In episode 24 of Careers in the Business of Law, Brian McGovern talks with David about growing up on the ice in Connecticut, getting his first patent, becoming AIG’s first Chief Legal Data Officer, what evergreen traits he looks for in new talent, and finally, what his Spotify data reveals about his taste in music.

Today’s guest is Brian McGovern. 

A pioneer of Legal Operations, Brian led one of the largest global enterprise legal management software implementations to date when he served as Senior Vice President and Legal Chief Data Officer at AIG. Brian is dedicated to partnering with clients to drive success through process improvement, technological innovation, and the sharing of knowledge and best practices he’s accumulated – and pioneered – throughout his over 25-year career.

He is a speaker and thought leader, he is obsessed with helping clients navigate the nuances of selecting and implementing legal technology so they can drive meaningful value that positively impacts the entire business.

(0:09) Scientist to Blackbelt to Data Officer. David Cowan welcomes Brian to the podcast. Brian’s jungle gym took him all over: roles at Duracell, GE, Credit Suisse, AIG, and now Mitratech.

(1:42) Early Inspirations. Brian’s childhood in Connecticut included as much ice time as you’d expect, but it was his love of science and math, rather than hockey, that proved most useful to his future career. But, "the number one thing I wanted to be when I was seven years old was a father, and I got to do that.”

(2:50)  First Jobs and Formative Experiences. Discussing his first job at a specialty polymer company, Brian talks about the formative nature of his early work. He describes the flexibility and problem-solving skills he developed, which were key in shaping his career: "I got to do some of everything. And it taught me a lot about how to be flexible, how to solve problems." Brian also got his first patent for a high-potential lithium primary cathode.

(4:33) Career Shift to Legal Operations. Brian details his transition into legal operations, highlighting his mathematical and process-oriented approach to problem-solving. He describes the diversity of talent in legal teams as exhilarating and integral to success: "All of them together is really what drives an excellent legal operations group."

(6:03) Setting Up Legal Operations at AIG. Brian recounts his experiences setting up AIG's first comprehensive legal operations, focusing on teamwork and diversity to achieve ambitious goals. He reflects on the collaboration that led to saving "$1.2 billion over five years," showcasing the power of diverse expertise in achieving outstanding results.

(8:17) Role Expansion at Mitratech. Brian talks about the opportunity to scale his impact, interacting with numerous legal departments worldwide. He loves the scope of his role today interacting with hundreds of legal ops teams "I get to talk to them about ‘what do they do with training?’ What are they doing with technology? What are they doing with data?"

(10:09) Seeking Talent and Adapting to Changes. In his current role, Brian looks for evolving attributes in potential hires, including a solid understanding of AI and regulatory issues. He advises on maintaining curiosity and adaptability: "You at least have to have an idea of what AI is doing... so that you're ready to learn and hit the ground running."

(12:39) Continuous Learning and Radical Curiosity. Brian offers advice on professional growth and learning, advocating for the consumption of media in forms that best suit individual preferences, whether podcasts, videos, or books. He stresses the importance of staying updated and adaptable, especially with emerging technologies like AI and regulatory changes in the legal and tech industries. "Find the things you like because all of those streams have valuable things for you right now."

(16:09) Daily Routine of an Executive Director. Brian outlines a typical day in his life, detailing both travel-heavy and home-based workdays. His schedule is packed with meetings, client interactions, and strategic planning, all aimed at enhancing service delivery and customer engagement at Metrotech. He also emphasizes the importance of family time, particularly attending his son's baseball games. "When I'm working from home, like I am today, I probably have 12-15 meetings a day."

(20:29) Musical Inspirations: U2 and Personal Favorites

Brian shares his musical preferences, giving a breakdown of his Spotify usage data: Billy Joel, Def Leopard, The Pogues, and  revealing U2 as his top choice among bands, with "So Cruel" standing out as his favorite song. He reflects on the impact of music on his personal and professional life, noting his recent experience seeing U2 perform live. "If I was going to pick my favorite U2 song, it would be 'So Cruel.'"

Mentions:

• Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer 

• U2’s So Cruel