Episodes
-
E035: How Access Governance Impacts Revenue, Solvency, and Enterprise Trust
Access controls used to be treated as a technical checklist item. Today, they can determine whether a company closes an enterprise deal, secures cyber insurance, passes an audit—or survives a breach. In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker sits down with Garrett Grajek, CEO of YouAttest…
more -
E034: What “Deal-Ready” Really Means: Aligning Legal and Capital Strategy Before Fundraising
In this episode of the Ivory GC Podcast, host Brian Becker sits down with Jeffrey Fidelman, CEO and Founder of Fidelman & Company, to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in startup fundraising. Drawing on experience across Morgan Stanley, HSBC, venture capital, and interim executive...
-
E033 | How legal functions can become enablers of change, not barriers | Leslie Cornell | Ivory GC
This episode of Ivory GC features Leslie Cornell, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Social Finance, a nonprofit investment advisor pioneering outcomes-based financing for social change. Leslie shares her transition from public finance law to leading legal strategy in the...
-
E032 | Navigating marketing regulations and AI in legal workflows | Richard Sarhaddi | Ivory GC
This episode of Ivory GC features Richard Sarhaddi, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Aspen Standard Wealth, a platform investing in independent registered investment advisory firms. Richard brings nearly 20 years of experience across regulatory, legal, and compliance leadership...
-
E031 | Embedding legal foresight across the organization | Sal Roccaro | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, we’re joined by Sal Roccaro, Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel at Maximum Quality Foods, a third-generation family-run food distribution company. With a background in engineering, law, and business, Sal’s multidisciplinary expertise has helped him shape...
-
E030 | My successful non-linear career journey | Nicole Moss | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, we sit down with Nicole Moss, a seasoned legal leader who currently serves as in-house general counsel for multiple companies across sectors like energy, healthcare, and tech. From Geophysical Technology to Assurance Medication Management and BluBridge, Nicole plays a...
-
E029 | The Legal Nuances of Operating in the Gig Economy | Eric Fisher | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, we sit down with Eric M. Fisher, General Counsel at Homeaglow, a tech-enabled platform that connects households with trusted cleaning professionals. With a legal career spanning Madison Square Garden Entertainment and Gopuff, Eric shares his journey from law firm...
-
E028 | Essentials for Modern Legal Leaders | Frank Chou | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, we sit down with Frank Chou, General Counsel at Rhino and Jetty, an insurtech company transforming the security deposit landscape through innovative insurance products. Frank shares his journey from early roles in government and fintech to leading legal strategy in a...
-
E027 | Embracing Uncertainty with Confidence and Integrity | Tatyana Kleyman | Ivory GC
Please be advised that this episode of Ivory GC was recorded in May 2025. Consequently, some of the information presented may have been subject to changes or updates since that time. In this episode of Ivory GC, Tatyana Kleyman, General Counsel at Brightcore Energy, shares her fascinating pivot...
-
E026 | Put Things Into Perspective and Make Sure You Have a Support System | Bita Goldman | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Bita Goldman, Global General Counsel at UNiDAYS, shares her journey from advocating for her immigrant family to shaping legal strategy at a global student platform. With early roots in advocating for victims of domestic violence, Bita transitioned to in-house roles,...
-
E025 | Bridging Traditional with Innovations | Mark Chavez | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Mark Chavez, General Counsel at Applied Digital Corporation, shares his diverse journey from energy law to the cutting edge of AI and cryptocurrency infrastructure. Starting with environmental law and motor sports at ExxonMobil, Mark transitioned through World Fuel...
-
E024 | Scaling Systems in Fast-Moving Startups | Charles Kwalwasser | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Charles Kwalwasser, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel at Camp: The Family Experience Store, shares his path through financial services, consumer tech, and immersive retail. With early roots in patent law and IP at Clifford Chance and Lehman Brothers,...
-
E023 | The Critical Importance of Educating and Collaborating | Alexis Freeman | Ivory GC
Alexis Freeman, General Counsel at Lindblad Expeditions, recounts her transition from a background in corporate restructuring to leading the legal function within the dynamic adventure travel and ecotourism industry. She provides a detailed account of the unique legal challenges faced by a global...
-
E022 | Strategies for managing diverse legal challenges | Ryan McElduff | Ivory GC
Ryan McElduff, General Counsel at ICC Industries, provides insights into his transition from commercial litigation to leading the legal department of a global chemical company. He shares strategies for managing diverse legal challenges and emphasizes a cooperative, problem-solving approach.…
more -
E021 | Striking the balance between legal risk and business innovation | Neela Paykel | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Neela Paykel shares her journey as a legal executive with over 20 years of in-house leadership experience spanning MedTech, autonomous vehicles, and digital health. Currently serving as Tech General Counsel in Residence at Mayer Brown, Neela discusses her unique role…
more -
E020 | Navigating legal risk, compliance, and information security | Valerie Chianuri | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Valerie Chianuri, General Counsel and Head of People & Operations at nTopology Inc., shares her journey from financial services to leading legal and operational functions in high-growth tech companies. With over 20 years of experience spanning American Express,...
-
E019 | Managing Legal and Compliance Functions in Private Credit | Ling-Ling Nie | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Ling-Ling Nie shares her remarkable journey as a legal and compliance leader across corporate, government, and academic sectors. From serving as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Aura to holding key legal roles at Georgia Tech, Panasonic North America, and…
more -
E018 | Managing Legal and Compliance Functions in Private Credit | Viravyne Chhim Bip | Ivory GC
This episode of Ivory GC features Viravyne Chhim Bip, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at MGG Investment Group, a private credit investment firm managing over $6 billion in assets. With a career spanning Latham & Watkins, Credit Suisse, GSO Capital Partners, and Blackstone Credit,...
