Be a smarter legal leader

The cryptocurrency boom may once have been nothing more than the futuristic ravings of your eccentric, tech-obsessed friend but now it’s real. The crypto market is worth over $3 trillion and adoption of the technology has risen 881% year-on-year. Authorities are hustling to catch up. China has banned all crypto-related transactions. Congress has proposed 18 crypto-related bills this year. And the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler is described as having launched a ‘war on crypto’.

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Here’s what to watch for in the coming months.

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The infrastructure bill row

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On 5 November, the government passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. It includes two sections that have made the crypto industry unhappy.

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The first requires crypto brokers to report more information about their activities to the IRS. Industry advocates have complained that brokers don’t have the information required to comply with the new rules because they can’t see into customer’s private ‘wallets’ and trades can happen outside of the exchange. There are also complaints that the definition of the word ‘broker’ is too broad. According to the wording of the bill, groups like crypto miners and software developers could be classified as brokers although they do not facilitate transactions and could not comply with the new law.

The second controversial section has to do with tax code 60501 to include digital. If you’ve ever seen a movie about money laundering or match fixing, you’ll know that cash payments of more than $10k have to be reported to the IRS (which is why the smart crooks bet $9999 at 10 different casinos). That’s tax code 60501. The new bill extends this tax code to include crypto payments. For many traders, the appeal of currencies like Bitcoin is that you don’t have to go through a bank or any other kind of financial institution. But banks are better set up to deal with tax requirements like 60501. The new law could undermine some of the defining features of the crypto movement.

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The crypto community have not sat quietly and watched this happen. Campaigners Fight for the Future say their campaign to change the bill generated 40,000 calls to legislators and 10,000 tweets. The bill passed anyway and is due to come into play from January 2024. You can expect to see a continued push for changes.

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The SEC wants crypto, dead or alive

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The SEC Chair Gensler has described the cryptocurrency markets as the “wild West…rife with fraud, scams, and abuse.” Americans lost $80 million to crypto scams in the 6 months to April 2021. Gensler says he wants crypto platforms to register with the SEC in order to keep them in line. This is controversial but Gensler is determined. The SEC are suing Ripple, a crypto start-up valued at $10 billion, for failing to follow their rules.

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New, trending products may appear to sidestep SEC regulations but it may not be long before they find themselves in the firing line. NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are unique virtual tokens that can be used to represent physical assets, like art or sports memorabilia, or used digitally, for example as objects in games. The SEC has warned that some NFT traders may be breaking the law by assuming that regulations do not apply to these products.

Another trend that finds itself en route to legal trouble is DeFi (Decentralized Finance). DeFi describes a range of blockchain-based financial products such as loans and insurance that replaces middlemen like banks and insurance brokers with software. Currently DeFi is unregulated but the SEC has started cracking down on major players. Crypto exchange Coinbase has canceled a new product after a telling off from the SEC and Uniswap Labs, the developer of the world’s largest decentralized exchange, is under investigation.

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DeFi is really challenging to regulate. It’s global, anonymous and doesn’t interact with any of the carefully managed structures that traditional financial products are connected to e.g. banks, the tax system. Authorities are likely to have their hands full working this one out.

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Reigning in stablecoins

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A recently published report, originally commissioned by Donald Trump, warns that a category of cryptocurrencies called stablecoin are a threat to users and the broader economy. Stablecoins are blockchain assets that are pegged to a reserve asset like gold or the US Dollar. If I created a stablecoin currency called LawTrades, for example, I could peg it to the Dollar and one LawTrades Coin would always be worth one USD. As the name suggests, the value of this kind of crypto is way more stable than currencies like Bitcoin which are known for being erratic.

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Stablecoin has grown 500% in the last year and some experts predict we could soon be using it for our daily transactions. Regulators are worried that they are not as stable as they claim to be and the collapse of one stablecoin currency could be contagious.

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Congress won’t pass any laws overnight but regulators are doing what they can to reign in stablecoin companies. Last month, Tether, the largest stablecoin, was fined $41 million for not having sufficient reserves to claim it was backed by US Dollars. You can expect to see regulators take more action in this area.

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What does this mean for the industry?

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Increased regulation could protect investors and allow the industry to thrive. It could prevent fraud and reduce the danger of a platform going bust or getting hacked. Clear rules and a clean image could also attract groups like banks and investment firms to crypto. On the other hand, too much regulation might scare crypto traders away to other countries. Most of them will want to keep trading in the US because there is plenty of money to be made here, but they’ll have to work with regulators to find solutions that work for everyone.

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And us? Although we can't offer you a piece of our own stablecoin… we can offer BigLaw caliber talent at less than half the cost with reduced management overhead using data-driven automation and distributed teams. Want to give us a go? Create a position!

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For all the wrong in the world, we live in times of progress. Yes, the age of information has propelled us forward, yet we find ourselves at an inflection point. Some look to our institutions and corporations for direction, while others remember their failures and choose to distrust their motives and methods.

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Regardless of where you stand, we tend to overlook that these institutions are made of individuals like us. Human beings who are bound by policies & procedures, struggling to keep their income, and drained, much like their phones’ battery, by the time 6pm rolls around.

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We can complain about broken organizations all day long. But the only way for a culture to change is for the people to lead it. So why not aim to do better? As a result the collective will improve.

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Here’s a list of ideas to improve your organization from its core (the individual), and promote a culture shift towards an even better future.

Train someone to replace you

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Many people live in a state of fear that someone will come along to replace them. That fear often drives them to play dirty politics and keep the secrets to their success just that...secret. But where does that get the organization as a whole?

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Sharing what you know works just as well for seniors as for juniors. Your team will function better as a result, creating positive internal PR for both you and your department. Don’t underestimate what it could lead to externally. There are benefits often realized years later and jobs later in one's career.

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Give someone who doesn’t look like you opportunity

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Recently companies established internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and signed pledges to hire more men and women of color to address issues with promotion and wage disparity. Often it feels more like companies are treating recruiting diverse talent as an issue of compliance and risk mitigation, not as a business opportunity.

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In a world where companies are hiring people based on pattern-matching or outdated hiring practices, how do you identify, vet, and create a pool of talent that’s not only great at what they do, but are also diverse: not only in terms of race or gender, but diversity of thought, backgrounds, and experiences?

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Take a risk on someone who doesn’t look, dress, or sound like you. According to McKinsey, ethnically diverse organizations are more likely to exceed industry financial return metrics. The biggest risk might be hiring in a bubble, sacrificing productivity and performance for comfort or status. To dig deeper into this, check out the insightful Blackpaper, published by Black Freelancer.

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Forgive a mistake

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It’s easy to hold a grudge for a mistake that might have cost you something valuable (i.e. commission, promotion, recognition, reputation), and your grievance isn’t unwarranted. But you need to let go. Use it as a learning opportunity, figure out what could have been done better...and move on. People will always make mistakes and you don’t want to create a culture of fear or recrimination.

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Sacrifice perfection for delegation

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You simply do not have the mental bandwidth, enough hours in the day, or breadth of expertise to do it all. Relying on support from colleagues is all you have. Don’t forget that a delegator can also be an editor, coach, and advisor. And you never know...they might end up doing it better than you.

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Give trust before it’s earned

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Forget your assumptions and remember we can all be influenced by our biases. Choosing to trust someone makes them feel valued and instills confidence in that person. You might be pleasantly surprised at what they are capable of.

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Share the wealth

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As technology advances so do the opportunities to build organizations in a way that’s far more equitable for people across the organizational hierarchy. For instance the decentralized and interconnected nature of the blockchain allows for individuals to have ownership of what they help build. Tokens can be rewarded to employees, contractors, and clients to incentivize productive business activities, influence product/service decisions and improvements as well as allow for new investment opportunities to build long lasting (generational) wealth.

You have power to improve the world, but it starts very small from within. Our institutions must improve, and they will if we start to change our approach. Achieving fairness and equality doesn’t start with legislation, it starts with you...it starts with us.  

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What are we doing to build a socially conscious culture?

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The Lawtrades team is committed to build a more equitable future through new ways of working, offering a number of legal engagements to suit different schedules. This allows our talent network to maintain a happy and healthy work-life balance. We also invest in our employees’ well-being and offer generous benefits. Our full-time contractors are offered Slavic 401(k), along with health, dental and vision coverage. We want our employees to do what they love, without having to worry too much about the rest!

