The Legal Leaders Podcast

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The Legal Leaders Podcast, brought to you by InView - LawVu's community for In-House Legal Professionals. A place where candid conversations meet legal excellence; from exploring the latest technological advancements shaping legal practice to addressing crucial issues surrounding mental health and diversity in the legal profession, each episode offers a refreshing and honest perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today's legal community.

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June 2, 2026Episode 1046 min

From Contracts to Chief Legal Services: Russ Philpott on Scaling Legal with Knowledge and AI

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 scaleWhy knowledge management has become the foundation of modern legal teamsHow AI is transforming legal service delivery and what comes nextTune 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.⁠

May 19, 2026Episode 932 min

Robyn Diaz on Purpose-Driven Legal Leadership at St. Jude

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 environmentNavigating complex regulatory, global, and geopolitical challengesUsing data, legal operations, and cross-functional alignment to support institutional growthRobyn 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.⁠

May 5, 2026Episode 931 min

The AI Factory and GC 4.0: Bjarne Tellmann (Part 2)

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 transformationWhy governance, knowledge management, and operating models are becoming criticalHow law firms, legal education, and in-house teams must evolve – or risk disruptionTune 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.⁠⁠

April 21, 2026Episode 829 min

Why Clients Will Disrupt Legal: Bjarne Tellmann (Part 1)

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-driven disruption is reshaping the legal industry – and why the biggest force of change is coming from clients, not technology providers.They discuss:Why disruption in legal will be driven by corporate demand, not just legal techThe evolution of the general counsel role from GC 1.0 to GC 4.0How exponential change in business is forcing a rethink of legal service deliveryTune in for an unfiltered conversation on client-driven disruption, the evolution of legal leadership, and what comes next for the legal industry.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.⁠

April 7, 2026Episode 740 min

From IPO to AI: Bill Deckelman on Building the Modern Legal Function

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Bill Deckelman, Chief Legal Officer at Anderson, about leading legal transformation, scaling global organizations, and the future of in-house legal in the age of AI.They discuss:Building a public company's legal function from the ground up post-IPOTransforming legal teams through digital strategy, process, and technologyHow AI is reshaping risk, decision-making, and the role of in-house lawyersYou can tune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal transformation, leadership evolution, and the future of the in-house profession.Links:Connect with Bill Deckelman on LinkedIn.Follow the Legal Leader community on LinkedIn.Join the Legal Leader community.

March 24, 2026Episode 629 min

The department of how: Brian Levey’s legal leadership lessons from eBay and Upwork

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Brian Levey, Senior Advisor at Upwork and former Chief Legal Officer and Chief Business Affairs Officer, about scaling high-growth businesses, building high-trust legal teams, and how modern in-house lawyers become true business leaders. Brian shares lessons from helping scale eBay during its early hypergrowth – from 900 employees and $400M in revenue to a global powerhouse – and later building the legal function at Upwork, one of the world’s largest freelancer marketplaces. Throughout the conversation, he explains how legal leaders can embed themselves within the business, prioritize the risks that truly matter, and create systems that allow companies to scale without slowing innovation. They discuss: How legal leaders help scale companies during hypergrowth Building a high-trust legal team and culture Moving from the “department of no” to the “department of how” Creating frameworks that allow legal teams to prioritize risk and enable the business Why modern in-house lawyers must become business partners, not just advisors Tune in for an unfiltered conversation on scaling businesses, building high-trust teams, and becoming a true partner to the business as a legal leader. Links: Connect with Brian Levey on LinkedIn Follow Legal Leader Community on LinkedIn.⁠Join the Legal Leader Community.

March 10, 2026Episode 542 min

Fred Struve: global legal leadership in AI-driven healthcare

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Fred Struve, General Counsel at Lunit International, about leading a modern legal function inside a fast-growing, AI-powered medical device company operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.They discuss:Building and scaling a global legal function across highly regulated marketsThe evolving role of in-house legal leaders in AI and health technologyBalancing risk, speed, and culture in cross-border growth and M&ATune in for an unfiltered conversation on global legal leadership, AI in healthcare, and what it really takes to enable growth in a regulated, international business.Links:Connect with Fred Struve on LinkedInFollow Legal Leader Community on ⁠LinkedInJoin the Legal Leader ⁠Community⁠

February 24, 2026Episode 444 min

Anne Kerwin Payne: From Law Firms to the C-Suite and the Future of In-House Legal Leadership

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Anne Kerwin Payne, Founder and Managing Director at Kerwin, about the evolution of in-house legal leadership, the state of the legal talent market, and what modern legal leaders need to succeed.They discuss:How the in-house legal profession has transformed from a law-firm alternative into a core business leadership functionThe impact of market cycles, layoffs, and recovery on legal careers and hiring trendsWhy legal operations, technology fluency, and strategic vision are now essential for legal leadersTune in for an unfiltered conversation on the changing expectations of general counsel, the rise of legal operations and legal tech, and how legal leaders can build resilient, future-ready careers.Links:Connect with Anne Kerwin Payne on LinkedInFollow Legal Leader Community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Join the Legal Leader ⁠Community⁠

February 10, 2026Episode 342 min

Michelle Clatfelter: Building modern in-house leadership in healthcare

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot, Chief Legal Officer and EVP of Advocacy at LawVu, talks with Michelle Clatfelter, Chief Legal Officer at Springfield Clinic, about her unconventional path into healthcare law, what it takes to lead as the first in-house lawyer, and how modern legal leadership is reshaping the healthcare industry.They discuss:How Michelle built a modern in-house legal function from scratch at Springfield ClinicWhy relationship-building, community, and trust are differentiators for today’s CLOsThe evolution of in-house legal leadership—and why the old “risk mitigation only” mindset no longer worksTune in for an unfiltered conversation on legal team building, cross-industry leadership lessons, and the realities of operating as a modern CLO in one of the world’s most complex, regulated industries.Links:Connect with Michelle Clatfelter on LinkedInFollow Legal Leader Community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Join the Legal Leader ⁠Community⁠

January 27, 2026Episode 256 min

Katja Fenton: Navigating global complexity and redefining the GC role at Fugro

In this episode of The Legal Leaders Podcast, host David Lancelot talks with Katja Fenton, General Counsel at Fugro, about global legal leadership, building high-impact legal teams, and navigating complex geopolitical and regulatory environments.They discuss:How Fugro’s global operations – from geo-data to unmanned vessels – demand a sophisticated, business-aligned legal functionThe evolving expectations of modern GCs and why strategic leadership now sits at the core of the roleKatja’s international career journey and how diverse experiences shaped her approach to influence, culture, and team developmentTune in for an unfiltered conversation on global business partnership, strategic legal leadership, and building a modern, globally minded in-house team.Links:Connect with Katja Fenton on LinkedInFollow Legal Leader Community on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Join the Legal Leader ⁠Community⁠