LAWFEST - Key Persons
Ben is CEO of The BD Ladder, a BD and marketing consultancy specialising in providing practical advice to lawyers and professional services firms.
Ben Paul is CEO of The BD Ladder, a BD and marketing consultancy specialising in providing practical advice to lawyers and professional services firms. He has over 20 years' experience in business development and marketing advice. Ben has worked in BD roles in several professional services and law firms.
Prior to establishing The BD Ladder, he was the BD & Marketing Director at one of NZ's leading law firms and oversaw their successful rebranding to Dentons Kensington Swan. Ben provides regular BD coaching and skills sessions to his clients which help them to grow their practices. One of his key strengths is that he brings active change to the way things are done, so that his clients can achieve the results that they aspire to.
Job Titles:
- Director of Innovation Design Vanderbilt Law School
A frequent keynote speaker and outspoken advocate of legal professionals embracing technology, Cat has over a decade and a half of experience assisting clients with complex eDiscovery and forensic needs.
Catherine "Cat" Casey is responsible for creating new opportunities for AI adoption by leveraging Reveal's powerful technology platform. She is a frequent keynote speaker and outspoken advocate of legal professionals embracing technology to deliver better legal outcomes. Cat has over a decade and a half of experience assisting clients with complex eDiscovery and forensic needs that arise from litigation, expansive regulation, and complex contractual relationships. Casey has an A.L.B. from Harvard University and attended Pepperdine School of Law.
Job Titles:
- Legal Practice Advisor LEAP Legal Software
Chantal McNaught is a multi-talented legal professional. She works at LEAP Legal Software, the global leader in cloud-based legal practice solutions, and she's also a former Australian lawyer, consultant, writer, coach, mentor, researcher, and human rights advocate. She has over 10 years of experience in using legal tech to improve legal services, client satisfaction, profitability and wellness. She also helps lawyers to grow their careers and find work-life balance.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Kensington Swan
Charles is the Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Kensington Swan in New Zealand. He was previously general counsel and general manager of Corporate Affairs at Auckland International Airport Ltd. His work there was recognised in 2011 when he was named In-House Lawyer of the Year by the In-House Lawyers Association of New Zealand. Charles loves the law and the legal profession and has served on the governing bodies of the In-house Lawyers Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Listed Companies Association. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer Wycane Legal Transformation
David founded Wycane Legal Transformation on his return to New Zealand after a 30-year business career in the United Kingdom. Wycane helps law firms in the United Kingdom and New Zealand adopt and benefit from the latest technology solutions. He has a wealth of experience in the technology sector, having worked as a C-Level executive for various businesses and delivered IT projects for clients such as Ince, Sky, Samsung, BDO and LG. He is passionate about legal transformation and shares his insights and expertise through workshops, events and publications in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal Lawyer and Founder De Novo Legal
Emily Moore is the principal lawyer at De Novo Legal, a practice she created after gaining 16 years of diverse legal experience in both New Zealand and Australia.
Job Titles:
- Head of Legal & Company Secretary Airways New Zealand
Fiona leads the legal team as the Head of Legal and Company Secretary at Airways New Zealand. She and her team advise on various and challenging legal matters. She plays a key role in ensuring New Zealand's skies are safe and expanding the business internationally. In only half a year, Fiona has formed a great team and enabled them to become a hub of excellence in delivering strategic legal services. She has quickly gained the respect and trust of the Board and executive team.
Job Titles:
- Professional Services Leadership Mentor
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director Juno Legal
Helen Mackay, BCA, LLB, has been an in-house lawyer and a champion of the in-house legal profession for more than 20 years. She is a former President and CEO of the In-house Lawyers Association of New Zealand and co-chair of the foundation committee of In-House Counsel Worldwide.
Job Titles:
- Regional Director APAC NetDocuments
- Regional Director for the NetDocuments Asia Pacific
Jennifer Cathcart is the Regional Director for the NetDocuments Asia Pacific region. NetDocuments, the leading cloud platform for document and email management, is experiencing unprecedented growth in APAC and Jennifer is very passionate about the company and her clients.
Job Titles:
- Global Sales and Marketing Director File Republic
John has a wealth of experience in legal technology and helps law firms achieve their goals to have a paperless office. He has a background as a barrister in South Africa and has held various Legal Technology leadership positions at LexisNexis (Australia and New Zealand). He is also a board member of a global Cyber Security company and now leads the global Sales & Marketing at File Republic.
Job Titles:
- General Manager Content Australia & Content Strategy Asia Pacific LexisNexis
Lindsay O'Connor is a content powerhouse who leads the Content (Australia) and Content Strategy (Asia) teams at LexisNexis. She graduated from the College of Law and became a solicitor in 2007. She has a wealth of experience in creating customer-focused content and products in the legal publishing and technology sectors. She is a visionary content leader who leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver best-in-class, up-to-date content. She has spearheaded the development of several AI-powered solutions that empower lawyers to work more efficiently, and manage risk more effectively. Lindsay is passionate about the role content has to play in ensuring these tools enable lawyers to work more effectively, whilst also effectively managing risk.
Owen's unique perspective on the law lead to him founding iCLAW with the idea of creating a cutting-edge, people-focused practice that values every client's needs. He oversees the property practice at iCLAW and strives to provide strategic solutions for any challenge.
Sophie Schwass is the former Chief Executive of Meredith Connell. She is a respected C-suite leader with a wealth of experience and a reputation for driving transformational change. She has led large global in complex regulated FTSE 100 and private practice organisations (Barclays, Lloyds, Clifford Chance). She has navigated challenging situations such as the financial crisis, the COVID crisis and emerging markets with resilience and agility.