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Our talent platform is diverse with over 55% of our network identifying as women and 37% racial/ethnic minorities. And for those companies and hiring managers truly committed to building diverse teams we recommend Black Freelancer - an inspirational global platform for Black professionals to build community, showcase their work, and take ownership in the digital economy...check it out here!

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📅 October was a month of growth

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Lawtraders logged 6,054 hours in October and 166 new talented users joined us. That means our network now includes over 1,200 top legal professionals from around the world, with new talent signing up from Germany, Belgium and the UK. If you are looking for legal support in these countries, or elsewhere, post a position!

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We also reached an amazing milestone- our Lawtraders have earned over $10 million on our platform! Thank you to everyone for your support and hard work in reaching this achievement 🙌

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We held an interactive event: It was all around how GC’s can position themselves as valuable members of the C-Suite. Over 80% of GCs believe it’s important to have a seat at the C-Suite table. But, less than half of CEOs see them as a strategic business partner.

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Lisa Lang (GC, Kentucky State University) moderated an honest and interesting conversation with panelists Adam VanWagner (GC, MoneyLion), Brooke Smarsh (GC, Flow), and Lydia Cheuk (GC, Away) in which they shared their experiences of integrating in to the C-Suite and the issues they faced along the way. You can check the replay and notes here.

👋 Join our community

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Do you want to join our community of in-house leaders and get access to exclusive events and networking opportunities? We created this space because we believe shared knowledge in the legal community has the power to change lives. With a growing membership base of over 100 in-house leaders from companies such as Coinbase, Patreon, and Yelp, it’s the perfect place to share your experiences, learn from others, read relevant legal news and celebrate your wins.  

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Request an invite

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🔊 RSVP to our next event

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Oh yes, we have a great panel discussion for you this month! ​Ever wondered how you could improve your negotiation strategies? Or what to do in a tense situation when the other side is unwilling to budge? Join Kathy Zhu (Senior Director, AGC at DoorDash) as she moderates this discussion with Hylan Fenster (Director, AGC at Adobe), Hayley Gonzales (Managing Counsel, Affirm) and Ariana Goodell (Legal Director of Commercial, Branch)…you won’t want to miss it!

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RSVP here

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👏 What’s new with Talent

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In a world where companies are hiring people based on pattern-matching or outdated hiring practices, how do you identify, vet, and create a pool of talent that’s not only great at what they do, but are also diverse? According to McKinsey, ethnically diverse organizations are more likely to exceed industry financial return metrics. We’re really proud to share some statistics around how diverse our talent network is here at Lawtrades.

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💭 What’s on the horizon

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We are working hard behind the scenes to constantly improve our product to make your lives easier. Our top priority at the moment? Launching our iOS app so that you can manage your work with Lawtrades on the go. Watch this space!

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🆕 Team updates

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We are super stoked to announce a new member of our team! Lauren O’Neill joined our sales team at the start of October and she brings with her a wealth of experience from working in client development for both Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. Want to say hi? Shoot her a note!

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Lauren O’Neill joined Lawtrades in October and is part of our sales team. Based in New Jersey, Lauren previously worked with the business development side at Orrick and brings an interesting mix of experience of both legal and start-up knowledge. Let’s get to know her a little better!

Can you share 2 interesting facts about yourself?

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I was a ballerina many moons ago. My great-great x 5 grandfather, George Clymer, signed the Declaration of Independence - that makes me a Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR). Where my history buffs at?!

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How do you spend your weekends?

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On any given weekend - during any given season - you'll likely find me on the beach with my family. One of the many perks of living at the Jersey Shore.

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What is the most unconventional job you have ever had?

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Not unconventional, just life-altering. Being promoted to "Mom & CEO of Household" with the arrival of my son. Then building the team by adding a daughter...and let us not forget about the new hire on the way - coming Christmas Day 2021.

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Why did you choose to join Lawtrades?

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To be a part of something great. Many of my previous clients were early-stage startups. In learning more about the formation process, raising capital, driving a vision, and creating a culture - I made it a personal (not just professional) priority to dip out of the Corporate world and find that perfect team. Oh, hey #WholeSquad.

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What are your primary responsibilities?

I'll be engaging prospects in our orbit more thoughtfully to convert our awesome community into new business. Let's not forget nurturing current client relationships - with the goal of institutionalizing them. Lawtrades or bust.

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What are you most looking forward to in this position?

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Being a champion of what we're building and being a part of our growth!

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Where can you help the most in this position?

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I'm a relationship person - constantly connecting the dots and making introductions. Hoping this will be valuable to the entire team in some way, shape, or form.

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​Over 80% of GCs believe it’s important to have a seat at the C-Suite table. But, less than half of CEOs see them as a strategic business partner. Not sure how to leverage yourself as a valuable member? We brought on experts who shared their experiences of integrating into the C-Suite and the issues they faced along the way.

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Meet the Presenters:

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Moderator:

Lisa Lang, General Counsel, Kentucky State University

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Panelists:

Brooke Smarsh, General Counsel, Flow

Adam VanWagner, General Counsel, MoneyLion

Lydia Cheuk, General Counsel, Away

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Key Takeaways:

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• Leverage relationships with executives early on

• Spot company trends you can bring to the executive team

• Take time to learn the business

• Be concise and direct with your communication

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How do you define C-Suite?

4:12-6:50

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Adam, “A strategic hub for the business”

Senior executive-type decision making authority over significant business lines.

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Brooke, “We have the C-suite with the C-title, who we also call the executive community”

The executive team meets every day, and the next level committee meets every other week.

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Lydia, “We have a team of 7 C-level people”

We meet without our CEO once a week, and we meet with our CEO every week.

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What is your value as GC within the C-Suite?

6:50-16:30

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Adam, “I am there to evaluate any legal or regulatory concerns that need to be reviewed”

There to provide background legal oversight- more on an ad hoc basis.

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Brooke, “What trends are we seeing living in the legal seat”

It’s important to spot company trends you can bring to the team, and evaluate the priority level.

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Lydia, “As a GC you have a 30,000 foot view of the business”

Leverage your relationships. Your workforce and team are the foundation of your success. By leveraging those- it helps move the way for the company.

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Lisa, “I have the ability to bring everyone together”

Building those relationships helps promote the flow of the whole team.  

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How did you learn your business?

16:30- 27:32

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Adam, “I made a point of trying to get a holistic picture of the business”

Make an effort to learn the business backwards and forwards- especially the business operations.

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Brooke, “Get in there, ask the questions- and dig”

Be as open as possible, and learn the nitty-gritty.

Lydia, “Have a curious mindset”

Knowing your business makes you a much better advisor. Go to meetings you may not necessarily want to.

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Lisa, “Have those water-cooler conversations”

They may open issues or frustrations of the company, so you can operate better.

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What skills do you need?

27:32-35:48

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Adam, “Learn how to be concise and direct”

Lawyers can be used to digging into the details- learn how to convey things differently.

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Brooke, “Many people don’t read more than the first line”

Learn how to read people and motives-as quickly as possible.

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Lydia, “You are a business executive first and a legal expert second”

Shift your mindset to being part of the executive team.  

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Lisa, “Work hard on asking questions better”

I was making assumptions based on things I was sharing. Make sure you are fully versed on what the facts are.

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Any advice for anyone coming into the role?

35:48-40:55

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Adam, “Show you are on the ball on what the business is trying to achieve”

Observe the dynamics of the team. Learning the business should be the first order.

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Brooke, “Listen intently, don’t offer suggestions at first”

Keep a notebook for the first 90 days, write your ideas down, and look back as you learn the business. Make sure you are all aligned on the risk tolerance.  

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Lisa, “Have a really collaborative approach”

Take away the law-firm vibe, and come in as a colleague! Build a strong team beneath you.

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Did you have any strategies to be added into the executive team?

44:18-48:38

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Brooke, “I made sure the CEO knew I had no ulterior motive, and that I have the back of the CEO”

Build and support the relationship with the CEO as early on as possible.

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Did you have to change the relationships with other colleagues when you joined the C-Suite?

