Future Contracts

In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas speaks with Nate Kostelnik, in-house counsel at the Oncology Nursing Society, about how in-house teams can build scalable, repeatable systems around commercial contracting. Drawing on his experience with procurement, standardization, and internal playbooks, Nate shares how his team is empowering business partners to manage contracts more independently—without compromising legal oversight. They discuss how data can drive smarter fallback positions, why lawyers should rethink their role in enabling business, and what it really looks like to operationalize legal workflows inside a mission-driven nonprofit.Whether you're building a legal function from scratch or trying to scale without burning out your legal team, this episode is packed with thoughtful insight on the real future of contracts.

"What’s hype—and what’s actually changing in legal tech?"In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas sits down with Richard Tromans, founder of Artificial Lawyer and longtime analyst of legal innovation, to break down the three eras of legal tech—and where AI fits into the current wave of change.Together, they reflect on decades of efforts to modernize legal services, from early eDiscovery to today’s generative AI boom. Richard challenges the industry to move past superficial tools and buzzwords and instead focus on meaningful transformation: the systems, workflows, and market demands actually shaping how legal work gets done.Whether you’re skeptical or optimistic about AI’s potential in law, this episode offers a sharp, grounded take on what it will really take to shift legal service delivery in a lasting way.🎧 Topics covered:The 3 phases of legal tech: from point solutions to platform warsWhy most lawyers aren’t actually using today’s toolsThe role of clients in driving change—and why they’re getting louderHype cycles vs. real innovationHow AI fits into the next wave of legal workWhat's missing from the current conversationAbout the guest:Richard Tromans is the founder of Artificial Lawyer, one of the leading publications covering legal innovation and technology. He’s advised law firms, vendors, and investors on legal strategy and transformation and is known for cutting through buzz to get to what really matters.If you’re working in legal ops, tech, or just trying to stay ahead of the shift, don’t miss this episode.👉 Subscribe, follow, and share to stay tuned for more conversations at the intersection of legal work, technology, and change.

Is legal innovation just a buzzword—or the key to real change? In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas talks with Jana Blount, veteran legal innovation consultant, about what innovation really means, why clients—not law firms—are driving the push for change, and how design thinking can reshape legal services.They unpack how AI is shifting expectations, why legal operations must evolve beyond efficiency, and how lawyers can adapt to a rapidly transforming business landscape. If you want to understand the forces redefining the future of legal work, this conversation is a must-listen.

Is the Legal Industry Training Lawyers for the World They're Entering?In this episode, Electra Japonas sits down with Terra Potter to unpack how legal training must evolve alongside the rise of AI, automation, and client demands. From commercial awareness to system design, Terra argues that junior lawyers need more than legal doctrine—they need to understand the why behind their work.They explore what risk really means, how to embed business thinking into legal workflows, and why lawyers must become architects of legal systems—not just practitioners within them.

In this episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas is joined by Darryl Chiang, Director of Legal at Google, to explore what it really takes to simplify contracts and modernize legal workflows.They dive into the limits of traditional legal mindsets, the promise of AI, and the power of standardization—not just to improve efficiency, but to strengthen business relationships. Darryl shares how lawyers can move from complexity toward clarity, and why the future of law depends on human-centered design.

In this kickoff episode of Future Contracts, Electra Japonas sits down with Preston Clark—CEO of SimpleDocs and President of Law Insider—for a candid conversation about how legal work is evolving.They explore the growing divide between legal theory and practice, the urgent need for standardization, and why AI is poised to fundamentally reshape contract workflows. From lessons learned building legal tech to the future of legal teams, this episode sets the tone for a podcast dedicated to what's next in law.

Welcome to Future Contracts, the podcast where Electra Japonas talks to the people reshaping how legal work gets done.From AI to workflows, from redlines to risk, this show dives into the real-world tools, ideas, and stories driving the future of contracts. Powered by Law Insider.