Running Legal Like a Business

Guest NotesJessica Vander Ploeg is the Vice President of Legal Operations at Belron, with a distinguished career leading legal operations initiatives. Her hands-on approach to legal technology, AI adoption, and operational strategy—combined with her role as a founding board member of legalops.com—makes her uniquely qualified to discuss the evolving landscape of legal operations and the strategic implementation of AI in legal departments.Guest LinkedInJessica Vander Ploeg | LinkedInKey Takeaways1. Legal operations professionals are evolving from traditional defenders of the company to strategic business enablers, partnering proactively with the business rather than reacting solely to legal risks.2. The future of legal departments relies on building the right mix of talent—including data scientists and AI specialists—and leveraging automation and technology to free lawyers for substantive, high-value work.3. Active listening is a critical human skill for legal operations success, enabling professionals to understand needs, build trust, and apply solutions across the legal department.4. Successful legal operations require the ability to apply what is heard to multiple facets of the department, aligning actions with the organization’s vision, purpose, and values.