48:38-50:51

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Adam, “There definitely was a transitional period”

You represent the business in a different way, and the conversations may have to change. You have to not be as accessible to junior level employees.

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Do you have any negative perceptions you had to overcome?

50:51-53:20

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Lydia, “I’ve been really crisp on what our legal team is”

Make sure your team is growing in the same direction as you, and establish that value early on.

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If you want to find out more about Lawtrades, feel free to set up a call with our amazing team here.

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Want to join our exclusive community of in-house leaders? Apply here.

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Internal recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers... It's time to incorporate Freelance Talent Networks into your hiring toolkit. Departments' budgets are squeezed and COVID-19 continues to delay a full return to the office. These constraints require creative solutions. Independent, remote professionals are entering the job market in record numbers, and Freelance Talent Networks are sourcing the very best of them.

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With the help of technology, what looked like a depression has become a new frontier of professional opportunity for remote workers in tech, legal, sales, marketing, and many other areas.

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Let’s be honest. You're missing a wealth of pre-vetted candidates because you're still recruiting like it's 1985. Experienced, agile professionals aren't going to jump through the endless job application hoops that waste not only their time but tack on administrative costs to your organization's bottom line.

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Work smarter, not harder

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Every hiring decision is met with considerable risks. Freelance Talent Networks aim to significantly reduce if not eliminate the risks associated with hiring.

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• Candidates are pre-screened

• Time to hire is reduced by ~75%

• Reduction in administrative load

• Temp to perm is always on the table

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What to look for in a Freelance Talent Network

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It may seem overwhelming when transitioning to using a Freelance Talent Network. Here are a few things to watch out for and some questions you should ask.

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Specialization & Experience

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It’s important to find a Freelance Talent Network partner that thoroughly understands your industry and curates a network of candidates that are able to meet its demands.

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Character

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You want talent that can fit seamlessly into your existing team. Your Freelance Talent Network should evaluate and know their talent members so that they can help you to find your perfect fit quickly.

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A Share of the Risk

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Not every hire is going to be the right fit 100% of the time. Look for a partner that understands the risks and works with you to mitigate them. You should find these in the terms of your agreement, and they take many forms including free trials, insurance policies, and replacement searches.

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What makes a trustworthy freelancer?

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Okay, so you understand the benefits of freelance talent, and what to look for in a talent network. But how do you know if they’re going to be a worthy addition to your team?

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Here’s some key metrics to look out for-

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5+ years of experience in their field

You don’t want to spend considerable time training and onboarding talent. They should be able to seamlessly integrate into your team, and have the experience to do so.

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Experience in startups and SMBs

Those that work for startups and SMBs tend to be adaptable, reliable, and resourceful.

Entrepreneurship

More often than not, freelance work operates remotely. You need someone on your team who takes initiative- so there’s no need to closely monitor their work.  

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Presentation, communication, responsiveness

It’s important to have talent that are available when you need them and can complete tasks accurately when you need them done.  

There are many reasons that people want to freelance. Maybe they want to be more present with family or work on a passion project. Whatever their reason, you do not want to miss out on these exceptional professionals who can help you grow your headcount efficiently!  

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Still not on Board?

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Here’s the most common objection we hear.

"My incentives don't line up with making these types of hires”.

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Change the incentives. Share this article with decision-makers who need to be influenced to update incentives, and give freelance talent a go. When another internal team contracts a freelancer, document the hiring process and team feedback to provide strong use cases to present to your department heads.

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Often called contractors, flexible talent, freelancers, and temps- knowledge workers are the present and future of scalable businesses. Don't miss an opportunity to upgrade your department and help your business grow!

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At Lawtrades, we’re happy to help you make this transition. We have a vetted network of qualified legal talent, as well as the resources to seamlessly integrate them into your team.

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➕Create a position today

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Background

Meet Tim!

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Tim grew up in Long Island- but didn’t stay there long. He attended university at Colgate, then law school at William and Mary (just like Thomas Jefferson 🤯 ). After graduating, Tim moved to Columbia, SC, and met his wife while clerking on the 4th circuit. Later on, he relocated to NYC- where he practiced labor and employment law at Holland & Knight. He was across the street when the second plane hit during 9/11, and found himself stressed going to work in the months thereafter. Just before the 5th anniversary of the attacks, and right after his daughter was born, Tim realized he no longer wanted the life of a Wall Street firm partner. This took him to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Four years later, another job change brought him to Nashville, TN- where he’s currently based.

Path to Lawtrades

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The company Tim relocated to Nashville for ended up going bankrupt in 2016. Tim wanted to stay in the area, but couldn’t find a company that valued its legal talent, nor one that wouldn’t require him to travel extensively. He started working on projects for a local, independent law company- but found that he wasn’t completely satisfied. While working as the GC of a national recruiting company, he was introduced to freelancing. He was recruited by our co-founders Ashish and Raad earlier this year, and started his first engagement shortly after.

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Success with Lawtrades

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At Lawtrades, Tim is able to work on projects he enjoys with companies he admires. He can be a part of a leadership team- without having to relocate yet again. His biggest accomplishment with Lawtrades so far? At his most recent engagement, he overhauled the domestic and international sales contract platforms, while achieving stellar third quarter closed sales contracts- putting the company in a much better position leading up to its IPO!

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Flexible Working Hours

Tim operates fully remote with Lawtrades, which not only greatly expands the scope of projects he can work on, it also helps maintain a work-life balance. He can be there for the day-to-day of family life, like greeting his son when he comes home from college, or getting involved in his kids' activities- like Scouts, swim teams, and marching band. He has the time to be an avid NY sports fan, geek out on Star Wars, Star Trek, or Harry Potter- and stay active in his church’s ministry programs. Overall, Lawtrades has given him the flexibility to take time off when necessary, while also providing well for the needs of his family.

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Josh Saneda joined Lawtrades in May to head up our talent team. Based in Ohio, Josh brings a wealth of experience from the recruitment world to Lawtrades, having worked for over 10 years in the sector. Let’s get to know him a little better!

Can you share 2 interesting facts about yourself?

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I play competitive 4s volleyball twice/month and in my freshman year of college, I won a Lego building competition.

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How do you spend your weekends?

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Weekends are typically spent running my 6-year-old son to one of his many activities: track, baseball, golf, swimming, or basketball.

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What is the most unconventional job you have ever had?

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I worked as a snowplow driver for a family friend while I was in college.

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Why did you choose to join Lawtrades?

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I have a huge passion for startups and I really liked the culture & community that our co-founders created. I see massive scalability with Lawtrades.

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What are your primary responsibilities?

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I'm responsible for growing the supply of the business (# of people on the platform) and maintaining the outreach to our current Lawtraders.

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What are you most looking forward to in this position?

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I'm really looking forward to connecting with interesting legal personnel. So far, I've met some really cool people with diverse backgrounds. It's always rewarding to see our Lawtraders get their perfect work-life balance.

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Where can you help the most in this position?

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The success of the company hinges on the quality of Lawtraders that we present to our clients. I'll be the most successful by continuing to qualify and manage the supply side of our business.

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The modern workforce understands that job opportunities come and go. The labor market of previous generations is no longer there, and we’ve all felt the effects of the COVID-19 economy. Agility and hustle will carry us through the post-covid career landscape, but we shouldn’t go it alone. Those in traditional career paths are finally realizing they’ll only capture a small fraction of the value of the corporations where they work.

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Freelancing is a game-changer. Anyone can earn a living by building a personal brand. And, the stats only take us further. By 2027, freelancers are expected to become the majority of the workforce 🤯. Previous work norms are long gone, and the pandemic has shown that achieving a good work-life balance is more important than ever before. Studies have shown that 77% of freelancers have a better work-life balance than traditional jobholders. By deciding where and when they want to work, freelancers hold all the power.

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Enter the Freelance Talent Network, a digital space for finding quality work-consistently and efficiently.

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Why join a freelance talent network?

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• Work with the most reputable organizations in the world

• All your admin, legal, marketing, and customer acquisition costs are included

• Apply to many jobs at once with just a few clicks

• Never write another cover letter again

• Time to hire is reduced by 75%

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To make the most of these talent communities we suggest the following:

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The Do’s

• Be picky when and where you apply - don’t apply for everything you see. You won’t be perfect for every position, so don’t waste your (and the clients) time.

