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Theresa DiCenzo

Legal Operations on the Rise 

By Theresa DiCenzo

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2,500. That was roughly the number of people who attended the 2022 Global Conference in May.  That’s a lot of people to be in a space at one time.  It might also be the first time many people were at a public gathering this large since COVID began in 2020.  All of that to say, there was probably a lot of different emotions running through attendees. For me, it was excitement.

Here I was, a law student at a global conference, in one of the newest and most innovative spaces surrounded by thousands of professionals immersed in legal operations and legal technology.  I entered day one of the conference hardly knowing what legal operations was, how it actually operates in different size companies, and what the day-to-day looks like of a professional in this field.  All I knew was that I was interested in the industry, felt that I had the skills and experience to join these professionals after graduation, and knew that I needed key takeaways to bring to my summer internship program in legal operations to share with the team.

Fast forward several days and I learned that these professionals are not alone in what they do.  From managing a team of one, to five, to fifty, these professionals were able to connect with others and understand that they were also encountering the same challenges.  What seemed to be the best part, though, was that they heard from professionals who scaled and grew an entire department.  They heard what worked, what didn’t work, and what they’re doing now to drive change and improve their companies.

I left the conference inspired and in awe.  The legal operations professionals I met are carving a path.  They’re carving a path for themselves and their company in an industry that is moving full-speed ahead.  This year’s conference was motivating, encouraging, and informational.  As a law student, I left with an action plan of skills I can work on developing while I’m still in school, a vast network of leaders making change, and insight into how different sized legal operations departments operate.

Author: Theresa DiCenzo, Campbell Law School and 2022 CLOC Scholarship Recipient