CLOC Member Spotlight: Dr. Vera Roedel, MHMM

10/22/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

October 2025 Member Spotlight: Dr. Vera Roedel, MHMM

Dr. Vera Roedel is the Co-Founder of Transforming Legal and Legal Counsel for Merck KGaA. She serves as a founding regional co-lead of CLOC Germany. Keep reading to learn more about Vera.

About me:

I am Dr. Vera Rödel, a German-qualified attorney with 15 years of experience working at the intersection of law, the pharmaceutical industry, and digital healthcare. After starting my career at Linklaters LLP, I moved into the pharmaceutical sector, holding roles at Boehringer Ingelheim where I focused on regulatory questions and healthcare compliance. 

Since 2014, I have been with Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, where I first led global legal teams in Neurology & Immunology and Cardio-Metabolic & Endocrinology, advising worldwide on regulatory, advertising, and licensing issues. In 2022, I assumed the role of Global Lead Antitrust, where I oversee all competition law matters across the Group and chair the Global Antitrust Expert Group. 

Alongside my in-house career, I am also active as an entrepreneur. I co-founded Prof. Valmed GmbH, which develops AI-driven clinical decision support solutions and the Valmed A(I)cademy®, an evidence-based training platform for healthcare professionals. In addition, I founded Transforming.Legal, a boutique consultancy that guides legal departments and law firms through digital transformation, with a focus on legal tech, AI-based knowledge management, and agile governance structures. 

I am passionate about bringing together legal excellence, healthcare innovation, and digital business models. My work centers on building future-ready legal functions, fostering compliance through smart processes, and enabling sustainable transformation. I regularly speak at conferences, publish on compliance and innovation, and enjoy mentoring the next generation of legal professionals.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

I love being a CLOC member because it allows me to connect with peers who share my passion for shaping the future of legal operations. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of law, healthcare, and digital transformation — from leading global legal teams at Merck KGaA to founding my own ventures, Prof. Valmed and Transforming.Legal. 

CLOC gives me a unique platform to both share my experiences in areas like antitrust, healthcare compliance, and legal tech, and to learn from others who are driving innovation in their organizations. I truly value the openness and collaboration in this community — it feels less like a network and more like a collective movement. 

What inspires me most is the diversity of perspectives and the willingness of members to experiment, challenge the status quo, and reimagine how legal teams operate. For me, CLOC is a source of ideas, energy, and encouragement that I can bring back into my own work, whether it’s mentoring young professionals, implementing digital tools, or developing AI-based solutions for healthcare.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be: embrace change with curiosity rather than fear. Legal is evolving faster than ever — with digitalization, AI, and new business models reshaping the way we work. Instead of clinging to “how we’ve always done things,” we should experiment, collaborate across disciplines, and see transformation as an opportunity to add more value. 
 
For me, the most rewarding moments have come from stepping outside the traditional comfort zone of legal work — whether building cross-functional teams, adopting new technologies, or launching entrepreneurial projects. The industry needs leaders who combine legal excellence with openness, creativity, and courage.

A fun fact about me:

Something fun I’d like to share is that I’m a passionate trail runner. Hitting the trails is my way of recharging and finding balance — it gives me the same mix of focus, resilience, and creativity that I need in legal operations and entrepreneurship. Some of my best ideas have come to me while running through the woods or up a mountain path!

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

CLOC Member Spotlight: Gabriela Pereira

09/24/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

September 2025 Member Spotlight: Gabriela Pereira

Gabriela Pereira is the Senior Legal Manager with Zenvia. She serves as a founding regional co-lead of CLOC Brasil and leads the CLOC Brasil mentoring program. Keep reading to learn more about Gabriela.

About me:

A manager first and a lawyer second. This is how I see myself after 16 years working in-house, 13 in a management position. 

I remember noticing right away the opportunity to bring more efficiency to the legal department which led me to develop my non legal skills and eventually discover legal operations. 

It’s interesting to remember that my first work as an in-house counsel happened by accident, but it wasn’t long before I realized that it was the perfect fit for me: I simply love how dynamic companies are and how we need to be creative, resourceful and collaborative to make things work. 