-
E017 | Ensure Great Collaboration in Legal Services | Marla Crawford | Ivory GC
This episode of Ivory GC features Marla Crawford, General Counsel at Simplify, a leading provider of integrated legal services and technology. With over 35 years of experience at Jones Day and Goldman Sachs, Marla shares her journey from pioneering legal technology to leading strategic…
more -
E016 | Building a Scalable Legal Team | Luis Vacanti | Ivory GC
In this special episode of Ivory GC, Brian Becker sits down with Luis Vacanti, Chief Legal Officer at Analytic Partners, to discuss the impactful collaboration between Analytic Partners and Ivory Law Group. Luis shares his experience as the company's first in-house legal hire, the challenges of...
-
E015 | Align legal work with personal passion and impact | Helena Cawley | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Helena Cawley, General Counsel at First Street™, delves into the company’s mission of quantifying climate risk through financial modeling. She discusses First Street’s transition from a nonprofit to a public benefit corporation, a strategic move that enabled venture...
-
E014 | Fostering collaboration across departments to drive success | Bronte Prins | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, Brian sits down with Bronte Prins, General Counsel at SomeraRoad, to discuss her journey from Big Law to in-house counsel and her current role managing both legal and HR functions at the firm. Bronte shares insights into SomeraRoad’s strategic approach to off-market...
-
E013 | Leveraging legal strategies and technology to enhance efficiency | Marc Mandel | Ivory GC
In this episode, Brian sits down with Marc Mandel, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Exos, to explore his journey from Wall Street law firms to leading an agile in-house legal team. Marc shares how Exos, a human performance company, leverages innovative legal strategies and technology,...
-
E012 | Challenges of International Business Expansion | Hannah Peters Siegfried | Ivory GC
In this episode, Hannah shares her journey from litigation to leadership, reflecting on her recent transition from an in-house role to working independently as a fractional consultant. She highlights the flexibility and engagement of working with growing businesses, addressing their need for...
-
E011 | Embrace Technological Advancements in the Legal Field | Mike Kirkwood | Ivory GC
In this episode, Michael Kirkwood, General Counsel at Asset Based Lending, discusses the rapid growth of the organization from 90 to over 150 employees and the challenges of scaling legal processes, building a legal team, and reducing reliance on outside counsel. He emphasizes the importance of...
-
E010 | AI's role to augment lawyers rather than replacing them | With Min-Kyu Jung | Ivory GC
In this episode, Brian interviews Min-Kyu Jung, CEO and Co-founder of Ivo, an AI-powered contract review tool used by companies like Canva and WordPress. Teaching himself to code to address inefficiencies in contract review processes, Min-Kyu shares how his background as a corporate lawyer…
more -
E009 | This is how you become an effective problem solver and advocate | Sean Gilmartin | Ivory GC
In this episode, Brian interviews Sean Gilmartin, General Counsel at FPFX Technologies, about his dynamic career journey from trading at Merrill Lynch to leading compliance and legal teams at Jefferies, the NYSE, and crypto exchanges like Liquid and Galaxy. Sean shares his insights into the...
-
E008 | Assume the best in people, it will benefit your interactions | Alexander Zozos | Ivory GC
Alex Zozos joins Ivory GC and talks about his career journey, starting in finance at JP Morgan during the Great Financial Crisis. He shares how the crisis influenced his transition to law school at Fordham, during which time he interned at FINRA and the SEC. At the SEC, Alex worked on digital...
-
E007 | The importance of scalable and self-service solutions | Jason Idilbi | Ivory GC
Brian Becker interviews Jason Idilbi, the General Counsel at HR software company, Clear Company. Jason shares his career journey from litigation associate in Big Law to clerking for a federal judge, before moving to in-house roles at various start-up and growth stage companies. Jason highlights…
more -
E006 | Managing legal teams and fostering a positive work environment | Jonathan Stroud | Ivory GC
In this episode, Jonathan Stroud, General Counsel at Unified Patents, shares his journey from engineering and journalism to law, detailing his transition through the Patent Trademark Office and night law school. He discusses his role at Unified Patents, helping its 300+ members across industries...
-
E005 Journey Through Big Law, Tech, and Strategic Leadership | Eric B. Topel | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker welcomes Eric Topel, a seasoned legal executive now with PatSnap, to discuss his diverse experiences in big law, corporate leadership, and the evolving tech industry. Starting his career with commercial and employment litigation roles at Proskauer…
more -
E004 Navigating Law and Innovation | Stacy Ruegilin | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker sits down with Stacy Ruegilin from Ivory Law Group to explore her journey from immigrating to Hawaii to becoming a process-driven antitrust attorney with a unique “building” perspective. Stacy shares her early aspirations, the foundations of her...
-
E003 Legal Functions Across Different Business Sizes | Zachary Molloie and Michael Merola | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker speaks with Zachary Molloie from Peachy and Michael Merola from Article Student Living about their journeys into law, their roles within their companies, and how the size and industry of each business impacts their legal practices. They discuss the...
-
E002 Evolving the Role of General Counsel | Chris Porcelli and David Sheril | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker speaks with Chris Porcelli from Aterian and David Sheril from Castle Lanterra about the evolving role of general counsel in today's dynamic legal landscape. They discuss key topics such as building and reducing legal departments, the impact of…
more -
E001 How To Make Legal Operations More Affordable | Sean Linnehan and Luis Vacanti | Ivory GC
In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker from Ivory Law Group PLLC speaks with Luis Vacanti from Analytic Partners and Sean Linnehan from Leerink Partners about the transition from outside counsel to in-house counsel. They discuss the essential strategies that help in-house legal...