• Network with your talent network’s sales team - they are the experts and can help guide you in the right direction.

• Rely on your talent network for administrative duties and customer support - they are there to help you whenever you need it.

• Follow up with coveted clients after your interview - they’ll appreciate it and you’ll stay top of mind.

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The Don’ts

• Join a freelance network in bad faith - this doesn’t help anyone and could reflect negatively on you.

• Apply for a job you don’t have the bandwidth to take - this just leads to disappointment for everyone involved. Be realistic and practical on what time you have to offer.

• Be afraid to say “no” (There are plenty of opportunities to go around). If something isn’t right for you - then say it! Honesty is the best policy and no one knows your capacity and job needs better than you.

• Put all your eggs in one basket - to keep the income and workload that you want, it’s better to have more than 1 client.

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There is a space for everyone with the skills and experience to back up their resume. Try Googling Freelance + your job title, and you’ll find several options on the first page of search results.

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The legal industry has been traditionally left behind in the freelance movement. But, things are changing. According to the 2021 EY Law Survey, 85% of General Counsel are saying their law departments use external service providers to source talent, and sure enough- are interested in expanding this use even more. Companies need legal talent, and they need it quickly.

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At Lawtrades, we’re pros at getting you hired. We use data-driven automation, and end-to-end vetting so we can connect you to the opportunities that suit you best. And, we have a massive network that is continually expanding. In this year alone, our talent has logged 31,000 hours of work. What else? We give you the freedom to choose the hours and rate you deserve.

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Apply once, complete a quick screening- and you’re in. Then let the jobs come to you.

➕Join our network today

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Hannah Longman joined Lawtrades back in March to head up our community team. Hailing from Liverpool, Hannah previously worked in community and event management across hospitality and tourism industries. Let’s get to know her a little better!

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Can you share 2 interesting facts about yourself?

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My great great Grandad was part of the team who painted the Titanic (eek). I’ve also lived in 4 different European countries (UK, Belgium, Germany, and Spain) with varying degrees of language success.

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How do you spend your weekends?

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I like paddleboarding, going to the beach (benefits of living in the Canary Islands - ☀️all year round!), and watching my team (Liverpool) play in the Premier League.

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What is the most unconventional job you have ever had?

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I once worked as an unofficial interpreter for a Spanish radio station when Barcelona traveled to Liverpool for a European Champions League Soccer game. I didn't get paid but I did receive lots of swag and it makes for a great story.

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Why did you choose to join Lawtrades?

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When you talk with anyone from the Lawtrades team, you see the passion for the company shine through. The opportunity to be part of something that is making such a positive impact in the legal profession was unmissable. Lawtrades has the drive, ambition, and the (amazing) team to go far which is super exciting.

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What are your primary responsibilities?

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I am responsible for building our community of legal professionals and organizing an educational and interactive events calendar.

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What are you most looking forward to in this position?

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I love getting to know our GC's and talent network - such a lovely bunch of people and being part of something that is making a difference in our industry.

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Where can you help the most in this position?

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By understanding what our community wants and making sure that we can offer events and content that keep us top of mind!

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Background:

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Meet Jordan! He runs his own virtual practice on Lawtrades as Transactional, Product, and Corporate Counsel to several notable high-growth companies. He has extensive experience and a unique perspective from his time as a General Counsel for a high-growth Silicon Valley startup in addition to practicing at a large law firm in New York earlier in his career.  Jordan graduated from Columbia Law and started his career primarily counseling large FinTech companies on transactional and regulatory matters, prior to serving as General Counsel at Meta, where he built the legal department at the rapidly growing startup that developed pioneering augmented reality technology, and spearheaded partnerships with some of the largest tech companies while helping the company scale 10x and raise $100M prior to a sale in 2018.

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Path to Lawtrades:

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Exposure as an in-house counsel made him aware of the issues many smaller companies face, such as limited budgets and overwhelming workload. As a GC, he saw how working with large law firms often yielded sub-par results at top-tier rates, and hiring enough internal counsel was often not possible with startup budgets. Recognizing this gap in the market for counsel who can assist emerging companies with a variety of day-to-day legal matters, but at a fractional cost of a new employee and significantly lower billing rates than Big Law, where even junior associates these days are billed to clients at upwards of $600 per hour. He realized that if you could offer the benefits of an experienced counsel, but operate fully remote and independent - this meant cost savings and maximum flexibility to better assist clients' ongoing needs! Of course, freelancing as a lawyer would also let him practice in the areas he wanted so he could take advantage of the full breadth of his experience and talents. It’s not surprising that he found Lawtrades 😊.
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Success with Lawtrades:

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After deciding to start his own virtual practice, Jordan has worked on engagements with several notable high-growth companies in NY, SF, LA, and Seattle. By working primarily with startups, he has been able to broaden the scope of his practice by diversifying the businesses and product categories among his clientele. After finding success in some early part-time engagements, Jordan knew he was ready to take his practice full-time.

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Since joining Lawtrades, he has surpassed 3000 hours helping companies like Headspace, Giphy, Allbirds, Ember, and Udemy.

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Flexible Working Hours:

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When Jordan was just getting started on Lawtrades, he wasn’t ready to hop into another full-time position. He wanted to maintain a certain level of income, while figuring out where he wanted to take his career-and Lawtrades provided him the opportunity to do so. By working remotely, Jordan was able to relocate his practice to further reduce costs and better fit his lifestyle goals, especially during the disruptions of the pandemic! He liked the flexibility he could maintain through deciding the schedule he wanted to work, and most importantly the level of compensation - without the artificial restrictions of a Big Law practice or the heightened 24/7 responsibilities as General Counsel at a startup.

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Q4 is here (and so is the fall season 🍂). We wanted to keep you up to date about what’s happening at Lawtrades, from a rundown of a great event about legal ops to highlighting the performance of one of our attorneys who has helped companies navigate return to office plans!
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📅 September was a month of growth

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Lawtraders logged 5,902 hours in September and 43 new talented users joined us. That means our network now includes over 1,100 top legal professionals.

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The top 3 practice areas were:

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1. Contract management implementation
2. Corporate compliance
3. Commercial compliance

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We held an interactive event: It was about how legal departments can use legal ops to boost efficiencies, featuring Deanna DeFrancesco (COO Legal, WeWork), Reeta Sharma (Legal Ops Lead, Notion), and Guilherme Tocci Salcedo (Global Legal Ops, Gympass). They shared everything you need to know about legal ops & provided key advice such as how to get buy-in from the C-Suite, and how to implement solutions that work. (One of our favorite takeaways: consider the legal ops person as a direct part of the leadership team). You can check out the replay and notes featuring those tips and everything else they said here.

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We also spent 24 hours in San Francisco, participating in the Deputy Tech GC National Summit, and had a great time!

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👋 Join our community

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Do you want to join our community of in-house leaders and get access to exclusive events and networking opportunities? We created this space because we believe shared knowledge in the legal community has the power to change lives. With a growing membership base of over 100 in-house leaders from companies such as Coinbase, Patreon, and Yelp, it’s the perfect place to share your experiences, learn from others, read relevant legal news and celebrate your wins.  

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Request an invite

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🔊 RSVP to our next event

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We have a good one for you this month! Over 80% of GCs believe it’s important to have a seat at the C-Suite table. But not everyone succeeds. So how can you position yourself as a valuable member of the executive team?

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Join our next panel discussion where Lisa Lang (GC, Kentucky State University) will moderate a conversation with Adam VanWagner (GC, MoneyLion), Brooke Smarsh (GC, Flow), and Lydia Cheuk (GC, Away) as they share their experiences of successfully integrating into the C-Suite and the issues they faced along the way.

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RSVP here

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👏Check out our talent

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Meet Shaz.

Shaz is an attorney with over a decade of experience. Since joining Lawtrades, she has logged almost 250 hours helping companies like SafeGraph and HealthEC identify and implement solutions that take work off the legal team’s plate. Shaz has especially enjoyed taking on the role of “wingman” to GCs by providing clarity throughout the pandemic and helping navigating return to office plans.

You can read her full story here.

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Want an intro to Shaz? Reply to this email and I’ll connect you!