On a personal level, as a woman and mother of two, I like to dedicate time to study about gender and child/human development and to support other women growing in their careers.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

I am part of many legal communities but none is as eager to help and share knowledge as the legal operations community. I strongly believe in the power of connecting and learning from others so I love being part of, and helping grow, such a collaborative community.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Legal operations is still in its early stages in Brazil so most companies don’t have a dedicated team – people are either juggling different roles or are a one person team. So my advice is to be resourceful and not wait for the perfect moment to start a new project or initiative. There’s a lot that can be done with little or no investment and the Brazilian community is a great place to learn from, just reach out.

A fun fact about me:

I live in a Brazilian state famous for its barbecue, but I have been a vegetarian for nearly 20 years. In the beginning, it was hard to find options in most restaurants so I took it upon myself to ask the owners of my favorite places to include vegetarian plates in the menu. The fun fact is that I ended up having a sandwich named after me (which made me feel a little like a local celebrity).

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

Member Spotlight Aime Hadnot

CLOC Member Spotlight: Aime Hadnot

08/27/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

August 2025 Member Spotlight: Aime Hadnot

Aime Hadnot is the Assistant Vice President of Legal Operations with AT&T. She serves as a regional co-lead for CLOC Texas. Keep reading to learn more about Aime.

About me:

Hi, I’m Aime! I lead the Legal Operations and Admin team at AT&T, where I get to blend my chief of staff skills, project management, data, and people skills to transform how our legal department works, making things smoother, smarter, and more efficient. Before this, I was on the CEO’s Chief of Staff team, helping steer big-picture strategy and keep things running seamlessly. From starting as an Administrative Assistant back in 2000 to now, I’ve loved growing, shaking things up, and finding better ways to get things done.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

You’ll notice I have zero, nada, zilch legal background but I’ve been in this role for five years, and they’re still keeping me around, so I must be doing something right. That’s why I love being part of CLOC because so many people are willing to help. You have hundreds of resources at your disposal, so you never have to tackle any problem alone and can always learn from others’ experiences. A big thank you to all the CLOC members who have taught me so much and patiently answered my millions of questions to get me up to speed.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Embrace AI and keep learning, whether through industry groups like CLOC, webinars, certifications, or peer networking. And build strong relationships by collaborating closely with legal teams, IT, finance, support staff and business units. Understanding their needs and challenges helps you design solutions that truly add value.

A fun fact about me:

I’m a proud mom of six boys—yes, six! They keep life loud, lively, and full of surprises. I love Peloton, traveling, and football. Talk to me for a few minutes and you’ll know I’m a born and raised Texas girl with a thick accent to match.

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

Member Spotlight Tak Suzuki

CLOC Member Spotlight: Takashi Suzuki

07/16/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

July 2025 Member Spotlight: Takashi Suzuki

Takashi Suzuki is the Deputy Head of the Security Trade Control Office, Legal Department with Mitsubishi. He serves as a regional co-lead for CLOC Japan. Keep reading to learn more about Takashi.

About me:

I started my career at a Japanese law firm in 2005 and joined my current company in 2016. I stayed in Silicon Valley for 6 months in 2018  – and during that time, joined the CLOC Community. I am working as both an inhouse counsel and leading legal operations.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

Since I joined in 2018, CLOC has been always providing valuable guidance for my journey in legal operations. As I thought such valuable guidance needed to be shared with colleagues in Japan, I led the development of the Japan regional group, together with my co-lead Maki Kadonaga, in 2021, and we have been actively discussing and amplifying legal operations in Japan. Our discussions are compiled in our book “Legal Operations in Japan” published in March 2024.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

In today’s fast-changing world, every company must pursue innovation. To drive innovation, the legal function needs to support it as well. In order to deliver legal services that enable innovation, the legal function itself must become innovative. Legal operations makes innovation within the legal function possible. That’s why legal operations can play a key role in supporting a company’s strategy and driving innovation.

A fun fact about me:

Sometimes at work, it takes time to get used to new ways of doing things or to start using tools like Generative AI — and some people even resist it. Staying ahead of change and being innovative all the time is tough. But when I watch my 7- and 5-year-old sons, they’re chatting with ChatGPT and having fun creating new images from their own photos. Maybe the secret to staying innovative is just enjoying new things and keeping that playful mindset.

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

Member Spotlight Kunoor Chopra (1)

CLOC Member Spotlight: Kunoor Chopra

06/17/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

June 2025 Member Spotlight: Kunoor Chopra

Kunoor Chopra is a Co-Founder and Vice President at Elevate and the Chief Strategy Officer at Cloud Court. She serves as a member of CLOC’s Inclusion & Social Impact Council (previously titled DEIB Council). Keep reading to learn more about Kunoor.

