Pearls On, Gloves Off - Legal Operations, Contracting, Change Management, and Career Growth Mary O'Carroll

Special Bonus Episode!
 
Mary goes solo to share her thoughts following CLOC Global Institute (CGI) 2024, answering your burning questions in a special AMA format.
Questions:
What felt different to you about this year’s CGI? What are your thoughts on where we are with AI? How can there be so many CLMs? Can you recap what you said in your speaking sessions? What comes next? Mary dives into the unique aspects of this year's event, the evolving role of AI in legal operations, and the market dynamics surrounding Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems. She also recaps her speaking sessions on global legal ops trends and strategic planning, offering insights on the future direction of the field.
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Note from producer: This is an updated version that addresses an audio issue in the original. Thanks for bearing with us.

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off... Mary and Ashley John dig into the dynamic world of legal operations. Ashley, the Head of Legal Operations at Anglo American, brings a unique perspective from his background in mining and geology to his strategic role in a global mining giant.
Key Highlights:
Introduction to Ashley John:
Transitioning from geology to legal ops. Establishing a strategic vision in a multinational team.
State of Legal Ops:
The contraction of senior roles. Has the industry delivered on its promise?
Quick Wins vs. Long-Term Strategy:
Building credibility with immediate successes. Balancing short-term wins with strategic projects.
Rising Expectations:
Clear communication about role expectations. Creating space for transformative projects.
Reputation and Credibility:
Consistent wins to establish trust. Ashley’s journey from consultant to dedicated legal ops leader.
Changing Landscape:
Companies adding and eliminating roles. The drive for rapid transformation and value demonstration.
General Counsel's Role:
Setting the tone for success. Leading with a strategic mindset.
Inclusive Language:
Moving away from terms like "non-lawyer" and "alternative". Promoting more inclusive terminology.
Future of Law Firms:
Impact of AI on legal processes. Will the billable hour model survive? The need for a change in mindset.
Culture of Innovation:
Embracing AI and new technologies. Fostering adaptability within legal teams.
Join Mary and Ashley for an insightful discussion on the evolution and future of legal operations, the challenges of the industry, and the transformative potential of AI.
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In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O’Carroll sits down with Anna Richards, Director of Global Legal Operations at John Deere. With over 15 years of experience, Anna brings deep insights from companies like Autodesk, Zendesk, and Micron Technology.Mary and Anna dig into:
Transitioning to John Deere: Anna details her onboarding journey, where Deere laid the groundwork by first understanding the role of legal operations and investing in its success. Unique Challenges: As one of the few remote employees, Anna shares the importance of relationship-building and progress-making despite her unique work arrangement. Diverse Roles: Anna reflects on her legal ops journey across different companies, sharing how no two roles are the same and how each experience is valuable. Technology in Legal Ops: They discuss how John Deere aims to become a tech-forward company, targeting 10% recurring revenue by 2030. This requires significant investments in tech tools and IT partnerships. Setting Up Success: Mary highlights the necessity of strategic hiring and the importance of investment in support, vendors, tech, and tools. Creating Buy-In: Anna talks about Deere’s strategic approach to building the legal ops function, conducting surveys to identify opportunities and building a business case for stakeholder buy-in. Current Projects: From implementing an enterprise-wide CLM system to aiming for 50,000 hours saved by 2026, Anna shares her ambitious goals and hiring plans. Follow Us and Stay Connected:
Follow Mary on LinkedIn: Mary's LinkedIn Follow Ironclad on LinkedIn: Ironclad LinkedIn Watch Ironclad on YouTube: Ironclad YouTube Check out Ironclad on TikTok: Ironclad TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts: Pearls On, Gloves Off - Apple Podcasts




 
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Mary O'Carroll - Ironclad, Inc.  | LinkedIn
Please reach out if I can be helpful at all. I love to provide (free!) advice on scaling… · Experience: Ironclad, Inc. · Location: San Francisco Bay Area · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Mary O'Carroll’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.




 
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Ironclad | LinkedIn
Ironclad | 27,926 followers on LinkedIn. Ironclad is the smart way to make and manage digital business contracts. Now powered by Ironclad AI. | Ironclad is the #1 contract lifecycle management platform for innovative companies, powering billions of contracts every year. L'Oréal, Salesforce, OpenAI and other leading innovators use Ironclad to collaborate and negotiate on contracts, accelerate contracting while maintaining compliance, and turn contracts into critical carriers of operational business intelligence. It's the only platform flexible enough to handle every type of contract workflow, whether a sales agreement, an HR agreement or a complex NDA.




 
YouTube
Ironclad CLM Software
Ironclad is the digital contract platform loved by modern business teams.Contracts are business decisions trapped in administrative tasks. Ironclad is software that does all the administrative work better left for a computer, freeing teams -- legal, sales, procurement, finance, HR, etc -- to do substantive work and drive business strategy.We believe contracts should be business assets. Some document management vendors focus on contracts as risk assets: documents that, when poorly managed, expose companies to significant, surprising risks. While not knowing what’s in your contracts can certainly be dangerous, we prefer to focus on the valuable intelligence you can extract from them to drive… Show more




 
Apple Podcasts
‎Pearls On, Gloves Off - Legal Operations, Contracting, Change Management, and Career Growth on Apple Podcasts