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The last 18 months have changed the way that we do business, and more people are appreciating the value of remote working. We've seen an exodus of talent leave their fixed positions and go out on their own. Whether you are a legal professional wanting to go out on your own, Or you want to scale your already existing business, we’ve got you!

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We were lucky enough to have one of the biggest game-changers in the freelance legal industry, alongside our very own talent experts on our panel! They discussed how to build your legal brand and pave your way to success as a freelance legal professional.

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Meet the Presenters:

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Moderator:

• Melissa La Forest, Senior Account Management, Lawtrades

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Panelists:

• Josh Saneda, Growth Lead, Lawtrades
• Jordan Schwartz, Founder, Tech Law

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Key Takeaways:

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• Operate like an in-house counsel

• Open yourself up to different types of roles

• Decide the bandwidth you want to commit to

• Set a consistent track record with the client

• Establish boundaries early on

• Be nimble and ready to adapt to changing expectations

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Why go out on your own?

1:25-4:30

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• Jordan: “It allows you to practice in a lot of areas and take advantage of all your talents”

• Experience with in-house counsel allows you to see the issues that small companies go through, and how hard it can be to find the right outside counsel

• Position yourself like an advanced counsel, operating at the external level provides a lot of cost-savings for the company

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How do you set goals?  

4:30-6:30

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• Jordan: “It was an opportunity to broaden the base of products I was working with”

• Compensation is a major reason people are hesitant  

• Decide what you need to make it a worthwhile endeavor

• Focus on getting early engagements to build your profile out

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What are the Obstacles?

6:30-11:44

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Josh: “Figure out which roles you want to chase”

• Compensation is a big question!

• Lawtrades pricing is on avg. $120-180 per hour  

• How long will it take to find an engagement?

• We’ve had talent sign contracts in less than 48 hours!

• Decide and commit on the right time to leave your current opportunity

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Jordan: “Be open minded and see how the work evolves”

• Wasn’t the right time to jump right into a full time engagement

• Enjoyed the flexibility and ability that Lawtrades offered

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How do you manage your time?

11:44-15:12

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Jordan: “Be cognizant about how much work you’re willing to put in”

• Understand the turn around time you need to make deadlines

• Be realistic: are you looking for work life balance, or are you looking to have as many engagements as possible  

• Understand the ebbs and flows of your client’s business, such as when work may pick up and when it will slow

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How do you build out your profile?

15:12-22:07

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Josh: “Describe what you’ve accomplished, and make it worthwhile for the client”

• Highlight the diverse parts of your background

• Keep it concise! Clients can only see the top third of your profile

• Showcase any startup or small business related experience, technology assets, and highlight cool clients you have worked with

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Jordan: “Keep it as pithy as possible”

• Take the effort to flush out what your strengths are

• Take on engagements that meet your current strengths, then you can pivot onto ones that broaden your experience

• Build relationships with current engagements, be ready to broaden your scope as they may take you on for future engagements

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How does the interview process work?  

22:07-28:08

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Jordan: “Make them comfortable with the remote-working relationship and being external”

• It may be a little less cumbersome than going through the process at a full time company

• Clients are generally looking to take someone on pretty quickly

• Be confident, personable, and be ready to provide support

• Be nimble and adaptable to the client’s system and processes

Josh: “Get to know the team upfront up”

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions early on

• Get comfortable with 100% remote work

• Understand where and how communication will take place with the GC, and the rest of the legal team

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How do you set boundaries?

28:08-32:07

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Jordan: “Establish that track record and credibility with the client”

• Be ready to provide estimates on time frames

• Set expectations and form boundaries early on

• Understand how much you need to be unavailable, and how flexible you can be during the day

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Any tips on setting up a virtual practice?

32:07- 36:38

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‍Jordan: “Hire a good accountant”

• Make sure to set up an accounting strategy- the taxing side can get tricky

• Don’t be afraid to take a rate slightly lower to get yourself out there

• As you build up a steady base of clients, you can adjust the hourly rate and scale upwards  

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At Lawtrades, we’re on your team to help things work.  

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If you want to find out more about Lawtrades, feel free to set up a call with our amazing team here.

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Or, if you are ready to sign up & apply for engagements...you can join our amazing talent network here.

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Introducing: Shaz

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“Lawtrades is exactly what I was looking for when I made the decision to leave full time legal practice to found my own company. Lawtrades gives me the financial security and freedom to bring my dream to life”.

Background

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Meet Shaz! She’s a practicing attorney from Philly, PA with an amazing journey. After jumping into the workforce after undergrad and exploring advanced degree options, she was inspired by her then CEO to pursue a business related career. She appreciated the impact the private sector had on the world- from the employees, to consumers, to creating an economy that provides opportunities. Shaz wanted to be a part of helping private sector businesses find success, and thought that a law degree would provide her the best opportunity to do so. She attended Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, OH, where she focused on business organization and financial regulation. She’s been practicing in-house ever since.

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Path to Lawtrades

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As a practicing attorney of over a decade, Shaz wanted to go somewhere her skills could really be used. After leaving full time employment, it was important for her to engage with a team- even as a freelancer. She really liked the culture Lawtrades was creating in the world of law, since it felt like a true legal community matching attorneys with companies in need of assistance. After meeting co-founder Ashish, she saw how much he cared about both sides of the business and knew it was something she wanted to be a part of.
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Success with Lawtrades

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Straight after leaving her last position, Shaz was able to create a profile on Lawtrades and began applying to jobs of interest. She secured her first role pretty quickly, and has had steady engagements ever since. When asked what her biggest work accomplishment has been with Lawtrades, she wasn’t sure which to pick! During a period of massive growth, Shaz was proud of helping a company create template engagements and “rules of engagement”. She was able to create a process that took work off the legal team’s plate, while empowering the recruiting team to move faster. Shaz has really enjoyed working alongside GC’s to help them navigate return to office plans by helping to bring clarity and a go-forward plan during a period of confusion and unknowns. Overall, she loves taking on the role of “wingman” to legal teams.  

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Flexible Working Hours

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Lawtrades has provided Shaz the opportunity to merge her passions and goals! When she decided to leave full time practice, Lawtrades was exactly what she needed to pursue her goal of founding her own company. Outside of work, Shaz loves to travel and spend quality time with friends. What's more, she’s planning to go to Dublin with friends to see Trevor Noah then roadtrip around Ireland in 2022!

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Want to further your career? Looking to manage your own time while working with amazing and notable clients?

‍Join our talented community, just like Shaz did!

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Legal Ops is one of the biggest buzzwords of the year! We brought on three experts who shared all there is to know about legal ops & provided key advice such as how to to get buy-in from the c-suite, and how to implement solutions that work.

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Meet the Presenters:

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Host:

• Ashish Walia, Cofounder, Lawtrades

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Panelists:

• Deanna DeFrancesco, COO, Legal, WeWork

• Reeta Sharma, Legal Ops Lead, Notion

• Guilherme Tocci Salcedo, Global Legal Ops, Gympass

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Key Takeaways:

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• Consider the legal ops person as a direct part of leadership team

• Work directly with the GC to establish pain points, and learn to function as a business unit

• Prepare to prove the function of a leal ops role in your team, and have the metrics to back it up

• Be able to pivot & reassess as the business grows

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1. ‍How would you describe legal ops, and where does it sit within your team?

8:50-14:30

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Deanna: “If you’re looking to scale, consider someone devoted to the role early on”

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• Operating the department gets more complicated as the company grows

• A legal ops role provides consistency & an ounce of prevention for missteps in the future

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Reeta: “Take a look at the tools, people, and processes to figure out how to efficiently scale so the legal team can focus on giving advice”

• Check in on the day-to-day function, but focus on being that strategic partner planning for the future

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Guilherme: “Legal ops can help the teams to set the internal business processes”

• Work to prevent inefficiencies in the team

• Devote at least one legal ops person to closely monitor processes

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2. ‍How are your current legal teams organized?

14:30-20:45

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Guilherme: “We are divided by regions which set the business model”

• Legal ops can be a global position that works cross-functionally

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Deanna: “Our legal team is a centralized function of the company”

• Team is separated by three functions- legal tech, finance, & project management

• Important to report to GC or CLO, so you can understand what’s going on across both the legal and business functions

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Reeta: “We’re split up by practice areas”

• We’re all building out our separate functions

• Support the business functions & work to mitigate risk

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3. How do you fight for a budget?