About me:

I live in sunny Laguna Beach, California, with my wife, our dog, and our cat—nature, the ocean, and mountain hikes are my happy places. I also have a deep appreciation for a good bottle of champagne paired with a great sunset. 

I grew up in California, went to UCLA for undergrad, and then headed to Loyola Law School in LA. I started my career as a litigator and quickly realized the opportunities to bring efficiency to legal. That sparked an idea: what if I started a company in India to bring more efficient support to law firms and law departments in areas like litigation, contracts, and IP? 

Fast forward 21 years—after selling that company, I co-founded Elevate in 2012 to bring the next evolution of legal services to law departments and firms around the world. More recently, I joined Cloud Court as Chief Strategy Officer, diving into the world of legal tech and helping shape what’s next. (Yes, I’m proudly juggling two jobs!) In both roles, what I love most is helping teams find smarter, better ways to work and drive meaningful results. 

On a personal note, as a South Asian lesbian, LGBTQ+ advocacy is close to my heart. I’m passionate about supporting the next generation—especially those navigating the intersection of culture, identity, and career.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

I like to connect with others and find new, creative and exciting ways in which we can collab, connect and innovate. The community constantly inspires me with fresh ideas and opportunities to work together in new and meaningful ways.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Remember that life is all about balance—and this is your one shot to do what truly fulfills you. Bring your playful, fun self to work, because that’s when we’re most creative, collaborative, and able to support one another in meaningful ways.

A fun fact about me:

I’m a big music lover—festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, and CMA Fest are my happy place, and I never say no to a good karaoke night. Lately, I’ve been channeling that passion into something new (and very vulnerable): I’m working on a rap album! Stay tuned…

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

CLOC Member Spotlight: Remy Bassan

04/09/2025 |

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

April 2025 Member Spotlight: Remy Bassan

Remy Bassan is the Head of Legal Operations at Purolator and also serves as a CLOC community leader for CLOC Canada. Keep reading to learn more about Remy.

About me:

I am the Head of Legal Operations at Purolator, a Canadian freight company, and also serve as co-chair of CLOC Canada. I’ve spent over a decade optimizing legal departments, building high-performing teams, and implementing tech-forward strategies that help legal functions run like well-oiled machines. Prior to my current role, I gained deep experience in the franchise industry, where I learned firsthand how to balance structure, scalability, and brand integrity across multiple business units. That foundation shaped how I approach legal ops today—with a strong focus on process, alignment, and delivering measurable value.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

CLOC has been a game-changer in my professional growth. It’s not just a community—it’s a powerhouse of shared knowledge, collaboration, and support. I love being part of an organization where I can learn from global peers, share best practices, and help shape the future of legal operations. Stepping into a leadership role with CLOC Canada has been an exciting next chapter, and I’m looking forward to deepening connections and contributing to the vibrant legal ops community here at home.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Build your network before you need it. Relationships are the cornerstone of success in legal operations—whether you’re driving change, evaluating tools, or influencing leadership, having a strong peer group to lean on, learn from, and share with is invaluable.

A fun fact about me:

I was born just after midnight on New Year’s Day—so I’ve literally been ringing in the new year since the day I was born, and to top it off, I was the first baby of the year in the city!

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

CLOC Member Spotlight: Matt Rubbelke

03/07/2025 | Comment

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

March 2025 Member Spotlight: Matt Rubbelke

Matt Rubbelke is the Senior Vendor Strategy and Governance Management Associate at Google and also serves as a CLOC community leader for CLOC New York. Keep reading to learn more about Matt.

About me:

I oversee Google’s Outside Counsel and Legal Vendor spend management initiatives (including negotiating commercial agreements and supporting scope, budget setting, and ongoing matter management for Google’s most critical matters). Prior to joining Google, I worked at an AMLaw 100 firm in Pricing and Legal Project Management. I leverage my firm experience in my role to enhance the relationship between Google and our vendors. My passion for this industry is fueled by my genuine curiosity/desire to improve legal service delivery models, law firm pricing structures, technology within the legal landscape, and the legal industry at large.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

I love that CLOC provides a forum to connect, commiserate, and solve problems collectively with peer legal ops professionals.

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

No matter what position you are in within your department, keep a pulse on your company’s docket. Be proactive by staying up to date through newsletter alerts, browser alerts, internal communications, townhalls, etc. Let this inform your strategies and initiatives. 

