What do you do now and what do you enjoy about it?
I am currently employed as a Senior Legal Ops Consultant at LOIS, based in Barcelona, Spain. My daily responsibilities include interviewing in-house lawyers and business partners, implementing legal technologies (especially CLM systems), and devising strategies to bridge the gap between the Legal department and the business.
I find immense satisfaction in my current role because it empowers me to significantly impact the everyday lives of in-house lawyers, a sharp contrast to my past in international arbitration, where, despite successful outcomes, I often felt that clients just moved on. Even if we won. Those experiences left me without insight into the long-term effects of these victories, a gap that I am now able to fill in my current position. Now, in Legal Ops, my involvement in demonstrating Legal’s value to the business has been incredibly rewarding. I directly observe substantial improvements in the work life of in-house lawyers, ranging from increased departmental budgets and expanded roles within their organizations to securing influential positions alongside top executives like the CEO. This deeper engagement and visible advancement of clients in their careers is what makes my current role profoundly fulfilling, providing me with the unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully and witness the enduring effects of my efforts in the legal industry.
How did you get to where you are today?
My journey to this point began after a decade as outside counsel in the international arbitration market, where I realized that many in-house legal teams were “trapped” in their day-to-day activities, and their relationship with the business was tense. It was clear that while companies expected more from Legal, lawyers rarely had time to improve their own processes.
However, there were always a few ‘odd’ lawyers in every company, those uncomfortable with the status quo and desiring change, if only they had the time to implement it.
Eager to take on this challenge, I chose to leave my career path in international arbitration and returned to Peru to start my own legal operations consultancy firm. This decision was a major gamble, particularly as there were no legal ops consultancies in Latin America, and I was leaving a well-positioned role at a US firm during the pandemic.
Fortunately, the risk paid off. Initially focusing on legal departments in Peru, I never imagined expanding to Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Paraguay, let alone attracting commercial and financial teams. In less than three years, I was involved in over 30 innovation projects.
This success led to another significant leap. To continue growing, I needed to branch out and immerse myself in the forefront of innovation. So, I took the necessary steps: I hopped on a plane, grabbed coffee with lots of people, and eventually joined LOIS, a leading legal operations consultancy in Barcelona.
Lessons learnt/ tips you’d pass to those pursuing a similar career
For those pursuing a career in Legal Operations, here are some key lessons and tips:
- Reach out. Don’t hesitate to send that email or LinkedIn invite. This simple action enabled me to share a
- pisco sour with Dan Ariely, interview Gerd Gigerenzer at Max Planck in Berlin, and also landed my current job offer.
- Be a human sponge. Actively seek and selectively filter information. Remove your ego from the equation
and embrace each challenge as an opportunity for growth. - Carve your own path. Avoid blindly following every trend. Find and nurture your unique voice and niche.
Remember: uniqueness has a way of attracting luck.
José María de la Jara