EP 05: From Google to Startup: A Lawyer's Unconventional Path

from Beacon Voices · host Beacon Voices

What does a successful legal career look like in the age of AI, and does it still follow the traditional Big Law path?  In this episode of Beacon Voices, Akshay Verma speaks with Wei Wang, Associate General Counsel for GTM and Strategic Partnerships at TRM Labs, about her unconventional journey into in-house law. Wei shares how starting at Google during law school shaped her career across companies like Stanford, Accenture, Uber, and TRM Labs.  They discuss what it takes to succeed as an in-house lawyer today, from thinking like a business partner to adapting to the rapid rise of AI in legal work. The conversation also offers practical advice for law students and lawyers navigating the evolving legal profession.   Read a detailed summary: www.spotdraft.com/podcast/episode-5-10  Topics Introduction: 00:00Wei Wang’s background and move from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe: 03:11Discovering law through speech and debate and early career motivations: 05:19Law school expectations and the pressure to pursue Big Law: 05:40Getting an in-house start at Google and entering the tech legal world: 07:17Trusting your instincts vs following traditional legal career paths: 09:37Career growth through Google, Stanford, Accenture, Uber, and TRM Labs: 12:03What makes a successful in-house lawyer today: 19:14How large companies differ from startups in legal roles and culture: 26:22Developing operational thinking and legal ops skills in-house: 30:57Choosing legal tech tools and why process should come before technology: 35:31How AI is being used in legal teams today: 41:22AI’s future in law and advice for lawyers navigating the AI era: 44:38Experimenting with AI responsibly and building AI literacy: 52:08Advice for law students and the future of legal careers: 55:17  Connect with us: Wei Wang  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/weiwang1/ 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.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 19, 2026

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EP 05: From Google to Startup: A Lawyer's Unconventional Path

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