May 5, 2021
By Katy Murson
Page Reading Time: 3 minutesBy Katy Murson
Late last year, CLOC hosted a virtual Global Institute where legal professionals had the opportunity to share their experiences and collaborate on topics about the business of law. This event was CLOC’s first online Institute and the interest was shattering with over 1,400 attendees worldwide. This past year has been challenging due to the pandemic, which is the reason this virtual platform was essential for professionals to adapt and network. I was a recipient of the CLOC Scholarship Award last year and was truly grateful that I was able to virtually connect with others in our field.
I was thrilled when CLOC asked me to moderate a training and development roundtable discussion on Developing a Diverse Legal Team. The experience was incredible, and the information shared by our esteemed legal operations’ professionals was relatable to all participants. I’m sure most professionals can understand the complexity involved with onboarding new employees. This discussion was empowering, and it addressed many issues that leaders have challenges with while developing their teams. In fact, an hour was not nearly enough time for us to dive into this subject.
Effective training builds a successful team that implements consistent practices for employees located all over the globe. As an up-and-coming leader in the legal operations field, the Institute was a valuable experience for me to obtain advice and information from other distinguished leaders. I have always been nervous speaking in front of a public audience. You can laugh, but thousands of eyeballs staring up at me in the spotlight makes me uneasy. This is a challenge I have faced my entire life (even though I can successfully host meetings and training workshops for my colleagues across the globe). The Institute was a happy medium for me because it allowed me to share my experiences with other professionals in a comfortable and welcoming forum. Each time gets easier and moderating at the Institute helped me realize that I am a valued member of our legal operations community. The ability to network and connect with individuals that have different backgrounds and cultures is an asset for those in our field. There are so many unique perspectives and fresh ideas that help us to succeed and challenge one another in an unbiased environment.
The roundtable discussions were creative in the sense that they encouraged attendees to actively participate in the discussion. It has been my experience that conferences usually feature key speakers and there are limitations for the attendees to participate. The Institute had a wide array of key speakers and moderated discussions on all sorts of topics, which kept it interesting throughout the day.
The Institute also had an exhibitor hall that featured many key technology solution providers. Access to these providers was crucial as technology has a huge impact in the success of Legal Operations. It is always exciting to see what vendors have to offer and research different technology providers to find solutions for real issues. It was nice to see all the providers on one page where we could preview the solutions and key aspects of their products.
Leadership comes in all different styles, but I believe that one major factor is influence. Successful leaders have the ability to influence change and achieve goals. We all play a role as leaders in some aspect of our lives, both professionally and personally. The Institute was an effective platform to maintain awareness of current initiatives that are being showcased in our field. It is safe to say that as leaders we all influence each other, and we rely on the support of our community to effectuate change and help one another achieve our goals. CLOC certainly brings us together with one interest in mind . . . legal operations.
This was the first time I attended a CLOC Institute and it was exciting to be able to learn and connect with other legal operations’ professionals from the comfort of my own home. I am looking forward to this year’s CLOC event and hopefully I will have the opportunity to connect with some new faces.
About the author: Katy Murson is Manager of Developed Markets – North America in Global Legal Operations at Viatris Inc. Katy builds strategic partnerships between corporate functions and the legal department at a global pharmaceutical company. As a Legal Operations professional, Katy’s primary objective is to explore technology and identify processes to increase functionality, equip efficient measures, enable system management and support, and provide cost savings for her company. This field has provided her with the ability to cultivate her strengths and increase her skills related to process support, project management, analytics, and organizational efficiencies. Prior to joining Viatris, Katy was employed as a Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability Paralegal. That position allowed her to advocate for others and to gain law firm experience at the administrative level. Katy has based her professional career upon honesty and versatility, which creates strong partnerships and allows for critical transformations within an organization.