‍20:45-26:55

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Reeta: “It depends on the company and the appetite”

• Sometimes you have to bootstrap if the budget is tight

• Whatever you are bringing on, make sure that the tools are promoting efficiency

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Deanna: “Showing your value is the first step”

• Position the legal team as something that is going to save money in the long run

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Guilherme: “Important to show data and to show how the team has improved”

• Be able to manage the teams first, in order to bring in that data
• Prove the differences you are providing

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4. How did you build trust with the C-Suite?

‍26:55-31:32

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Guilherme: “You need to have empathy with the legal team”

• Listen to the team, and learn their pain

• Consider risks, and understand the scalability

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Deanna: “We have a lot of trust building to do”

• We sit at the middle of so many cross-functional teams

• Learn to put the right people together

• Include the C-suite in the entire process- early and often

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Reeta: “Be reliable for the C-Suite”

• Establish relationships early, understand what they are struggling with

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5. ‍How would you recommend the transition to a dedicated legal ops position?

‍31:32-40:19

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Guilherme: “They may want all the things at once”

• Start simple, build from the ground up

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Deanna: “As we scaled, having separate operating systems wasn’t efficient”

• Bring people together and have the buy-in, in order to drive adoption
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Reeta: “There's always going to be challenges”

• Be prepared to transition, buy-in can change quickly

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6. What stands out when looking to have someone fill a legal ops role?

‍43:08-47:15

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• Guilherme: “It’s common to search for someone who’s extremely tech related, or someone who completely understands the legal position”

Everything in between makes sense, doesn’t have to be strictly one side or the other

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Reeta: “Look for someone who wants to learn”

• People who understand business, and how lawyers work

• Project management background is useful

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7. What is something that adds a lot of value for GCs?

‍47:15-50:04

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Deanna: “Try having someone devoted to do the outs work”

• Sit on the initiative, and manage the overall project

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Reeta: “Consider what they want the legal ops person to do”

• Legal ops leader should be GC’s right hand

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Once the first port of call for all new lawyers, BigLaw has been failing to attract and retain top talent. A recent study from Reuters surveyed the scope, and revealed that more than 270 associates have left the most profitable firms in New York. It’s not surprising that these trends have transformed just as the U.S. workplace and economy has in 2021-with the bulk of associates leaving for tech related positions. These departures are not stopping as firms are returning in-person. And, the firms that fail to keep up are losing out on the multitude of benefits such as; lower overhead costs, maximized productivity, and an increase in satisfaction across the board.

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The biggest hindrance to BigLaw is the institutional bloat that comes alongside traditional hiring practices. Across all industries, hiring practices have evolved and salaries have changed. Right now, freelancers hold a massive portion of the market and comprise an uncharted territory of talent where outputs are directly tied to client success. This new work model holds efficiency & success central to all operations So, it’s not hard to see why BigLaw is craving a better work model.

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Why Lawtrades:

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Lawtrades provides BigLaw caliber talent suited for projects & engagements that can meet the needs of any firm. Our talent focuses on the outputs you need, so that you can stay concentrated on achieving your wider objectives. We provide cost-efficient solutions alongside a flexible hiring model that’s all done in the cloud. Our data-driven automations are integrated from interview to invoice - providing you the freedom to focus on the strategic goals of your business. We provide upfront rates, and a flexible pay-as-you go model, allowing you to seamlessly integrate talent during the times you need it most. The best part? We provide the analytics so you can easily track spend & access real-time work updates.

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Practice Areas:

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Our wide network of talent suits the needs of law firms by providing solutions for commercial contracts, legal support, labor & employment, data privacy & cybersecurity,  finance, as well as any overflow needs. Even better, we are constantly adding to our talent network in order to serve an even wider array of clients.

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“There are projects that have been on my backburner for weeks (let’s be honest, months) that our Lawtrades attorney cleaned up and completed day ONE! Love it!”

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-A Happy Lawtrades’ Client

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Want to give it a go, but not sure about the commitment? At Lawtrades, we start every engagement with a 2-week trial period so you have time to ensure the talent is the right fit. If you’re satisfied with the results, we'll continue the engagement and bill you for the time. If you’re not satisfied, you won’t be billed and we’ll make sure to provide you with another talent who may be a better fit, and begin another, no-risk trial.

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Get started today!

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Legal departments worldwide are experiencing slashed budgets. It seems every company wants its attorneys to do more with less.

And this isn't the only form of pressure they are experiencing. According to the 2021 EY Law Survey, (a fascinating read - we highly recommend it!) in-house legal departments are being counted on to enable growth, deliver faster contracting, and transform risk management.

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It’s clear: The industry is going through a massive transition period. And instead of sticking with old approaches, legal departments need smart alternatives to continue to thrive.

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Lawtrades is one of those alternatives. Here’s why Lawtrades aligns with the needs of a legal department in 2021.

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GCs want data that firms struggle to provide

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The EY Law Report showed that 61% of CEOs want their company to take a more data-driven approach when analyzing risk management. Why? Well, they want greater transparency and an increased use of technological standardization processes. Fair enough!

GCs know this, of course. They have often asked law firms to collect and deliver data. But they have been left frustrated as far too many law firms, which often claim they don’t have the necessary tools for such reports, remain analog.

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Cost-Management is a priority

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Cost management has always been a vital tool for legal departments, but now it’s more important than ever. The EY Law Report recognized that 88% of GCs are looking to reduce the overall cost of the legal function due to internal pressure from both the CEO and board members. Plus, Thomson Reuter’s 2021 Report on the Legal Market reported that controlling the costs of outside counsel is identified as a high priority by 89% of legal departments.  

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It’s much easier said than done, particularly when we think about pandemic-induced workload increases! (Some 79% of lawyers have seen an increase in workload due to the pandemic.)

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So how can legal departments keep within budget but still get the work done? Let’s take a look ...

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New ways to outsource

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Traditionally, law departments have relied on external lawyers to complete tasks outside of their expertise. But, as we all know, this can quickly become very expensive. Needless to say, that’s not exactly the best route when cost management is key.

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So more and more legal departments are seeking the help of alternative legal providers to fill their legal needs.

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• The use of these alternative legal providers has increased by 72% since 2019; in 2021 85% of GCs said they utilized these services.

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Alternative providers can keep costs down, particularly when GCs limit the number of providers used. Some 72% of general counsel believe that consolidating spend into fewer providers can achieve significant savings, giving a GC  clear visibility on what is being spent, and where.

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To recap…

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• GCs want sophisticated data to improve processes regarding risk management and cost management.
• They want to save on expenses.
• They’re using alternative providers more than ever.

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In assessing these various needs and trends, it’s clear it is time to retire traditional sourcing strategies and move toward alternative legal providers.
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And this is where Lawtrades comes in!

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At Lawtrades, it’s simple. We provide BigLaw quality legal talent at less than half the cost. By focusing on data-driven analytics, we match the talent that fits your needs without requiring upfront fees or requirements. Instead, we offer a flexible pay-as-you-go model that offers real-time work updates, and full spend analytics.

Our programmatic hiring model is integrated from interview to invoice and provides access to vetted talent within minutes of signing up. Plus, once an opportunity is accepted, Lawtrades handles the entire back end. We integrated everything from signing of contracts and enrolling in benefits, to timekeeping and timely payouts in the app.

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➕Tell us your goals & get started today!

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Want to give it a go, but not sure about the commitment? At Lawtrades, we start every engagement with a 2-week trial period so you have time to ensure the talent is the right fit. If you’re satisfied with the results, we'll continue the engagement and bill you for the time. If you’re not satisfied, you won’t be billed and we’ll make sure to provide you with another talent who may be a better fit, and begin another, no-risk trial.

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“By being able to work part time, I have been able to continue being an attorney, which I really do enjoy, as well as pursue a new career as a mental health counselor. Not having to give up being an attorney, while I build onto my career, gives me the balance that I enjoy”.

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Background

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Meet Heather! Heather is a seasoned attorney based in Austin, Texas. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BA in psychology and speech communication. While working for a trade association in D.C.-Heather's boss introduced her to the legal field by including her in litigation monitoring. She went on to attend law school at Pepperdine University to be a mass tort attorney. Eventually, Heather went on to work in corporate law after finding an in-house opportunity with a company in Austin.

