Montresor Legal General Counselling

AI and the Law with Harry Borovick

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

In our first General Counselling episode of the year, hosted by Joshua Blake with guest Harry Borovick, the author of AI and the Law: A Practical Guide to Using Artificial Intelligence Safely, to explore the dynamic intersection of artificial intelligence, and legal practice.

During this episode, Harry shares his journey in writing the book, discusses the challenges and opportunities AI presents for legal professionals, and offers practical strategies for integrating AI while managing associated risks.

Harry Borovick is General Counsel at the thriving AI business, Luminance and a renowned legal expert and thought leader in AI. With extensive experience in AI, Harry has emerged as a key voice in helping lawyers understand and harness the potential of artificial intelligence.

His latest book, AI and the Law: A Practical Guide to Using Artificial Intelligence Safely, is a comprehensive resource that demystifies AI for legal practitioners and offers actionable guidance on mitigating risks while embracing innovation.

Shattering Stigma: Changing the conversation in Legal workplaces

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400

This months General Counselling episode is hosted by Francesca Milton, and joined by guest Steven Daniel McCann. They discuss how addiction and mental health are often taboo subjects in the legal industry.

Steve McCann, Founder and Director of MCG Consulting, with 18 years of legal industry experience to foster healthier workplaces through the Corporate Mutual Aid Recovery (CMAR) programme, addressing mental health and addiction. A passionate advocate for wellbeing, he's Deputy Chair at ReachOut, Chair of the Network Development Group, and he also conducted the research for Arsène Wenger’s "My Life in Red and White.” Steve is a frequent speaker on workplace recovery, he was the Lawn Tennis Association's Mental Health Champion for World Mental Health Day and has been featured in national media.

Steve recounts his personal journey, discussing the impact on his life and career, the cultures contributing to hiding these struggles, the cultural challenges in addressing these issues, and the importance of creating support systems for those in recovery within legal workplaces.

Compensation Systems and Compensation Reviews

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 11:00:00 -0400

This month's General Counselling episode is hosted by Montresor's Partner Lead Freddie Lawson, joined by ex Linklaters partner and Paul Hastings’ global vice-chair of M&A, Roger Barron. Together, Freddie and Roger tackle the essentials of preparing for your compensation review.

Learn how understanding your firm's rules and metrics, whether it's client origination, sharing knowledge, or being a subject matter expert, can help you navigate the process with confidence. They explore how to evaluate whether your firm aligns with your career goals and how to effectively handle reviews for your team members. Plus, they discuss comparing compensation systems, the impact of these systems on company culture, and the differences between English and American firms, giving actionable insights and expert advice on making the most of your compensation review.

A "No Bull' take on the legal sector from ex-GC turned entrepreneur

Wed, 01 May 2024 11:00:00 -0400

This month's General Counselling episode is hosted by Joshua Blake who is joined by LexSolutions' founder Manu Kanwar. They leave no stone unturned as we delve into the billable hour, 'being human' as lawyers, DEI, generational divides and (of course) AI. This is an unmissable one hour blast through everything senior legal leaders are discussing right now.

We also discuss the 'No Bull' series of events being jointly run by LexSolutions and Montresor Legal, seeking to bring senior members of the legal sector together for engaging discussions, powerful insights and purpose-led actions - all without any personal agenda, egos or BS.

Gender Identity in Law

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:00:00 -0400

At Montresor Legal, we are committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and excellence within the legal profession. In this month's General Counselling episode, Stevie - Jo Barter delves into the complex landscape of gender identity within the legal industry, with guests Danni Davies, an elite US firm real estate lawyer, and Sal Morton, an ex chambers and partners Research and content associate.

This episode discusses the challenges faced by trans/non-binary individuals in the legal industry, and covers other insights such as:
- Their backgrounds and experiences coming out as non binary during the height of their careers
- Challenges and discrimination faced in doing so
- Exploring potential avenues for progress and ongoing advocacy efforts

More about our podcast guests:

Danni Davies (they/them) is a Senior Real Estate Lawyer from at elite US law firm, Latham & Watkins. Danni came out as non-binary during the peak of their lawyer career and is a huge part of the D&I committee for the firm. Danni is involved in lot of charities and organisations that promote and create change for non-binary and transgender people.

Sal Morton (they/them) is a content specialist, writer, researcher and performer with an interest in the power of queerness in culture. Formerly of Chambers & Partners, they now work in industry-leading audience intelligence at Pulsar.

