The legal industry is changing fast—and contracts are at the center of it. Future Contracts is the podcast where Electra Japonas talks to the people reshaping how legal work gets done. From AI to workflows, redlines to risk, each episode dives into the real-world tools, strategies, and shifts redefining the next era of contracting. Powered by Law Insider.
In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra sits down with Ed Boal—General Counsel and Legal Domain Expert at StructureFlow—to talk about legal exceptionalism, productizing legal work, and how in-house teams can scale without clinging to the billable hour or bespoke tools.
Ed shares lessons from his journey across private practice, in-house legal, and LegalTech, including why being “closer to the business” changed his entire mindset—and how legal teams can borrow from product and engineering to build for the future.
They unpack the myths of legal uniqueness, the reality of AI’s impact on junior lawyers, and what it really means to shift from chaos-reactive to strategically proactive. If you’ve ever been stuck drawing org charts in PowerPoint at 2am, this one’s for you.
16 Sept 2025
Ep 13: The Next Wave of Legal Tech
Legal tech has exploded from a niche industry into a global market worth billions. In this episode, Electra sits down with Timo of Cosmonauts to trace that journey—from the early days of e-discovery and CLM to today’s AI-powered tools that are reshaping how legal services are delivered. They explore why so many CLM projects failed, what’s driving the rise of point solutions, and how generative AI is lowering barriers for SMEs and consumers alike. Timo also shares predictions on consolidation, new business models, and why the biggest opportunities in legal tech may lie outside of law firms altogether.
Learn more about Future Contracts London at www.futurecontractslondon.com
9 Sept 2025
Ep 12: Scaling Legal Ops Globally
Electra sits down with Alex Herrity, Director of Legal Solutions at Adidas, to talk about what it really takes to scale legal operations in a global business. From his journey as a contracts lawyer to leading a legal ops team, Alex shares lessons on technology, AI pilots, change management, and how legal can position itself as an innovator inside the enterprise.
Alex is also the co-host of Law // What’s Next, a podcast exploring the future of legal ops and technology.
2 Sept 2025
Ep 11: AI-First or AI-Enabled?
Lawyer, consultant, and creator Chrissie Wolfe joins Electra Japonas to talk about the future of law in an AI-powered world. They explore what it means to be an AI-first versus AI-enabled firm, why lawyers struggle with identity when facing technological change, and how Gen Z is reshaping the profession with fresh perspectives. Chrissie also shares her journey of building an independent practice, the role of social media in her career, and why firms should see junior lawyers as both learners and leaders.
26 Aug 2025
Ep 10: Plain Language, Clear Contracts
Contracts shouldn’t be confusing. In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra sits down with Frances Gordon, UK ambassador for the Plain Language Association International, to unpack how plain language and the new ISO 24495 standard are reshaping legal and financial documents.
They explore why clarity reduces disputes and builds trust, how plain language can actually lower risk, and the surprising role generative AI can play in scaling these efforts. Frances also shares real-world examples and points to case studies collected in Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please (https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Dollars-Please-Language-Government/dp/1531024548), showing how clear communication drives real business results.
If you’ve ever wrestled with unreadable contracts—or wondered how to make them better—this episode is for you.
5 Aug 2025
Ep 9: The Legal Tech Adoption Gap
The Legal Tech Adoption Gap
Featuring Joost Bokhorst, Senior Legal Counsel at CyberArk
Why do legal teams invest in tech tools—only to see them sit unused? In this episode, Electra Japonas sits down with Joost Bokhorst to unpack the messy reality of legal tech adoption. From building a business case that speaks the language of the business, to managing expectations and driving team engagement, Joost shares real-world lessons from the front lines. Expect candid stories, practical insights, and a healthy dose of humor as they explore why change is so hard—and what to do about it.
💡 Topics include:
– Building a business case that actually gets funded
– Why user adoption is the real make-or-break
– How to avoid “tool fatigue” in growing legal teams
– What vendors get wrong (and how they can do better)
29 Jul 2025
Ep 8: Legal Education, Evolved
🎙️ Professor, Innovator, Changemaker
In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra sits down with Professor Marcia Narine Weldon, Director of the Transactional Skills Program at the University of Miami School of Law, to explore how legal education is evolving to meet the demands of modern practice.
They discuss the rise of AI in legal workflows, how law students are being trained for roles that didn’t exist 10 years ago, and why legal design and client-centricity are non-negotiable in today’s profession. From Marcia’s experiences teaching transactional law to her observations about what makes legal teams effective, this episode bridges the classroom and the boardroom with clarity and vision.
💡 Whether you’re training the next generation or leading a team today, this conversation is packed with forward-looking insight.
22 Jul 2025
Ep 7: Rethinking Law Through Design
What happens when you apply design thinking to legal work—without the buzzwords?
In this episode, Electra is joined by Astrid Kohlmeier, a pioneer in legal design and co-author of The Legal Design Book. Together they unpack what legal design really means beyond sticky notes and whiteboards—and how it’s driving a more human, usable, and intuitive approach to contracts and legal systems.
