Legal Operations Leaders Gather in London
On February 5, 2026, the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) held its European chapter event in London, drawing a high-level audience of in-house legal professionals. The event, organized in collaboration with RSGI, focused on building cohesive, data-driven legal operational models and exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal industry.
The program emphasized practical insights and active audience participation, which was well-received by attendees. Notably, new CLOC president Oyango Snell brought his energetic leadership to the event, setting a vibrant tone on an otherwise dreary day in the city.
Communicating Legal’s Value to the Business
One of the central themes was the ongoing challenge of articulating the value of legal departments to broader business units. A fireside chat moderated by RSGI founder Reena SenGupta featured Sean Houston, head of legal operations at Heineken, and Ekta Malhotra, head of strategy and operations at Accenture Legal.
“A story backed up by data is crucial.” Houston emphasized the importance of storytelling supported by metrics, but warned against relying solely on data. Transparency and clarity are key to making legal functions more relatable and understandable to other parts of an organization.
Sarah Aziz, deputy general counsel at L’Oréal, shared her team’s approach to this challenge. They created a professionally designed ‘year in review’ pamphlet showcasing legal operations successes, using a legal design company to make the content visually appealing. The first page highlighted achievements with statistics, while the second page introduced team members and their projects.
Key strategies discussed included:
- Using internal champions to communicate value
- Sharing compelling stories
- Creating a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) to drive engagement
Malhotra advised reframing negative messages into positive narratives. “With every ‘no’ story, there is a ‘yes’ story,” she said. Houston echoed the importance of tailoring communication to the audience. “You wouldn’t speak to a five-year-old the same way you speak to a general counsel,” he noted.
Understanding and Measuring Value
Mo Ajaz, founder of Lex360, highlighted the importance of understanding what value means to stakeholders before building dashboards. “If you don’t understand who benefits from the data, it won’t be impactful,” he said.
Exploring ROI in Artificial Intelligence
A panel led by CLOC’s European lead Aine Lyons delved into how legal teams can measure the return on investment (ROI) of AI tools. The conversation featured insights from leaders at Lenovo, Dentsu, Rio Tinto, and Workday—all of whom are actively experimenting with AI platforms like Harvey, ChatGPT Enterprise, and Google Gemini.
Sarah Rosser, general counsel at Lenovo Solutions and Services Group, shared that her team is testing Harvey. Robert Clark from Dentsu mentioned their transition from Copilot to Harvey, which is now being rolled out across legal and compliance teams. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto’s Christopher De Waas detailed their use of ChatGPT Enterprise, citing a 75% adoption rate among their legal staff.
Lyons highlighted Workday’s “AI Friday,” a weekly initiative where employees practice using AI tools. “It’s easier to start that way,” she said. However, panelists agreed that while adoption is high, measuring effective use is more nuanced. Clark noted the difficulty in assessing whether tools are being used for their intended purpose and if users have the skills to maximize them.
De Waas emphasized looking at both tangible and intangible benefits. “We evaluate not just time and cost savings, but also whether the tools help lawyers reclaim personal time and drive transformation,” he said.
Driving Cultural Transformation
In a compelling session on cultural change, Mark Dean, a behavioral scientist at Basil Research Initiative, explained the neuroscience behind change management. He noted that the human brain is wired to detect risk rather than seek happiness, explaining resistance to workplace change.
“Trust is the antidote to workplace stress,” Dean said. He explained that oxytocin, the hormone associated with trust, helps counteract stress hormones and fosters creativity. High-trust environments, he argued, are more conducive to innovation and cognitive performance.
He encouraged leaders to focus not just on saving time, but on unlocking cognitive capacity. “Rather than think about freeing up more hours, think about unlocking 20% more mental energy,” he suggested.
Are We Moving Fast Enough?
Despite the progress showcased, some attendees expressed concern over the pace of change in legal operations. Editor Caroline Hill observed that while conversations around data and AI are evolving, many legal teams are still focused on securing a seat at the table.
Snell acknowledged this concern, citing challenges like data privacy, cybersecurity risks, and fragmented data systems. He stressed that AI isn’t a silver bullet and must be part of a broader, strategic plan.
Snell referenced a keynote by futurist Christina von Messling, who urged leaders to adapt proactively. Using a driving metaphor, she said, “Don’t slam on the brakes in icy conditions—adjust, stay calm, and keep your eyes on the road.” Snell embraced this mindset, advising legal professionals to develop thoughtful AI strategies aligned with their business goals.
“You have to be in the driving seat,” Snell concluded, emphasizing the need for intentional leadership in an era of rapid transformation.
This article is inspired by content from Original Source. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.