Matt Patel
The Consero Forum – What Happens in LA must NOT stay in LA
This year has started off with an amazing in-person Legal Ops event with Consero’s Corporate Legal Operations Forum that took place in Pasadena, California. I can confidently say that the legal ops community is thriving and determined to succeed in 2023.
There is so much to reflect on, as I return back to the routine after enjoying some warm CA weather and the lively interactions with all of the attendees. I am impressed with the highly curated content and focus on thought leadership, while ensuring the legal ops professionals and all the vendors enjoy respectful conversations. Kudos to the Consero team for making sure every aspect of the event was an amazing experience for all who attended.
So what makes this experience a memorable one? Well, simply, it’s not your typical trade show. There are no booths. Vendors are not trying to hawk the attendees. There is no competition between vendors for the best swag, the best after-party, or the best booth. It’s simple, organized, and valuable.
Each of the panel presentations throughout the day were topics we actually care about in the industry and is directly related to some of the current challenges we face. They are made up of Legal Ops veterans, from all different industries and organizations. Let me highlight a few of the sessions that I enjoyed most:
- Innovating the Modern Legal Ops – I liked hearing how companies are keeping up with changing work environments, people, and economic pressures. The industry has gotten so inventive and creative!
- CLM Implementation – Especially the case studies that were shared. I moderated this panel and it was great to hear from CLM experts that are not only Malbek customers but also other organizations using other solutions to bring various perspectives. I really enjoyed hearing the honest feedback on what it really means to select, implement and maintain these complex solutions that many tend to have a love/hate relationship with.
- Exceptional Legal Ops Leadership – There was a great conversation on how Legal Ops leaders are ensuring their team is motivated, successful, and enjoys a good work/life balance while delivering in a high-pressure environment
- DEI – The event ended with a lively session on how DEI is addressed in companies both large and small. I found it especially interesting to hear how hiring practices are evolving to cover diversity including HR management and the interviewing process.
The whole Consero experience is built so that the attendees gain a better understanding of the solutions and services available in the industry, as well as the tremendous support system among this community that makes it so special. And for solution providers like us, we learn from this audience about the latest use cases or Legal Ops process challenges that are surfacing, that helps us stay current on the latest innovation in technology.
And of course, we didn’t forget to have some fun! Whether it was dinner conversations, hallway humor, losing/winning fake money at the blackjack table during the famous casino night, or closing down the bar each night, I was able to get to know my fellow Legal Ops veterans and connect in a more personal way.
Looking forward to the next in-person event and meeting face to face, make sure to check out our events page to see what we have going on next. I can’t wait to see you at the next one!