Stevie-Jo Barter (she/her) is a Consultant at Montresor Legal within the Business Services division and has 3 years experience in the recruitment industry. She recruits business support roles for boutique, international and global law firms on a permanent and interim basis. Stevie is particularly passionate about the LGBTQ+ community and considers herself to be an ally.

How Founders Law is Paving the Way for "New Law" and Alternative Legal Services

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of General Counselling, we are joined by the founder of Founder's Law, Tom Bohills. With Montresor Legal's Sam Davenport and Joshua Blake, Tom discusses his journey from US Lawyer to In-House Counsel, to entrepreneur, before exploring the rise of Founders Law.

Listen to how Tom and Founders Law are disrupting the traditional law firm model and doing things differently. We get a sneak peek into how they have brought success to their clients and created the perfect environment for their Lawyers to thrive. We also take a deeper look into the current ALSP market, covering insights, trends and lesser known secrets... If you listen long enough, you will even find out about their latest innovation and we promise, it will surprise you!

More about our podcast guests:

Tom Bohills is the founder of Founders Law, which was established in 2019 with the aim of catering to the thriving financial and regulatory technology sector in London. The firm's primary focus lies in supporting young to medium-maturity technology companies experiencing high growth. By 2020, Tom earned recognition from the Law Society, being shortlisted for the 'Solicitor of the Year – Private Practice' and 'Sole Practitioner of the Year.

Sam Davenport heads up Montresor Legal's Interim C&I desk and joined the business in 2021 from a boutique In-House legal agency. Working on interim roles from Legal Counsel through to GC, Sam has clients across the full C&I spectrum including tech, fintech, e-commerce, media, construction, infrastructure, professional services and charities/not for profits.

Joshua Blake is a Managing Director at Montresor Legal and has worked within the legal recruitment industry for over 10 years. Josh leads Montresor Legal's In-House and Interim divisions covering contract, interim and fixed term roles, including their Fortunato Alternative Legal Services arm.

#LegalRecruitment #InHouseCounsel #FoundersLaw #MontresorLegal #Podcast #Networking #LegalIndustryInsights

General Counselling: Crafting Legal Success - Ben White Unveils Trends & Insights for 2024

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0500

Join us on Montresor Legal's General Counselling podcast as Ben White, Founder of Crafty Counsel, takes centre stage to share his remarkable journey, unravel the essence of Crafty Counsel, and provide an exclusive peek into the hot topics that in-house lawyers will be buzzing about in 2024.

Explore the intricacies of legal recruitment and the evolving landscape of in-house counsel networking with our latest podcast episode! Ben White, the visionary behind Crafty Counsel, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the legal industry, offering valuable perspectives for both legal professionals and employers.

Montresor Legal is proud to sponsor Crafty Counsel, fostering connections that shape the future of legal excellence.

Don't miss out on this insightful discussion! Tune in now for a deeper understanding of the legal profession's dynamics and how Crafty Counsel and Montresor Legal are working to innovate in the legal market.

General Counselling: Festive Podcast - A Year in Review

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 12:00:00 -0500

As we approach the end of the year, we are thrilled to release the final episode of our General Counselling podcast series for 2023!

In this special festive episode, hosted by Tom Balmer, we bring together a panel of Montresor's esteemed experts to reflect on the noteworthy happenings of the past year and share insightful perspectives on what lies ahead.

Join us in this engaging conversation as our experts discuss the below topics across each of the Private Practice, Partner, Financial Services, Commerce and Industry and Business Services markets:
- 2023 market highlights and trends
- Where the market currently stands
- Forward-looking insights and predictions

Whether you're a seasoned legal professional, a budding legal enthusiast, or someone simply curious about the dynamic world of law and legal recruitment, this episode offers valuable insights and perspectives for everyone.

More about our podcast guests:

Hannah Benger - Business Manager within our Private Practice team
Hamish Drake - Senior Director within our Private Practice team
Freddie Lawson - Senior Director and Head of our Partner Practice
Elmira Meehan - Business Director within our In-House team, focusing on FS related roles
Purdeep Sihota - Senior Consultant within our Interim team,. focusing on FS related roles
Fran Milton - Director and Head of our Business Services and Paralegal team
Joshua Blake - Management Director and Head of our In-House and Interim teams
Billie Partridge-Naudeer - Consultant within our In-House team, focusing on C&I related roles
Tom Balmer - CEO and Founder of Montresor Legal

General Counselling: Working with ADHD

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 07:00:00 -0500

At Montresor Legal we believe in fostering open conversation about diverse topics that matter in the legal world, and our upcoming podcast episode is no exception.