They talk about:
The misconceptions and hype around legal design
How design helps lawyers better align with business needs
Where the biggest friction still exists in contract workflows
The balance between visual tools and legal substance
Whether you're new to legal design or deep in the weeds of process improvement, this conversation challenges assumptions and invites a fresh take on the role of design in legal transformation.
📘 Want to explore more? Check out The Legal Design Book (https://www.amazon.com/dp/9529447256) by Astrid Kohlmeier and Meera Klemola — a hands-on guide to rethinking legal systems through user-centered design.
🎧 Subscribe to The Future Contracts Podcast for more conversations about what’s changing in the world of contracts—and who’s building what’s next.
15 Jul 2025
Ep 6: Legal's Role: Builder, Not Bottleneck
In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas speaks with Nate Kostelnik, in-house counsel at the Oncology Nursing Society, about how in-house teams can build scalable, repeatable systems around commercial contracting. Drawing on his experience with procurement, standardization, and internal playbooks, Nate shares how his team is empowering business partners to manage contracts more independently—without compromising legal oversight. They discuss how data can drive smarter fallback positions, why lawyers should rethink their role in enabling business, and what it really looks like to operationalize legal workflows inside a mission-driven nonprofit.
Whether you're building a legal function from scratch or trying to scale without burning out your legal team, this episode is packed with thoughtful insight on the real future of contracts.
8 Jul 2025
Ep 5: Rethinking Legal Tech
"What’s hype—and what’s actually changing in legal tech?"
In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas sits down with Richard Tromans, founder of Artificial Lawyer and longtime analyst of legal innovation, to break down the three eras of legal tech—and where AI fits into the current wave of change.
Together, they reflect on decades of efforts to modernize legal services, from early eDiscovery to today’s generative AI boom. Richard challenges the industry to move past superficial tools and buzzwords and instead focus on meaningful transformation: the systems, workflows, and market demands actually shaping how legal work gets done.
Whether you’re skeptical or optimistic about AI’s potential in law, this episode offers a sharp, grounded take on what it will really take to shift legal service delivery in a lasting way.
🎧 Topics covered:
The 3 phases of legal tech: from point solutions to platform wars
Why most lawyers aren’t actually using today’s tools
The role of clients in driving change—and why they’re getting louder
Hype cycles vs. real innovation
How AI fits into the next wave of legal work
What's missing from the current conversation
About the guest:
Richard Tromans is the founder of Artificial Lawyer, one of the leading publications covering legal innovation and technology. He’s advised law firms, vendors, and investors on legal strategy and transformation and is known for cutting through buzz to get to what really matters.
If you’re working in legal ops, tech, or just trying to stay ahead of the shift, don’t miss this episode.
👉 Subscribe, follow, and share to stay tuned for more conversations at the intersection of legal work, technology, and change.
1 Jul 2025
Ep 4: Innovation Is Not Optional
Is legal innovation just a buzzword—or the key to real change? In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas talks with Jana Blount, veteran legal innovation consultant, about what innovation really means, why clients—not law firms—are driving the push for change, and how design thinking can reshape legal services.
They unpack how AI is shifting expectations, why legal operations must evolve beyond efficiency, and how lawyers can adapt to a rapidly transforming business landscape. If you want to understand the forces redefining the future of legal work, this conversation is a must-listen.
24 Jun 2025
Ep 3: Training Lawyers for the AI Era
Is the Legal Industry Training Lawyers for the World They're Entering?
In this episode, Electra Japonas sits down with Terra Potter to unpack how legal training must evolve alongside the rise of AI, automation, and client demands. From commercial awareness to system design, Terra argues that junior lawyers need more than legal doctrine—they need to understand the why behind their work.
They explore what risk really means, how to embed business thinking into legal workflows, and why lawyers must become architects of legal systems—not just practitioners within them.
24 Jun 2025
Ep 2: Simpler Contracts, Smarter Workflows
In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas is joined by Darryl Chiang, Director of Legal at Google, to explore what it really takes to simplify contracts and modernize legal workflows.
They dive into the limits of traditional legal mindsets, the promise of AI, and the power of standardization—not just to improve efficiency, but to strengthen business relationships. Darryl shares how lawyers can move from complexity toward clarity, and why the future of law depends on human-centered design.
24 Jun 2025
Ep 1: The Future of Contracts Starts Here
In this kickoff episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas sits down with Preston Clark—CEO of SimpleDocs and President of Law Insider—for a candid conversation about how legal work is evolving.
They explore the growing divide between legal theory and practice, the urgent need for standardization, and why AI is poised to fundamentally reshape contract workflows. From lessons learned building legal tech to the future of legal teams, this episode sets the tone for a podcast dedicated to what's next in law.
18 Jun 2025
Future Contracts Trailer Episode
Welcome to Future Contracts, the podcast where Electra Japonas talks to the people reshaping how legal work gets done.
From AI to workflows, from redlines to risk, this show dives into the real-world tools, ideas, and stories driving the future of contracts. Powered by Law Insider.
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