of referral sources and referred business, explaining how organizations can systematically harness these relationships to drive growth. He outlines practical strategies to enhance revenue, shorten sales cycles, strengthen reputations, and build trust with key stakeholders.

Throughout the conversation, Andrew emphasizes the business advantage of cultivating high-quality referral networks and the tangible impact this approach can have on organizational success. He provides actionable tips for leaders looking to implement a structured referral strategy and maximize the unique power of their networks.

This episode offers a clear, business-focused perspective on leveraging relationships to generate measurable results and create long-term value for organizations.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, sits down with Michael Hassan, Partner, Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary at Sagard, a global multi-strategy alternative asset manager.

Michael reflects on his international legal career—from growing up in Montreal to studying law in Ottawa, to launching his practice in Buenos Aires. His path has taken him through pivotal roles at Ogilvy-Renaud (now Norton Rose), Quebecor World, and a 17-year tenure at PSP Investments, where he led complex transactional work across multiple jurisdictions. Now at Sagard, he oversees legal, regulatory affairs, and compliance as the firm continues its rapid global expansion.

Michael discusses Sagard’s transformation—from a $500 million AUM firm in 2016 to over $27 billion today—and the legal department’s role in supporting that growth. He shares how his team helps integrate new businesses, manage a complex regulatory environment, and maintain a strong compliance culture while acting as a strategic connector across finance, HR, treasury, and investment teams.

From navigating geopolitical and macroeconomic risks to aligning ESG initiatives across jurisdictions, Michael offers a nuanced perspective on the modern legal leader’s role: not just managing risk, but unlocking opportunity and enabling growth.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of The Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Mark Smolik, General Counsel and Board Member at DHL Supply Chain Americas.

Mark shares his remarkable career journey and evolving leadership role within one of the world’s largest logistics and supply chain organizations. He unpacks how his legal team is leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline operations, drive efficiencies, and help redefine what it means to be an in-house legal department in today’s risk-on, tech-driven environment.

As a vocal advocate for innovation in legal services, Mark offers candid advice for general counsel looking to create their own innovation playbook—focusing on mindset, team development, and aligning legal with business strategy. He also provides a preview of the upcoming Legal Technology and Innovation Summit, where industry leaders will gather to explore the transformative impact of AI across the legal ecosystem.

Throughout the conversation, Mark emphasizes the importance of business acumen, data strategy, and collaboration as foundational pillars for modern legal teams—and how lawyers can prepare for the fundamental shifts ahead in client expectations and service delivery.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of the Legal Innovation Forum, sits down with Jeremy Trickett, Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs and Chief Legal Officer at BCI (British Columbia Investment Management Corporation)—one of Canada’s largest institutional investors, with over $250 billion in assets under management.

Jeremy reflects on his global legal career and the path that led him to BCI, highlighting the value of embracing discomfort, taking risks, and continuously learning. He shares his leadership philosophy, grounded in the belief that legal teams must be deeply aligned with the business—proactively supporting growth, strategy, and innovation.

The conversation explores BCI’s legal department, a high-performing team responsible for navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional matters across private equity, infrastructure, and other investment strategies. Jeremy discusses how legal and compliance play a critical role in the corporation’s long-term investment success—particularly in a global regulatory environment that demands transparency, agility, and operational excellence.

This episode also unpacks how BCI fosters a culture of integration, efficiency, and purpose—delivering legal services that are not just responsive, but strategic drivers of client-focused value.

In this episode of ADB Insights – The Legal Innovation Forum Podcast, Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO of The Legal Innovation Forum, speaks with Melissa LaFlair, Global Head of Law, Compliance, and Government Relations Strategy and Operations at Manulife.

Melissa shares her unconventional career journey—a self-described “patchwork quilt”—and how it led to her current role helping Manulife build an integrated operational foundation across legal, compliance, and government relations. She reflects on pivotal “aha” moments that shaped her thinking about the value of legal work, prompting a shift in focus from output to process and client experience.

From navigating today’s “risk-on” environment to managing the evolving impact of AI, Melissa offers a clear-eyed view of how legal functions can better deliver value, make data-driven decisions, and operate more efficiently. She also weighs in on the shifting law firm-client dynamic and how AI is challenging the traditional billable hour model—encouraging firms to rethink how they price, deliver, and build long-term trust.

The conversation closes with a candid discussion on the human equation in the AI era—balancing flexibility, engagement, and development in hybrid workplaces, while recognizing the irreplaceable role of human connection, judgment, and leadership in legal organizations.