Malbek

• Lead and manage the legal function.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and COO with respect to all legal matters.
• Regularly contribute to Malbek’s product development efforts. 
• Provide structured and ad hoc legal support as needed across the enterprise.
• Recommend, design, and implement new processes and procedures to improve and better align  processes with strategic business and product development objectives.
• Regularly contribute to Malbek’s content marketing efforts by authoring long-form thought leadership pieces and participating in webinars and podcasts.
• Work cross-functionally with product marketing, content producers, designers, and sales leaders on lead demand generation strategy and marketing campaign development efforts.
• Lead and/or moderate webinars, podcast episodes, and in-person events with prospects, customers, partners, and other members of the legal and legal technology communities.

General Counsel

•	Lead the legal function with a focus on data privacy, contracting, and intellectual property. 
•	Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and COO with respect to all legal matters.
•	Provide ad hoc legal support as needed across the enterprise.
•	Recommend, design, and implement new processes and procedures to improve and better align contract templates and processes with strategic business and product development objectives.
•	Regularly contribute to Malbek’s content marketing efforts by authoring long-form thought leadership pieces and participating in webinars and podcasts.
•	Regularly contribute to and provide advice regarding ongoing product development initiatives.
•	Work cross-functionally with product marketing, content producers, designers, and sales leaders on lead demand generation strategy and marketing campaign development efforts.
•	Lead and/or moderate webinars, podcast episodes, and in-person events with prospects, customers, partners, and other members of the legal and technology communities.

Director of Legal and Evangelist

Albany Law School

I teach "Technology and Law Practice Management" - a course designed to be an introduction to the evolving world of legal technology and its transformative impact on modern legal practice. The course explores how technology is reshaping the legal profession. The course incorporates hands-on experience with tools alongside strategies for how to best use the tools that students in the class are asked to experiment with.

Adjunct Professor of Law

Proxy

Advisory Board Member

The Colleges of Law

I teach "Technology for Legal Professionals".  This course is a Masters-Level intensive course in legal technology. Students gain first-hand experience using a variety of technologies commonly used in the practice of law alongside learning best practices for using technology in an effective and productive way.

Adjunct Faculty

WordRake

-Key business leader and advocate for WordRake.
-Led market research efforts and engaged in discussions with legal leaders.  
-Responsible for leading various marketing, business development, and branding initiatives. 
-Designed and directed social media outreach and campaigns.
-Co-led competitive analysis and positioning efforts.
-Directly assisted in a number of product development efforts.

Director Of Marketing And Business Development

Lookout

Negotiated, drafted and closed a variety of agreements, including distributor agreements, reseller agreements, customer and sales agreements, technology licensing agreements, and services agreements.
Developed, improve and maintain policies and agreement templates.
Maintained contractual records and documentation.
Assisted with managing company's contract management system.
Facilitated the resolution of business / legal issues and formulating recommendations using analysis, creativity and the development of new approaches to enable contract execution while safeguarding the company and creating a positive customer experience.
Built and managed processes and workflows that can scale globally.
Kept abreast of U.S. and international law that may affect the business.
Advised on special projects as needed, including new product development and expansion into new international markets.
Contribute to cross-functional teams as a trusted advisor, creative problem-solver and strategic thinker.

Legal Counsel

Salary.com

Served as strategic advisor to the CFO and CEO with regards to data privacy, information security, strategic transactions, commercial transactions, employment law, and intellectual property matters.
Led and directed all legal operations, processes, and procedures for the company and provided general legal guidance and support to all departments across the company.
Closed deals worth $200K and more.
Supported sales teams and all other functions by managing, drafting, reviewing, redlining, and negotiating both standard and non-standard agreements including, but not limited to SaaS, data privacy, marketing, professional services, independent contractor, and distributor contracts.
Improved upon existing organizational contracting processes and templates to improve workflow.
Maintained contractual records and documentation, such as receipt and control of all contract correspondence, contractual changes, and other documents for all projects.
Worked with finance to ensure adherence to broader finance and risk requirements 
Reviewed and maintained the company’s internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the company’s legal obligations. 
Reviewed and developed as needed relevant processes, policies, and procedures relating to the company’s contracting and other internal practices.
Coordinated and managed outside counsel on an as-needed basis for various ad-hoc matters.
Facilitated the resolution of business / legal issues and formulating recommendations using analysis, creativity and the development of new approaches to enable contract execution while safeguarding the company and creating a positive customer experience all in accordance with company policies and procedures.
Provided the sales team (and any other teams as needed) with training, education, and documentation on any and all relevant legal matters.
Responded to ad hoc requests for legal assistance/legal research.

Corporate Counsel

Pearson

Supported global sales teams by reviewing, negotiating, redlining, drafting, and overseeing a variety of agreement and contracts with both domestic and global partners and customers and coordinating with  other legal and business functions as needed.
Frequently closed deals worth over $200K.
Provided Intellectual Property support and advice on a wide range of matters.
Recommended and implemented changes regarding improving deal processes and procedures and better alignment of deal terms and alignment with business strategic objectives.
Implemented, oversaw, and managed key contract policies, procedures, and processes.
Assisted with ad hoc Intellectual Property queries.
Managed content partner relationships on behalf of Rights & Permissions and Pearson with content suppliers.
Reviewed Intellectual Property and related inquiries and provided related counseling and support pertaining to countless contract matters including but not limited to licensing, partnership, consulting, non-disclosure, and  termination.
Assisted Rights & Permissions teams and business units in the execution and implementation of agreements from planning through approval to post-execution matters.
Coordinated and collaborated with Rights & Permissions Rights Management teams and Royalty Accounting Department to ensure accuracy in payment.
Assisted Rights & Permissions teams and business units in the execution of agreements from planning through approval to post-execution matters.
Maintained contractual records and documentation.
Assisted in maintaining contract database and maintaining key information on all contracts.
Improved upon existing organizational contracting processes to improve workflow efficiency.
Served as Pearson's Boston-area Global Diversity and Inclusion Advocate where I led development of an online student-focused tool focused on combating cyber-bullying.

