Lucy Bassli, former Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft, on why she has left the “best company in the world” to join LawGeex as Chief Legal Strategist
I was at the best company in the world, doing a job that I loved when I started to notice the world around me changing. The legal industry started going through its own industrial revolution, and I was excited to play a small role in that revolution. I was lucky enough to have experimented with alternative resourcing, outsourcing legal processes, creative law firm engagements, automation, smart risk-taking, and other innovative practices making my day job tons of fun. I was a transactional attorney with too many contracts to handle and too little time. I knew there was a better way.
So, over the course of several years, I built a world-class global contracting operation run by a team of the best people anyone could ever work with. Besides the industry-leading contracting program I oversaw, I am most proud of the team that I was able to build. We had vision, passion, and skills. Oh, and we genuinely enjoyed working together. Sounds like a dream job. What more could anyone ask for? Why start something new? “I felt a sense of obligation to have a broader impact, and influence many more companies to innovate their legal practices”
Well, I felt a sense of obligation to have a broader impact, and influence many more companies to innovate their legal practices. Too many corporate legal teams were calling me for advice and insights on how to handle more contracts in better ways. I wanted to influence law firms to think more creatively about how to deliver legal services in new ways. I needed to work more closely with legal tech so that the market is not flooded with shiny buttons drawing in unsuspecting lawyers to overbuy. I wanted to help shape the market so that tech solutions will provide tangible benefits to the lawyers buried under mountains of contracts.
Enter LawGeex. In my work I came across some of the best legal technologies available on the market, and, well, many others. LawGeex exemplifies what I hope to see more of in the legal tech space — an honest approach to sales, product development, and service delivery. Magic buttons don’t exist, but with the right process optimization and resource stratification, technology can amplify efficiencies to an unimaginable level. That’s what we all want to see. LawGeex knows that I can bring my experience to help their customers extract optimal value from their very sexy AI solution. Yes – this was the perfect combination for me. I already found contracting sexy for years. Now with AI it is mind-blowing.
So I decided to join LawGeex as Chief Legal Strategist. In my new role, I will be able to influence the product and engage the customers from my perspective as a seasoned transactional lawyer. Staying true to my passion for driving big change in legal practice, I plan to continue working independently with law firms, alternative legal service providers, and in-house legal teams on their contracting optimization efforts. This will enable me to keep my finger on the pulse of market needs for contracting optimization. People warned me against working exclusively with one tech company, but I made a very conscious choice. Legal tech customers need honest opinions and advice. I’ve done my due diligence and will be able to provide a clear and substantiated recommendation.
I am convinced that LawGeex will be a game-changer for the day-to-day transactional lawyer. Too many contracts, too little time is a common problem. Why not have a robot help out?!
Get in touch at Lucy@lawgeex.com or follow her on Twitter at @lucybassli
Lucy Bassli is Chief Legal Strategist at LawGeex
Lucy joins LawGeex from Microsoft, where, as Assistant General Counsel, Legal Operations, and Contracting, she oversaw the company’s global enterprise-wide contracting solution. Lucy is recognized across the global legal industry for her change management at Microsoft and passionate vision for the transformation of the legal industry through enhanced processes, diversity, and technology. Lucy has also been named as an Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Value Champion and to The National Law Journal’s roster of Outstanding Women Lawyers. Lucy is also a regular speaker at legal industry and tech events.
