Bonus Episode: Less Hype More Workflows From CLOC CGI 2026

I’m sharing a quick preview of why I’m heading to CLOC Global Institute 2026 in Chicago and what I’ll be watching for through the theme Stronger by Design. I’m focused on practical takeaways that help us build legal systems that are scalable and transparent while staying human-centered and sustainable. 

If you're attending CLOC's CGI 2026 or you work in legal apps, legal innovation, litigation operations, pricing, knowledge management, and AI, I want to hear from you. I want to connect, whether that's in person, at a session, by LinkedIn messaging, or through the clock conference app. 

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.

Transcript

Welcome And Why A Bonus

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi everyone, welcome back to the Grace Period. I'm Emily Logan Steadman, a partner and litigator at Tash Blackwell. Today I want to share a quick bonus episode because next week I'll be heading to Chicago for the 2026 Clock Global Institute. I'll be attending as a media attendee or influencer. So I want to give you a preview of what I'll be paying attention to while I'm there. Clock is the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, and next week is their Global Institute. This is where some of the most forward-thinking conversations in legal operations, innovation, and technology for the legal profession happen. This year's theme is Stronger by Design. This really resonates with me. As if you've been listening for a long time, you know I strive to build a sustainable and intentional career. And that's what Stronger by Design aligns with. It's not just about making legal work faster, it's about designing legal systems and workflows that are intentional, scalable, transparent, resilient, and sustainable for the people doing the work. Here's what's on my radar next week for the Global Institute. First, of course, AI, AI governance, AI adoption, how legal teams are using AI, and what safeguards they're using to protect themselves. I also want to learn about litigation workflows, what's changing, what's working, can I get some new ideas to how on how to systemize and operationalize my litigation for my clients? I want to learn more about outside council expectations. What do clients actually want, and how do they align with firms on value, transparency, and results? Related to that is matter management and budgeting. How are teams building predictability and accountability into their processes? How can we better optimize our resources? What's new in leveraging talent and technology for better outcomes? And of course, I'll be focused on sustainable, human-centered legal systems. How can we design work and workflows that's not just high performing, but healthy, resilient, and sustainable for the long run? For me, again, this all comes back to being stronger by design. Legal work isn't just about speed or efficiency. It's about trust, quality, building systems that work both for clients, the legal professionals, and the attorneys doing the work. I hope to come away with practical insights, not just trends, not just hype, but things I can actually implement for me at my firm, for my clients, and for future clients that are effective and human-centered. If you're attending clock or you work in legal apps, legal innovation, litigation operations, pricing, knowledge management, and AI, I want to hear from you. I want to connect, whether that's in person, at a session, by LinkedIn messaging, or through the clock conference app. I want to know what you're paying attention to, and I hope you'll reach out and connect with me along the way. I also want to make sure I'm covering what actually matters and what you're interested in. So next week I'll be sharing reflections in the morning and in the afternoon all about what I'm learning and what I hope to learn. And I'll be bringing you takeaways, hopefully some interviews or at least voice memos from some folks I meet, and practical insights from the front lines of legal operations. Thanks for listening. And if you'll be there next week, I hope to see you at CLOCS CGI 2026 in Chicago. Disclaimer The views expressed here are solely my own and do not represent the official policy or position of my firm or any organization. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only, not professional or legal advice. It does not create an attorney client relationship by listening to this episode.