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Path to Lawtrades

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In 2020, Heather found herself in the midst of a career shift. She decided to leave her job to pursue a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. That’s when she found Lawtrades. Heather wanted to continue doing legal work while attending school, and Lawtrades provided her the opportunity to work with companies that needed part-time legal work that could fit within her school schedule.

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Success with Lawtrades

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Heather enjoys the stability that Lawtrades’ provided her, as the company she began working with has retained her services for the long-haul- even as they have built their full-time legal team.

Flexible Working Hours

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Heather enjoys the balance that she has found with Lawtrades, since she is able to pursue a career as a mental health counselor without having to give up being an attorney. On top of this, Heather is able to pursue her two most important passions outside of work- spending time with family, and helping people.

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Want to further your career? Looking to manage your own time while working with amazing and notable clients? Join our talented community, just like Heather did!

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“There’s a lot of variety..I really enjoy being able to jump in and be creative in the ways I can help. I’ve gotten to wear a lot of different hats with Lawtrades”.

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Background

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Meet Jill! She is a newbie talent with Lawtrades, working as a paralegal specializing in legal operations. Originally from rural Minnesota, Jill’s dad actually pushed her toward the legal profession. Jill began her legal career after graduating from junior college with a paralegal certification. Interestingly, she ended up working in the area she said she never wanted to be- in real estate. Jill went on to get her business degree in organizational management & communications from Concordia University. After this, she moved to California and found a contract with Google that led her toward the start-up community.

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Path to Lawtrades

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Jill’s freelance career began after she discovered her love of working with start-ups. She particularly enjoys working with tech companies as she thrives amongst a fast paced environment and can work on multiple engagements simultaneously. She’s been freelancing in the legal industry for over thirteen years! Lawtrades connected with Jill as she was a strong fit for numerous paralegal based legal operations positions our clients had open.

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Success with Lawtrades

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Jill is just beginning her journey with Lawtrades and has already found herself working on multiple engagements. Since she can implement several projects at once, Jill found variety and stability in that she has not had any pauses without work. Jill has continued to work with start-ups through Lawtrades, and has really enjoyed working a recent engagement where she was able to assist in growth on the ground floor, by instilling processes and procedures to assist a company growing much faster than expected.

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Flexible Working Hours

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Outside of work, Jill is a stand-up comedian! Since Lawtrades provides an environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, she has the flexibility to work remotely wherever she needs to be- so she can pursue comedy at night.

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Want to further your career? Looking to manage your own time while working with amazing and notable clients? Join our talented community, just like Jill did!

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“Lawtrades has given me the opportunity to work with multiple companies, each of whom have their own unique challenges.”

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Background

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Meet Eric! Eric is one of our legal ops superstars at Lawtrades. Originally from northcentral Wisconsin, Eric grew up with a curious mind that led him to a path in law. He attended Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduating, he moved into the legal operations space, where he helped figure out how companies could optimize their time & resources. Actually, Eric is a veteran of the legal operations field- and has been working in it for over 9 years!

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Path to Lawtrades

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Lawtrades connected with Eric as he was a strong fit for numerous legal operations positions our clients had open. His experience at Lawtrades has been different, for he is able to expand his breadth of experience by working with a broad range of companies at one time- instead of limiting himself to one. In this way, Eric enjoys the unique challenges that come from working with a vast array of companies.

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Success with Lawtrades

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Eric has built a formidable resume with Lawtrades and holds a place as one of our top talents! When asked of his biggest accomplishment he had with Lawtrades, he said, “I'm most proud of re-structuring the legal services group at Envoy Global to better align with the company's shift towards an enterprise client base. It required a blend of people, operations, strategic, and technology management and helped usher the company into a new phase of growth”.

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Flexible Working Hours

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Most importantly, Eric has enjoyed the freedom Lawtrades has brought him. When he’s not working, Eric enjoys golfing, playing the guitar, downhill skiing, and reading. What’s more, he’s currently on a mission to perfect the homemade smash burger! Eric is able to perfect his work flow, since Lawtrades provides an environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance and allows him to choose his own flexible working hours.

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Want to further your career? Looking to make a change? Join our talented community, just like Eric did!

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Here’s the replay of our 'Ask the Expert' event where Iris Chen and Milana Homsi McCullagh took you through their experiences of building world-class legal teams under time constraints and shared their top tips for legal professionals in the same situation.

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Meet the Presenters:

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Host:

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‍Raad Ahmed, CEO & Founder at Lawtrades

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Panelists:

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• Iris Chen, DGC, Airbnb; former VP of Legal, Google
• Milana McCullagh, DGC, VP of Legal, Coinbase; Director of Legal, Google

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Key Takeaways:

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• Prioritize team building
• Be prepared to constantly adapt & re-assess goals
• Plan observation time in order to understand the “operating system” of the company
• Focus on initiatives that have the most “bang” for the company

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Don’t rush to take action:

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11:10-16:08

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• Iris: “Ask a lot of questions and conduct your own 360°assessment”
• Spend the first month listening, reflecting, and planning
• Schedule Zoom calls to meet and assess the team
• Understand the crucial functions of the company, and where they may interact with the legal team
• Navigate the cross-functional efforts
• Milana: “You need that observation and reflection time”
• Come up with a 90-day plan
• Prioritize what needs to be done immediately, what needs to be done in 6 months, and what can be placed on the back-burner
• Take any value from previous work experience (esp. from a larger workplace) and anticipate needs accordingly

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Build your Team:

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16:08-25:19

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• Milana: “My number one priority is recruiting and staffing top talent”
• Assess talent and figure out what you need
• Plan to spend a lot of time hiring
• Hire those that can handle complex initiatives
• Form a narrative as to why the opportunity is compelling
• Rely on networks to target candidates
• Iris: “Hire good general athletes”
• You get the best “mileage” from those who are capable of plugging into different roles and meeting the evolving needs of the business
• Assess goals of individual team members in order to match positions that align with their goals
• Put necessary time into defining and clarifying roles
• Utilize a point of contact directory, so people know who to go to when issues arise

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Prioritize:

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31:25-38:08

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• Milana: “You can’t scale without the basics in place on the commercial side”
• Figure out a contract management solution that works
• Implement a robust and seamless deal approval process
• Build close relationships with the product team & compliance
• Make sure product managers understand your role
• Iris: “It’s challenging to make sure information is being shared with the right people at the right time”
• Utilize a “weekly report” that is shared between legal and business departments
• Forms visibility into what team members are working on while providing a window into what the business is doing

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Set Expectations:

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38:08-46:05

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• Milana: “Articulate your expectations both in terms of the what and the how”
• Figure out what you are trying to achieve, articulate your mission & define roles appropriately
• Balance the risks & rewards
• Make space for social interactions, especially if you are a new team leader
• Set expectations not only with your team, but amongst your clients and other business partners
• Iris: “Can't emphasize enough how important it is to build trust and credibility”
• Invest in initiatives that empower your team to operate smartly, efficiently, and consistently with the standards you’ve set

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Want to continue the conversation? Request access to join our exclusive community of legal professionals where Iris and Milana are answering your hypergrowth questions!

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Also, look out for our next event workshop, ‘Working for yourself after in-house: legal professionals going out on their own’, on September 16th!

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Meet Kelly 🤩🥳😋:

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Corporate paralegal @ Lawtrades, self-entrepreneur, & family-driven

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“This experience has been different… It [this] gives me insight into seeing how the company works as a whole, instead of only one small part of it.”

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Kelly is a newbie Lawtrader out of Las Vegas! Kelly started out at the Westchester Business Institute, and made her way working as an administrative assistant in the legal department at a small finance company. Quickly taking an interest in law, Kelly moved her way into corporate paralegal work. In between jobs and in search of new opportunities, Kelly connected with Lawtrades via LinkedIn. Actually, Kelly had her first freelance position with Lawtrades! Since this start, she has been eager to continue with the Lawtrades’ team, as she valued the freedom and flexibility it brought her.