In this episode of "Pearls On, Gloves Off," Mary sits down with Dawn Hinz, legal operations leader at Avery Dennison. Together, they dive into the nuances of leading and transforming the legal ops landscape.
In The Episode:
Exploring Strategy and Improvement: Dawn’s role at Avery Dennison: strategy development, process enhancement, and resource optimization. She shares her methodologies in change management and the hurdles faced during large-scale tech implementations. Cultivating Success: The critical elements that foster a successful legal operations function—supportive culture, robust leadership, and the essential skills needed. Dawn discusses her approach to team building and the traits she values in potential hires. Overcoming Resistance: The common challenges of introducing new systems within firms and how to effectively manage resistance to change. The significance of being a proactive change agent equipped with strategic and program management prowess. Lessons from Dell: Dawn reflects on her tenure at Dell, discussing the evolution of legal operations and the importance of a comprehensive understanding of business processes. They discuss striking the right balance between mitigating risks and maintaining operational efficiency. Demonstrating Value: They emphasize the ongoing need to support legal operations and ways to showcase its impact. Dawn offers her personal advice for aspiring legal ops professionals, urging them to embrace leadership roles, seize learning opportunities, and initiate change. Connect with Us:
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In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O'Carroll welcomes the formidable Charlene Barone, currently steering the ship as the Director of Legal Operations at the New York Times. Charlene, with her rich history traversing from contracts manager to legal ops leader, brings a wealth of knowledge from both the startup world and the franchise legal landscape of Orange Theory Fitness.
A Tale of Two Worlds: Mary and Charlene explore the contrasts and challenges f@aced in the legal departments of Orange Theory and the New York Times, highlighting the critical role of general counsel in championing innovation. Strategic Moves: Charlene opens up about the strategic initiatives that have marked her career, offering golden nuggets of advice for those aspiring to climb the legal ops ladder. The Brave Leap: From Contracts Manager to Legal Ops Director, Charlene's journey is a masterclass in risk-taking and the indispensable support of a general counsel. Foundation in Contract Management: Charlene credits her rigorous experience in contract management as the bedrock of her success, encouraging newcomers to start their legal ops journey there. Initiative and Innovation at Orange Theory: Charlene reflects on her tenure at Orange Theory, emphasizing the impact of supportive general counsel on her ability to implement transformative projects, like a Contract Lifecycle Management system. Strategy at The New York Times: With a larger team and more resources, Charlene shares her strategic priorities and the open, supportive environment that fosters innovation at the New York Times. The GC Partnership: The significance of a solid relationship with general counsel, the courage to take risks, and the importance of communication are underscored. Continuous Improvement: Charlene motivates legal ops professionals to seize opportunities for enhancement, advocating for small starts leading to major leaps. Stay connected and dive deeper into the world of legal operations by following us:
Follow Mary on LinkedIn Follow Ironclad on LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok Don't forget to rate and review Pearls On, Gloves Off on Apple Podcasts

In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary O’Carroll sits down with Chris Clearfield, a true trailblazer in the world of leadership and management. As the CEO of Clearfield Group and the co-author of “Meltdown,” Chris brings a fresh take on how to lead through the chaos and complexity of today’s business landscape.
Change Leadership, Not Management: Mary and Chris dig into why “change management” just doesn’t cut it. Chris suggests we need to shift our focus to “change leadership” - guiding people through the unknown, tackling fear head-on, building trust, and creating a space where ideas can flow freely. The Legal Industry’s Slow Dance with Change: The conversation takes a turn towards the legal sector’s sluggish pace when it comes to adapting to change. Mary sheds light on the crucial role of legal operations and why professionals need to step up and become strategic leaders. Beyond the Business Case: Chris challenges the conventional wisdom of relying solely on data to drive change. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, listening, and really engaging with people to understand their concerns and aspirations. A Blueprint for Change: The duo dives into Chris’s model for leading change, from recognizing the challenge to achieving and moving beyond the desired outcomes. They discuss how resistance is inevitable and why it’s smart to focus on those who are on the fence about change rather than the die-hard resistors. Cultivating Willingness: Mary and Chris explore the power of starting small, with willing groups, to spark change across an organization. They share inspiring stories of how small beginnings can lead to big transformations, creating a ripple effect of engagement and acceptance. This episode is a gold mine for leaders, change-makers, and anyone looking to navigate the choppy waters of transformation with grace and impact.Connect with Us:
Follow Mary on LinkedIn Follow Ironclad on LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Catch us on TikTok If you liked this episode, we’d be grateful for your Review on Apple Podcasts!





 
linkedin.com
Mary O'Carroll - Ironclad, Inc.  | LinkedIn
Please reach out if I can be helpful at all. I love to provide (free!) advice on scaling… · Experience: Ironclad, Inc. · Location: San Francisco Bay Area · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Mary O'Carroll’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.




 
linkedin.com
Ironclad | LinkedIn
Ironclad | 26,262 followers on LinkedIn. Ironclad is the smart way to make and manage digital business contracts. Now powered by Ironclad AI. | Digitize your contracts with Ironclad, the world’s #1 Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform. Ironclad is the simple, secure way to create and collaborate on contracts, giving users an all-in-one, AI-powered experience.Every company runs on contracts, but managing these contracts slows companies down and costs them millions of dollars.




 
YouTube
Ironclad CLM Software
Ironclad is the digital contract platform loved by modern business teams.Contracts are business decisions trapped in administrative tasks. Ironclad is software that does all the administrative work better left for a computer, freeing teams -- legal, sales, procurement, finance, HR, etc -- to do substantive work and drive business strategy.We believe contracts should be business assets. Some document management vendors focus on contracts as risk assets: documents that, when poorly managed, expose companies to significant, surprising risks. While not knowing what’s in your contracts can certainly be dangerous, we prefer to focus on the valuable intelligence you can extract from them to drive… Show more




 
Apple Podcasts
‎Pearls On, Gloves Off - Legal Operations, Contracting, Change Management, and Career Growth on Apple Podcasts