In our latest General Counselling podcast episode, hosted by Francesca Milton, we dive deep into a crucial conversation about ADHD in the legal profession.

In this insightful episode, we'll be joined by David Ekong, an Executive in the Alternative Legal Service Team at Herbert Smith Freehills, exploring the unique perspectives of individuals with ADHD in the legal field including:

What life was like before diagnosis
Working with ADHD
Awareness and different strands of ADHD

More about our podcast guests:

David is an Executive in the Alternative Legal Service Team at Herbert Smith Freehills. He received an ADHD diagnosis earlier this year, after attending an ADHD Lunch 'n' Learn with Jodie Hill, and subsequently engaging in various discussions about how many of the traits he presented, as well as the prevalence of ADHD in his immediate family (5 of his 9 first cousins also have ADHD). Following his diagnosis, David has started taking a stimulant medication which he has found to be extremely helpful, and has also been on a journey of self and peer education on what ADHD actually looks like in practice.

Francesca is a Director at Montresor Legal and has worked in the recruitment industry for 18 years. She heads up Montresor's Business Services and Paralegal division, placing candidates across both permanent and temporary markets.

General Counselling: ALSPs - Debunking the Myths

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Fieldfisher Condor is the ALS division of Fieldfisher LLP enabling legal teams to optimise the value they receive from non-advisory legal services: They provide clients with a wide range of customisable and process-efficient products and services including, outsourcing, resourcing and technology enabled delivery. Condor have a strong partnership with the Montresor team built on a shared value of delivering expertise and innovation into the legal market.

In this podcast hosted by Tom Balmer, Stephen Ingle and James Lawrence are talking about de-bunking some of the myths around ALS and alternative resourcing including:

• Whether ALS is a 'Law firm light model'
• The quality of contract resources versus permanent employees
• Retaining the knowledge of contractors

More about our Podcast guests:

Stephen Ingle is the Head of Condor Alternative Legal Solutions. Spending much of his early career as a product manager in the derivatives market, Stephen has since pioneered how law firms approach the alternative legal services market. With a particular emphasis on data, delivery and resourcing Stephen has grown Condor into a market leading captive ALS.

As the Head of Client Engagement, James' role is to oversee the growth of the business across existing and new clients. James has spent many years working in the ALS industry form Australia to the UK in Law firms and start-ups. His roles have always been focused on expanding the ALS industry, something he has a strong passion for.

Tom Balmer is the founder of Montresor Legal and has worked within the legal recruitment industry since 2001. Tom’s clients include top US and UK law firms and he also works with a number of buy and sell side in-house teams.

General Counselling: Sharon Thomas and Black Counsel Forum

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

At Montresor Legal, we are committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and excellence within the legal profession. That's why we are thrilled to announce our latest General Counselling podcast episode featuring Sharon Thomas, a distinguished voice in the legal community, who founded Black Counsel Forum.

Ahead of the Black Counsel Forum 2023 on 30th September, we sat down with Sharon and talked all things about:

- the mission and impact of the up and coming BCF event
- her journey through the law industry as a black lawyer
- the importance of recruitment to help drive inclusivity and equality within law firms and organisations

We are proud to collaborate with trailblazers like Sharon and the Black Counsel Forum to make lasting positive changes within the legal community. Check out the BCF website here for more information: https://www.blackcounselforum.com

More about our podcast guests:

Sharon Thomas is a dedicated advocate for advancing Black lawyers and is the founder of the Black Counsel Forum (BCF), a platform for lawyers to learn, share, and network with one another, fostering a community of support and empowerment. Across her 20-year legal career, she has held roles such as a Director at Accenture and Associate General Counsel – Europe at Genpact.

Hannah Oluseitan is a recruitment consultant at Montresor Legal, specialises in providing flexible legal resourcing across a range of industry sectors, placing candidates on an interim and contract basis. She is currently on secondment at Gowling WLG, supporting their offering of flexible resourcing for client secondments.

Joshua Blake is a Director at Montresor Legal and has worked within the legal recruitment industry for over 10 years. Josh leads Montresor Legal's Interim division covering contract, interim and fixed term roles, including their Fortunato Alternative Legal Services arm.