Brief Encounters

How do you start using AI for contract review - without overwhelming your team or your tech stack? In this episode of Brief Encounters , Juro’s Richard Mabey talks to Nate Kostelnik , attorney and one of LinkedIn’s most original voices on AI in contracting. Nate explains why “playbook maximalism” holds teams back, how to approach AI reviews one clause at a time , and why thoughtful setup matters m...

In this episode of Brief Encounters , Richard is joined by Glen Walters , Head of Early Stage Tech and Life Sciences at HSBC Innovation Banking . They cover: Why “why you’re raising” matters as much as “how much” What an investor-ready data room should include How legal teams can act as business partners Understanding market standards in term sheets Trends in valuations, structures, and fundraisin...

Patty Corey, Legal Operations Manager at Aspen Aerogels, joins Brief Encounters to talk about the future of legal ops and AI adoption. She explains how legal ops serves as the bridge between business, law, and technology, and why trust and relationships matter just as much as process and tools. Patty covers: The evolving responsibilities of legal operations How to evaluate and implement generative...

Legal ops pioneer Lucy Bassli joins Brief Encounters host Richard Mabey for a sharp, honest conversation about how AI is really landing in legal. They dig into why legal shouldn’t control the full contract lifecycle, what went wrong with CLM, and how the AI shift, while real, is being drowned by the hype. With insights from both sides of the table, Lucy and Richard explore what it actually takes f...

In this episode of Brief Encounters, Richard speaks with Alfred Biehler ,former Head of Innovation at Google, about how legal teams can thrive in the age of AI. With experience at Microsoft and Google, Alfred shares how innovation isn’t just about tech, but culture, leadership and communication. They dive into what legal teams risk by ignoring AI, and why rethinking how lawyers spend their time is...

What changed in the legal world after the 2008 crash - and where is it heading now? In this episode of Brief Encounters , Richard speaks with legal strategist Reena Sengupta about the evolution of legal innovation, the rise of in-house teams, and why the next decade might belong to the GC. Reena shares her take on workplace AI, industry burnout, and how law firms must stay relevant in an era defin...

In this episode of Brief Encounters , Richard is joined by Daniel Glazer, Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in London and a leading advisor to UK tech companies expanding into the US. Together, they explore the realities of scaling across the Atlantic — from the cultural divide in venture capital and the complexities of US fundraising to the legal hurdles founders face when hiring or...

In this episode. Richard is joined by Mark Austin CBE, Partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, former Chair of the Listing Authority Advisory Panel, and an expert voice on the evolving landscape of public markets. Together, Mark and Richard unpack the transformation of UK listings, recent reforms, and what’s being done to make London a more competitive destination for companies going public. If you&#...

In the first episode of a brand new season, Richard is joined by Tom Hambrett, Partner and Chief Legal Officer at Revolut. During his tenure, Revolut has grown from a startup to a giant with a $45 billion valuation, 50 million customers worldwide, and a team of 160+ lawyers. We cover: Revolut’s journey from 1 lawyer to 160+ The power of a data-driven legal function The potential AI can unlock for...

In the final episode of this series, Richard is joined by Daniel Hulme, CEO of Satalia and Chief AI Officer at WPP.  The pair discuss the evolution of AI, its impact on knowledge workers, and the future of machine consciousness. They dive into the importance of understanding AI's applications, the ethical considerations surrounding its development, and the potential risks and challenges that come...

This week, Richard spoke to Lord Clement-Jones, a prominent figure in AI policy and former chair of the House of Lords AI Select Committee. They discuss Tim's career journey, the evolution of AI in the digital economy, its impact on professional services, and the potential for AI to improve access to justice.  Together, they delve into the ethical implications of AI, the need for effective regulat...

Alex Hamilton is the CEO and founder of Radiant Law , the UK-based award-winning NewLaw firm. He’s focused on improving the contracting process for clients, leading product and tech development, and improving contracting.  In this conversation, Alex and Richard discuss the evolution of contracting practices, the role of lawyers, and the importance of fostering relationships in business.  The pair...

In this episode of Brief Encounters , Richard is joined by Andy Cooke, General Counsel at TravelPerk, a hyper-growth SaaS business travel platform and a pioneer in the future of business travel. Andy offers insights into the evolving role of legal teams within modern businesses, emphasizing the importance of creativity, customer focus, and innovative problem-solving.  Together, Richard and Andy ex...

Jake Jones is the Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder at Flank.  He’s been at the forefront of leveraging automation and AI to transform how businesses, especially in the legal world, operate for the last seven years.  In this session, Richard and Jake discuss the evolution of legal automation and the impact of AI on legal services, sharing their insight on the unique challenges faced by legal te...

Dana Denis-Smith is the CEO of Obelisk Support and the founder of the First 100 Years campaign. A TedX speaker, Dana is regularly invited to address industry events and comment in the media on gender equality, entrepreneurship, and legal technology.  In this episode, Richard and Dana discuss the journey from lawyer to entrepreneur, though they realize quite quickly that once a lawyer always a lawy...

Mel Storey is the Head of Legal APAC at Pax8 and a big contributor to the legal community. She’s the host of the Counsel podcast and a regular contributor to TikTok with the handle @theinhouselaywer. Mel and I discussed the mindset shift required when transitioning from a well-established corporate environment to a startup. We then delved into the value of continuous learning and self-improvement...

Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive of LawCare, joined me to discuss the importance of mental health in the legal community and the challenges lawyers face.  In May 2024, Juro ran a survey of over 100+ in-house lawyers which found that over 50% had experienced burnout at some point in their career. Elizabeth and I discussed the factors that have contributed to this worrying level of burnout experien...

In today’s episode, I chatted to Annick O’Brien, General Counsel of CybSafe and an expert in navigating governance, risk, and compliance.  In this conversation, we dive into what in-house lawyers need to know about the EU AI Act and how to navigate AI usage within your organization. We ask the question how can we ensure that the way we use AI in businesses is secure and safe?  In our discussion, w...

In today's episode, I talk to Chantelle Zemba: General Counsel of Deliveroo, former commercial lawyer at Norton Rose Fullbright, and leader of one of the best legal teams in the business. In this episode, Chantelle shares her insight on how she built a top-tier legal team at Deliveroo from 10 lawyers to 63, through countless funding rounds, an IPO, and beyond. We talk about building and mainta...

Renn Vara is the co-founder of SNP Communications, a legend of Silicon Valley, and a leading voice in the world of executive communications. He understands exactly what it takes to be a founder, he knows the psyche of founders, their conscious and unconscious thoughts, as well as how they respond to pressure. In this episode, I spoke to Renn about the importance of communication for in-house couns...

Laura Frederick, founder of How to Contract, former commercial lawyer at Tesla, and one of the most respected community voices in legal, shares her journey into law and her love of contracts. Laura spoke to me about the importance of practical training and experience in contract law. We discussed the challenges of finding the ‘goldilocks’ path to happier negotiation, as well as some of her top tip...