Buying Legal EMEA Conference: 2023 Programme

Wednesday, 29 November | CMS, 78 Cannon Street, London

8:00 AM: Breakfast

8:45 AM: Strategy in an Uncertain Age

Stephen Millar Managing Partner CMS UK

8:55 AM: The Evolving Legal Services Market: From 2023 to 2024

Reena SenGupta Executive Director, RSGI Founder, FT Innovative Lawyers Programme

Discover how the EMEA legal services landscape has evolved in 2023. Reena SenGupta, Executive Director of RSGI and Founder of the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Programme, will provide insight into key trends, selected players and innovators, and issues to watch going into 2024.

BLOCK 1: AI & LEGAL TECHNOLOGY

9:15 AM: Demystifying the AI Hype: Ericsson's Journey in Artificial Intelligence

Alexander de Nerée tot Babberich Legal Strategy & Operations Counsel, External Counsel Management Ericsson

Alex Kelly Co-Founder & COO Brightflag

In the midst of overwhelming media coverage and heightened excitement about AI's potential disruption in the legal realm, there is a genuine need to have a pragmatic discussion about AI.

Join Alexander de Nerée tot Babberich, Legal Strategy and Operations Counsel - External Counsel Management (ECM) at Ericsson, and Alex Kelly, Co-founder and COO of Brightflag and Host of the In-House Outliers podcast, for a conversation about AI that is rooted in reality.

Together, we’ll shed light on Ericsson's journey with AI and share how leveraging AI enhances the management of outside counsel spend. There will be insights, lessons learned, and a practical discussion on what is coming next

9:45 AM: A Look Ahead: How Should In-House Teams Engage With AI, and What Does It Mean for Buyers of Legal Services?

John Craske Director of Innovation CMS UK

Derek Southall Founder & CEO Hyperscale Group

Join us as we present some practical examples and insights on how generative AI can be used in law today and to explore what’s coming next and then a fireside chat on how in-house legal teams should be thinking about and using Generative AI now and what all of this might mean for buyers of legal services. As well as bringing their own thoughts, John and Derek will answer questions from the audience.

10:25 AM: Networking Break

10:55 AM: Navigating a Turbulent Economy

Mark Capleton Head of Global Inflation-Linked Research Bank of America

Understand the key drivers of global and regional inflation – and what it means for both companies and the legal industry. Identify practical strategies you can deploy to better manage inflation in legal spend.

11:15 AM: Procurement and Outside Counsel Spend: Why Is Legal So Special?

Serenna Mackenzie VP Sales, EMEA Persuit

Daryl Sweeney Director, Customer Success Persuit

What is the gap between sourcing and legal, why does it exist, and how can you bridge it? A view from PERSUIT and $10bn worth of legal RFPs.

BLOCK 3: THE SOLUTIONS LAB: PARTNERING TO SOLVE CHALLENGES IN LEGAL SERVICE DELIVERY

11:45 AM: Implementation Bootcamp: From Idea to Action

Billy Gorman Director of Programming Buying Legal Council

This interactive session is your gateway to turning ideas into actionable plans. Equip yourself with the tools and knowledge to successfully execute your vision, whether it's a legal technology initiative or a new approach to the relationship between your legal department and external vendors. Don't miss this opportunity to supercharge your implementation skills and drive real-world impact.

12:15 PM: Lunch

1:15 PM: Growth as the Key Driver of Law Firms’ Strategy: Can This Be Turned Into a Win-Win?

	Micol Scabbia Global Co-Head, Client & Market Development (Former) Clifford Chance		Peter Sawko Global Head of Pricing Linklaters
	Susan Manik Head of Supplier Performance, Legal Standard Chartered Bank		Tom Slate Global Director, Service Transformation & Operational Excellence Clifford Chance
	Geraint Evans Head of Clients and New Business CMS

Peek "inside the black box" to learn how law firms think about strategy, exploring how business development (BD), pricing, and innovation teams shape legal service delivery, client relationships, and responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Gain insights into the incentives motivating law firms, and receive practical advice to maximize value in your external counsel relationships. Learn how in-house legal teams and their sourcing partners are pioneering innovative approaches in managing outside counsel through structured "supplier performance" programs, offering a comprehensive view of both sides of the law firm-client dynamic.

1:55 PM: Digital Strategy: The Way Forward

Eva Bruch Partner LOIS | Legal Operations Institute Studies

Digital strategy is not an option any more – it is a must. Get insights on effectively integrating digital tools while navigating the unique challenges of an in-house legal team.

This session will provide practical "do's" and (mostly) "don'ts" for navigating legal technology and digital strategy implementations, enriched with real-world examples and case studies from across EMEA and the world. Become a better "buyer" of legal technology by arming yourself with knowledge of both best practices and common mistakes to avoid.

2:15 PM: The Strategic Pause: Threading the Needle in Leaping vs. Looking on AI

Daniel Marks Vice President Factor

Edward Sohn Senior Vice President, Global Head of Capabilities Factor

Explore the delicate balance between swift adoption and careful consideration of AI technologies in the legal landscape. Discover how to harness the transformative power of AI, while also deliberately assessing risks and making informed decisions. Gain practical insights on navigating this complex terrain, empowering legal teams and their partners in legal operations and legal procurement to lead with confidence in the age of AI.

Learn more about Factor here.

2:45 PM: Networking Break

BLOCK 4: ESG & DEI

3:15 PM: Partnering With Law Firm Suppliers for a Sustainable Future

Emily Peeroo Sourcing Manager, Legal Services Lloyds Banking Group

Claire Goody Head of Environmental Sustainability, Health & Safety Eversheds Sutherland

Vena Gadher-Mistry Account Manager, Supply Chain Carbon Disclosure Project

Discover how Lloyds Banking Group is leveraging data to advance sustainability with their panel law firms. BLC Board Member Emily Peeroo guides us through in-house strategies, interventions, and sourcing and procurement process changes to drive ESG performance in the supply chain.

3:45 PM: The Path Forward: Helping Legal Navigate the ESG Landscape

Donald Macdonald Consultant Consilio

Jason Winmill Chair Buying Legal Council

Donald Macdonald is a disclosure consultant at Consilio. He is responsible for working with clients to formulate strategy for active UK High Court proceedings as well as for arbitrations, investigations and public inquiries. He worked for 10 years as the litigation support manager at Slaughter and May and is a qualified (non-practising) barrister. Donald was a founding member of Consilio’s ESG team, which helps to coordinate responses to client requests for ESG information as well as helping to set goals to achieve ESG objectives for the organization.

4:05 PM: Break

4:10 PM: The "Inclusive Excellence" Imperative: Driving Value with Outside Counsel Diversity & Inclusion Programs

Nick Williams Head of Procurement Santander UK

Dive into real-world case studies on how legal teams and their procurement partners craft legal supplier diversity programs that generate value for their businesses.

4:30 PM: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Across the Atlantic

Jessica Williams Director of Legal Team Strategy & Operations FanDuel

BLC Board Member Jessica Williams leads a conversation on how international firms and service providers can (and do) stand out on DEI initiative questions posed by American companies.

CLOSING

4:45 PM: What's Next

Orazio Difruscolo Director, Head of Claims & Legal Enablement Swiss Re

5:00-6:30 PM: Cocktails & Hors D'Oeuvres

Evening social events to be announced.

Register Here