In this episode of Beacon Voices, Akshay Verma sits down with Gal Bruck, fractional counsel and legal operations expert, to unpack why legal work still feels inefficient and what actually needs to change.   

Gal shares her journey from traditional law firm work to legal operations, explaining why effort and billable hours became substitutes for impact, and how in-house teams must rethink systems, incentives, and identity. The conversation dives deep into AI’s role in legal work, not as a replacement for lawyers, but as a force multiplier that frees teams from repetitive tasks so they can focus on judgment, strategy, and partnership.

They also explore the hidden risks of automation for junior lawyer training, the urgent need for mentorship, and why legal education must evolve beyond theory. A candid, thoughtful discussion for lawyers, legal ops leaders, and anyone curious about the future of legal work in an AI-driven world.   

Read a detailed summary:   

Topics
Introduction to the episode & guest background: 00:00
What law school actually teaches: legal writing, audience, and purpose: 02:36
Hero culture, burnout, and scaling problems in legal teams: 05:02
Legal operations as systems-building, not firefighting: 08:51
Creativity and impact in legal operations roles: 15:13
Why legal education fails to prepare lawyers for operations and tech: 22:08
Reimagining law school for future lawyers: 25:36
AI as an essential skill for modern lawyers: 28:21
AI as an equaliser: efficiency, access, and value pressure: 31:45
The future lawyer: judgment, trust, and strategic partnership: 40:01
The risk AI poses to junior lawyer training: 43:30
AI adoption vs real usage in legal teams: 46:12
Rapid-fire questions: 50:10  

Connect with us:
Gal Bruck - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gal-bruck-290737aa/
Akshay Verma - https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshay-verma-esq/
SpotDraft - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotdraft   

SpotDraft is a leading contract lifecycle management platform that solves your end-to-end contract management issues. Visit https://www.spotdraft.com to learn more.

EP 02: AI Won’t Replace Lawyers — But It Will Replace Bad Legal Systems

In the first episode of the newly rebranded Beacon Voices, Akshay Verma, COO of SpotDraft, speaks with Product Counsel Flora Kontilis, about building a modern in-house legal career. Flora shares how working in sales ops shaped her approach to lawyering, why law school was a means to an end, and how mentorship and small teams accelerate real learning. The conversation breaks down what product counsels actually do: operating in gray areas, partnering with product teams, and navigating regulated environments. They also discuss career stagnation, growth mindset, and how AI is a tool to support judgment, not replace it.     

Read detailed summary:  

Topics:
Topics: Introduction: 00:00
Why Flora chose law school: early motivations, prestige, and evolving definitions of success: 05:09
Pre-law-school experiences: Capitol Hill, journalism, and the wine industry: 08:58
Lessons from sales ops: empathy, urgency, relationship-building, and “getting to yes.”: 11:00
Flora’s law school reality: difficulty, mindset shifts, internships, and finding purpose: 19:40
Why practical experience mattered more than grades and how internships shaped her path: 21:59
First in-house role at Vendavo: mentorship, training, and learning by doing: 29:40
Knowing when to move on: stagnation, personal change, and leaving Vendavo: 38:37
Joining Asana and Axiom, working with Google: scale, contracting models, and risk exposure: 40:00 Transition to AppFolio and moving into a product counsel role: 48:52
What product counsel actually does: partnering with product teams and shaping decisions: 51:36
Learning regulated environments: insurance law, licensing, and NAIC frameworks: 53:06
Learning to Think Like Product Counsel: Curiosity, Context, and Judgment: 55:01
AI in legal work: when it helps, when it doesn’t, and why judgment still matters: 01:02:01
Closing reflections: advice to her law-school self, long-game thinking, and becoming self-sustaining: 01:07:33

SpotDraft is a leading contract lifecycle management platform that solves your end-to-end contract management issues. Visit https://www.spotdraft.com to learn more.

EP 01: What Law School Didn’t Teach Me: Real Lawyering & Building an In-House Career

Beacon Voices is SpotDraft’s podcast spotlighting the people shaping how legal really works today. Hosted by Akshay Verma, it features candid conversations on leadership, legal ops, and the real-world impact of AI in legal teams.