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Lawtrades provided a space for Kelly to expand both her network and experience, since she can see the varying ways companies interact with projects. Likewise, Lawtrades gives Kelly the power to work amongst various departments so she can experience the whole of the company rather than completing individual, and often distanced work. Overall, Kelly feels that Lawtrades offered her the perfect opportunity to diversify and expand her career, since she has been able to (virtually) engage with many new faces. Additionally, a special mention goes out to Kelly’s family, for they are the force that encourages her to continue in her journey!  

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Want to further your career? Looking to make a change?  Join our talented community, just like Kelly did 😎!

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We get it, bringing a remote, flexible member to your team can be tricky! Wavering budgets, holding a lack of oversight, and finding valuable talent can prove stressful. Yet, hiring remote opens the floodgates of opportunity by diminishing borders on the quest for talent. Interestingly, the law field has a long history of engagement with outside counsel, typically amongst those fresh out of law school who have yet to score a full time position. Not surprisingly, Covid has turned this trend on its head by fusing the distance between traditional and online work for the long-haul. The amount of freelance lawyers has increased drastically, resulting in a wider pool of advanced and diverse workers. As this trend continues, it is imperative to understand the ways in which you can integrate this flexible talent into your established team.

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Here’s the Breakdown:

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1. Establish predictable, and easy means of communication
2. Set transparent goals for the entire team
3. Build and relay trust early on
4. Culminate a team-first mentality amongst every engagement

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Establish Strong Communication Channels 📣

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“Important to have a good chemistry, & to pick up the phone easily”

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Why:

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A remote team structure only works when communication is open, honest, and promotes trust! Establishing this early on is crucial to set the tone of work expectations. Moreover, it is helpful to communicate expected work hours and establish times of communication with the in-house team, since members may be located in varying time zones. During Lawtrades’ most recent community event, “Preparing for an IPO: In-House Best Practices'', Einat Levy, GC at Cherre noted that she prioritizes setting good chemistry with outside counsel, so that she can easily pick up the phone when pertinent issues arise. In this way, communication is a vital piece of flow and success for a cross-functional team.

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How:

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A first step can be a well-designed onboarding process. This can be as simple as establishing familiarity with in-house team members & flexible employees, as well as setting up the means of communication that best fit the company culture via email, phone-call, slack, notion, etc. Additionally, regularly scheduled team meetings can be a great way to have progress check-ins, allow for a natural flow of questions, and celebrate positive feedback. Our account managers at Lawtrades recommend this once a week, or once every two weeks depending on the hours a team is working.  Other ways to promote a sense of inclusion can be through incorporating amusing team-bonding activities such as a zoom happy hour, virtual coffee breaks, or even a bring your pet to work day! Overall, making communication light and engaging makes remote work flow smoother for all parties involved. Finding the best means to integrate this process is one that should be simple and straightforward. Lawtrades’ offers a workspace where communication can easily transpire amongst those in business, and amongst peers within the industry.

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Set Specific Goals 📈

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“The division of labor is what you ask it to be”  

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Why:

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Setting goals as a team helps to benefit cross-functionality and allow for the space to expand and diversify. These goals can be short or long term based on the working parameters. Group-oriented goals set the pace for personal goals and increase a sense of purpose within the pace of work. Even if flexible employees stand to work on particular tasks, having regular recognition channels for goals can both empower collaboration and encourage individual collaboration. Kiki Haar, GC of Sumo Logic, spoke on the benefits of transparent goals at a past Lawtrades event: “The division of labor is what you ask it to be”. Thus, being transparent about what needs to be accomplished with flexible employees is the way to go.

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How:

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No, not just deadlines! Checklists are the most straightforward way to help all members stay organized and on-task when necessary! By strategizing the work that is to be done ahead of time, one can set a practical work-flow and decrease overall procrastination. On the other hand, utilizing checklists allows the parent company to set and manage the pace of work that is being done. Project management tools such as Asana, Monday, or Notion are great in keeping everyone on track and are aware of other projects being undertaken. Operating on a unified workspace allows the best means to implement goals, since both parties can easily interact and check-in on progress.

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Trust 🤝

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“Teams can’t function well when coworkers don’t trust one other”

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Why:

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As communication channels and strategic goals are set, the bulk of the work is done! It can be easy to obsess over deadlines, performance, or engagement when interacting virtually, for strict oversight is not possible. Here’s where trust comes in. Put simply, teams cannot function without trust- as it forms the catalyst for a positive and productive working environment. Trust is tricky enough face-to-face, so it may seem merely impossible in a virtual setting! Yet, when leveraged right it promotes an optimistic working relationship that can be transferred into one for the long-haul!

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How:

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Leveraging trust is not a one-way road! Trust is subjective and can differ based on who you are engaging with and the circumstances that follow. Even so, practicing ways that promote overall trust for the team can pave the way to individual relationships. First, utilizing “we’re all in the same boat”, or “swift trust” methodology is a positive way to build team functionality. Next, forming personal relationships with every team member is key to building rapport individually. Virtually, this can be done by having a “Take 5”where everyone provides a quick life update, or by beginning meetings with a catchy icebreaker. An often overlooked component of trust is through predictability of communication. As noted above, by saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and doing what you promise- you are sure to form sturdy relationships that accelerate ease of work.

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Team- First Mentality 💪

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“No complaining, no blaming, no gossiping- ever”

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Why:

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No doubt, you have been told time & time again how working relationships have drastically changed within the past year and a half! Adjusting to online work does not have to be overwhelming. Although remote or flexible members are not a direct part of any in-house structure, establishing a team mentality unites all processes into a well-oiled machine.

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How:

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Putting the team first should be an everyday practice for management. Luckily, it is super simple! A team mentality is deployed by establishing strong communication channels, setting specific goals, and promoting mutual trust. Most importantly, find your own voice as a leader! According to Hank Greenberg, GC of Oscar Health, this is done by holding personal integrity, so you can wield power in a responsible way that maintains the team structure. Of course, a team is nothing without the members in it…

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Are you struggling to fill your legal team with qualified talent? Do you want to be a part of a unified platform that sources vetted talent by legal skills, monitors work performance, and gains insights into analytics to control legal spend? See how Lawtrades can help!

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Ever since Brandon Une started using Lawtrades at Recharge, his work life has been simplified. As director of legal for Recharge, he has used Lawtrades for important legal work while maintaining a level of flexibility ideal for a versatile startup.  

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“Invaluable,” he said, “is the word we’re using.”

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Lawtrades provided immediate help

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Recharge is the leading subscription payments solution, helping ecommerce merchants of all sizes launch and scale subscription offerings. In May 2021, Recharge closed their Series B round of funding, raising $277 million in growth capital from Summit Partners, ICONIQ Growth, and Bain Capital Ventures to bring the company to a $2.1 billion valuation.

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Brandon, a Harvard Law graduate who previously worked at law firms and other in-house roles and is a former CPA, started at the company in March as the first legal hire. (The legal team has since expanded.)  

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“Lawtrades really helped me to plug in, especially when I was by myself,” he said. “When I needed commercial contract review, both inbound and outbound, they were there for me in whatever capacity that I needed in that area.”

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Lawtrades stood out over other services for its flexibility

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Brandon has mostly used Lawtrades professionals to work on commercial contracts and contract management, but Recharge’s legal team’s workflow varies from week to week. So Brandon wanted a service that fit the varied pace.

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“One of the things I really appreciate about Lawtrades is its flexible model,” he said. “I had interviewed a couple of other providers...but it's a very different business model where you have to commit to a certain number of hours. For me, things just ebb and flow. And I didn't want to run the clock out or just run the meter on things I wasn’t using.”  

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Why Brandon recommends Lawtrades

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In addition to flexibility, Lawtrades has allowed Brandon and the Recharge legal team to focus on the big picture instead of running through every first draft of a commercial contract.

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“If you're a legal team of one, or even two, and you still need to plug holes in places,” Brandon said, “Lawtrades is a really fantastic solution.”  

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‍More about Lawtrades

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Often, in-house teams may not need the apparatus of a law firm to tackle a specific business need as the best legal talent no longer work exclusively for law firms. At Lawtrades, experienced commercial lawyers join our platform to work on engagements that match their experience and interests. If you’re ready to augment your legal department with a tech-enabled workforce and smart workspace, create a position to get started.

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