In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Dennis Garcia, VP and General Counsel at Litera, about building a career that bridges the practice and business of law, and what decades in tech legal have taught him about staying sharp under pressure.

They discuss:

• How Litera unifies the practice of law and the business of law under one roof
• Dennis's path from an IBM legal internship to 22-plus years at Microsoft to General Counsel at Litera
• His "Three Strikes" video series and the dry-run habit behind every big talk

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal tech's evolution, the long arc of an in-house legal career, and the practice habits that separate good speakers from great ones.

Links:

• Connect with Dennis Garcia on LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leader community on LinkedIn

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Sterling Miller, CEO and Chief Counsel at Hilgers Graben and former General Counsel at Sabre and Travelocity, about how in-house lawyers can market themselves and build influence within the business.

They discuss:

• Why in-house lawyers must actively promote their value and contributions
• How to build strong relationships and credibility across the business
• The mindset shift from legal expert to strategic business partner

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on self-promotion, business alignment, and what it takes to stand out and succeed as an in-house legal leader.

Links:

• Connect with Sterling Miller on LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leader community⁠.

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Jawwad Irshad, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Tokyo Electron Europe, about building a modern legal function from the ground up, using technology to reduce legal spend, and proving legal's value to the business through measurable outcomes.

They discuss:

• How Jawwad built Tokyo Electron Europe's legal, compliance, and risk function from scratch while supporting a lean team across nine European countries.
• Why investing in legal technology and knowledge management dramatically reduced outside counsel spend while helping the legal team scale alongside a rapidly growing business.
• How legal leaders can communicate value in the language of the business by focusing on operational excellence, measurable outcomes, and strategic leadership.

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on building high-performing legal teams, leveraging technology to drive efficiency, and redefining legal as a business enabler rather than a cost center.

Links:

• Connect with Jawwad Irshad on ⁠⁠LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leaders community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.
• ⁠Join the Legal Leaders community.

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Chip Gentry, Chief Legal Officer at Quaker Windows & Doors, about his unconventional journey from longtime trial lawyer to business leader, the modernization of legal operations in manufacturing, and the role legal plays in driving organizational transformation.

They discuss:

• How Chip transitioned from nearly 30 years in private practice to leading legal inside a 77-year-old manufacturing company
• Why legal teams must move from reactive support functions to proactive business partners
• The intersection of legal leadership, operational excellence, and industry advocacy in a rapidly changing manufacturing landscape

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal transformation, leadership through change, and the evolving role of the modern chief legal officer.

Links:

• Connect with Chip Gentry on ⁠⁠LinkedIn
• Follow the Legal Leader community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• Join the Legal Leader community⁠

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Sterling Miller, COO and General Counsel at Hilgers and former General Counsel at Marketo and Travelocity, about the practical use of generative AI in in-house legal teams.

They discuss:

• How in-house legal teams can safely and effectively use generative AI
• Real-world use cases for AI in contract drafting, review, and productivity
• Governance, risk, and the evolving role of legal in an AI-driven organization

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on how legal teams can harness AI, navigate its risks, and prepare for the next wave of innovation in legal operations.

Links:

• Connect with Sterling Miller on LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leader community⁠.

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Charles Jake, General Counsel, and Blake Billings, Deputy General Counsel, at Kansas State University (KSU) about what it takes to lead legal at a modern land-grant university.

From supporting a statewide public mission to building a strategic and scalable legal function, Charles and Blake share how KSU's legal team navigates institutional complexity while staying focused on trust, operational excellence, and long-term impact. They discuss the unique challenges of higher education law, the role of strategic planning in shaping a legal department, and how a strong General Counsel–Deputy General Counsel partnership helps drive efficiency and effectiveness across the institution.

They discuss:

• What makes legal leadership at a land-grant university uniquely complex
• How KSU built a strategic roadmap for its legal department
• The importance of trust, operational discipline, and team structure in modern legal functions

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal leadership, higher education, and building a legal team designed to support an institution for generations to come.

• Connect with Charles Jake on LinkedIn
• Connect with Blake Billings on LinkedIn
• Sign up and join the Legal Leaders community

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Danette Joslyn-Gaul, General Counsel and Vice President of Ethics, Compliance, and Legal Affairs at Georgia Tech, about building effective legal teams, navigating organizational change, and leading legal functions within complex higher education institutions.

They discuss:

• Danette's career journey across government, litigation, corporate legal, compliance, and higher education
• The unique challenges and opportunities of legal leadership in a public research university
• Building stronger partnerships across the institution and shifting legal from reactive support to a strategic advisor

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal leadership, organizational transformation, and the evolving role of in-house counsel in higher education.

Links:

• Connect with Danette Joslyn-Gaul on ⁠⁠LinkedIn
• Sign up and ⁠join the Legal Leaders community⁠

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Russ Philpott, Director, Legal Operations & Corporate Counsel at Okta, about the evolution of legal operations, the rise of knowledge management, and how AI is reshaping in-house legal teams.

They discuss:

• Russ’s journey from commercial attorney to leading legal operations at scale
• Why knowledge management has become the foundation of modern legal teams
• How AI is transforming legal service delivery and what comes next

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal ops transformation, the future of knowledge management, and the shift from reactive legal support to strategic legal services.

Links:

• Connect with Russ Philpott on ⁠⁠LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leader community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.
• Join the Legal Leader community.⁠

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Robyn Diaz, EVP and Chief Legal Officer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, about leading a purpose-driven legal function in one of the world’s most mission-focused institutions.

They discuss:

• Building and scaling a modern legal function in a nonprofit healthcare environment
• Navigating complex regulatory, global, and geopolitical challenges
• Using data, legal operations, and cross-functional alignment to support institutional growth

Robyn shares her journey from healthcare consulting to leading legal at St. Jude, and how purpose, innovation, and adaptability shape her approach to leadership.

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on modern legal leadership, global healthcare challenges, and the evolving role of in-house counsel in mission-led organizations.

Links:

• Connect with Robyn Diaz on ⁠⁠LinkedIn.
• Follow the Legal Leader community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.
• Join the Legal Leader community.⁠

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Bjarne Tellmann, CEO and Founder of Fjord Stream Advisors, about how AI is transforming legal departments into “AI factories” and redefining the role of the general counsel.

They discuss:

• What the “AI factory” means for legal teams and enterprise transformation
• Why governance, knowledge management, and operating models are becoming critical
• How law firms, legal education, and in-house teams must evolve – or risk disruption

Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on AI-powered legal operations, the future of legal talent, and how leaders can prepare for rapid change.

Exclusive Offer:

Get 30% off Bjarne Tellmann’s new book using code BJARN at checkout on Wiley’s website. Valid globally until April 1, 2027.

Links:

• Connect with Bjarne Tellmann on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.
• Follow the Legal Leader community on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.
• ⁠Join the Legal Leader community.⁠⁠