A fun fact about me:

Google’s Street View Car snapped a pic of me while I was walking my dog down the street. I’m barely visible (black shirt, walking east), but it’s a point of pride: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eULKAQwZxNzaG7pY9

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

CLOC Member Spotlight: Donovan Bell

02/10/2025 | Comment

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

February 2025 Member Spotlight: Donovan Bell

Donovan Bell is the Head of Legal, Trade & Government Affairs Operations at Intel.  Donovan also serves as a founding member of the CLOC’s Inclusion & Social Impact Council (previously titled DEIB Council) and leads the CLOC Cares work group. Keep reading to learn more about Donovan.

About me:

My background buds out of technology, procurement, and operations across all facets of business with large enterprises such as Boeing, Microsoft, Walmart, Doosan Bobcat, and currently at Intel where I serve as the Head of Legal, Trade & Government Affairs Operations.

While aiming to be the driving force behind seamless, efficient, and innovative operations, I’ve found a home in Legal Operations with the added endeavor to elevate the industry leveraging my background and experiences to “lift as I climb” and help others who also serve on the front lines as business enablers. 

I’ve learned the importance of never burning bridges as community is small and the professional network that results has been one of the most fulfilling in my career.

Why I love being a CLOC member:

CLOC provides a voice and identity to those of us who have served in the ambiguous role as business enablers. Through forums, webinars, and resources, we tap into key traits like adaptability, continuous learning, and innovative thought leadership. CLOC fosters growth through its diverse community, unique backgrounds, perspectives, and skill sets. It’s hard not to grow when being a part of the CLOC community!

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Leverage this community network to try new ideas and learn from each other. Many of us have similar challenges and experiences, and by sharing our insights, we can all grow and succeed together.

A fun fact about me:

Many of the leadership skills I’ve developed over the years can be attributed to my experience as a proud homeschooling father of 10 children. It’s fascinating to see the parallels between parenting and delivering world-class operations!

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.

CLOC Member Spotlight: Dorothy Cullen

01/16/2025 | Comment

The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.

January 2025 Member Spotlight: Dorothy Cullen

Dorothy Cullen is the Senior Director of Legal Operations at Salesforce, as well as a community leader for the CLOC San Francisco Bay Area. Keep reading to learn more about Dorothy.

About me:

I’m incredibly grateful to be a member of the Legal Ops community, and a part of the exciting transformation happening in the legal industry today. I joined Legal Ops 5 years ago after a long career in IT, and have now fully embraced the pleasure of working in a business function, side by side with our legal stakeholders, delivering high value solutions. I’ve been at Salesforce for over 19 years, experiencing massive change, growth, product innovation, acquisitions, and technology disruption. 

As a Legal Ops leader, I have managed eDiscovery, data science, CLM, and our broad portfolio of projects. I have an exceptionally talented Innovation Delivery team that delivers next gen solutions for Legal and Corporate Affairs. We build on our own platform, integrating with partner apps and other cloud providers. 

I am now fully focused with that Innovation Team to accelerate our business into an AI-Agentic way of working, leveraging our Agentforce technology and data to architect the future of legal within a digital workforce. 

Simply amazing and fun!

Why I love being a CLOC member:

I was introduced to CLOC through my manager at a local holiday event, then at CGI in Vegas post-COVID. I was immediately impressed by the warm welcoming, friendly attitude and sharing environment. It was simply incredible to be in a room with like-minded professionals, facing the same challenges, having the same questions, evaluating the same technologies and operational improvements that we were also going through. I found I could easily “geek out” on legal tech for hours with other legal ops colleagues at all levels, industries and tenure. I love having CLOC as the home base for all things Legal Ops. It’s the place to share, learn, network, advance your career and have fun!

My advice for other legal ops professionals:

Get out there and be active on the community. Attend events. Network with people. Volunteer to speak or facilitate a session. It’s the broad perspectives and backgrounds that make this a rich, interesting and valuable place to engage. It’s also a great way to stay abreast of trends, technologies, and news in the industry.

A fun fact about me:

I recently took a 10-week sabbatical in October-November of last year, a benefit that is supported by our company based on years of service. I decided to stay involved in my profession, so took a GenAI for Legal course at Berkeley, attended Legal Ops webinars and forums, and kept an eye on the industry. 

During that pause, I traveled with my husband for a month, re-landscaped our yard and spent quality time with family and friends. Priceless.

CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.