Manager, Contract Negotiations

C&W Services

Provided direct support and counseling to sales teams by managing, drafting, reviewing, redlining, and negotiating both standard and non-standard agreements including, but not limited to, non-disclosure, master service, master license, independent contractor, consulting, professional service, supplier, and vendor contracts.
Maintained contractual records and documentation, such as receipt and control of all contract correspondence, customer contact information sheets, contractual changes, and other documents for all projects.
Assisted in maintaining contract database and maintaining key information on all contracts.
Worked with risk management department to coordinate contractual insurance requirements.
Worked with finance department to insure adherence to broader finance and risk requirements such as pricing and discounting policies, and other relevant requirements.
Communicated signed contracts to all relevant parties to provide contract visibility and awareness.
Responded to ad hoc requests for legal assistance/legal research.

Temporary Contracts Counsel

Velcro Group Corporation

Provided support to global sales offices by managing, drafting, reviewing, redlining, and negotiating both standard and non-standard agreements including, but not limited to non-disclosure, marketing, marketing affiliate, sweepstakes, professional services, independent contractor, manufacturing, software licensing (both on-premise and SaaS), customer/sales, supplier, joint development, and distributor contracts.
Closed deals worth $300K and more.
Improved upon existing organizational contracting processes to improve workflow efficiency.
Developed/revised contractual templates.
Maintained contractual records and documentation, such as receipt and control of all contract correspondence, customer contact information sheets, contractual changes, and other documents for all projects.
Worked with risk management department to coordinate contractual insurance requirements.
Worked with finance department to ensure adherence to broader finance and risk requirements such as revenue recognition, pricing and discounting policies, and other relevant requirements.
Worked with relevant sales and business team and advised regarding legal issues and risks related to various business transactions.
Served as the point of contact on contract database matters on behalf of the Legal Department.
Assisted with managing, developing, and implementing contract management system.
Maintained contractual records, documentation, and corporate governance materials.
Advised regarding company’s corporate structure.
Drafted and analyzed corporate bylaws, board of directors, and shareholder resolutions. 
Assisted with corporate re-structuring matters arising from mergers and acquisitions and other related transactions.
Provided training to employees.
Communicated signed contracts to all relevant parties to provide contract visibility and awareness.
Responded to ad hoc requests for legal assistance/legal research.

Contracts Counsel

Provided support to global sales offices by managing, drafting, reviewing, redlining, and negotiating both standard and non-standard agreements including nondisclosure, marketing, marketing affiliate, professional services, independent contractor, manufacturing, software licensing (both on premise and SaaS), customer/sales, supplier, joint development, and distributor contracts.
Maintained contractual records and documentation, such as receipt and control of all contract correspondence, customer contact information sheets, contractual changes, and other documents for all projects.
Developed/revised contractual templates.
Worked with risk management department to coordinate contractual insurance requirements.
Worked with finance department to insure adherence to broader finance and risk requirements such as revenue recognition, pricing and discounting policies and other relevant requirements.
Worked with relevant sales and business team and advise regarding legal issues and risks related to various business transactions.
Ensured proper completion of a wide variety of agreements.
Monitored compliance by company employees with established procedures.
Ensured that signed contracts are communicated to all relevant parties to provide contract visibility and awareness.

Contracts Administrator

Director of Legal @ Malbek | Legal Tech Author and Commentator | Fastcase 50 2022 Honoree | Legal Tech Startup Advisor and Investor

Hey. I’m Colin. I am the General Counsel of Malbek, CLM for the Enterprise. I am a man on a mission. 

My mission is helping people make sense of legal tech—where technology and the law intersect to drive real change. 

As an educator, writer, and advocate, I explore how innovation is reshaping the legal landscape and share insights to help you navigate this dynamic space.

I actively work to grow and support the legal tech community. 

I authored The Legal Tech Ecosystem, a foundational guide to understanding the industry, co-wrote CLM for Dummies to make Contract Lifecycle Management accessible, and edited the comprehensive Handbook of Legal Tech. 

Additionally, I’ve contributed articles, spoken on podcasts, and hosted webinars to unpack the role of technology in law.

I aim to empower legal professionals to embrace technology and realize its potential to improve the legal industry. 

Change and innovation are not just buzzwords to me—they’re the driving forces behind my work.

As Director of Legal and Evangelist for Malbek, a leading Contract Lifecycle Management platform, I stay on the frontlines of legal tech innovation. I also advise startups, invest in emerging technology, and look for ways to propel the industry forward.

Here are a few specific highlights of my work:

1) Author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem – An essential guide for understanding the foundations of legal tech and its key players.

2) Editor of the Handbook of Legal Tech – A comprehensive exploration of the distinct sectors shaping the legal tech landscape.

3) Co-author of CLM for Dummies – Breaking down Contract Lifecycle Management into practical, approachable concepts for legal professionals at every stage.

4) Judge for the American Legal Technology Awards – Highlighting and celebrating groundbreaking advancements in legal innovation.

5)  Columnist for Today’s General Counsel – Delivering in-depth analysis and actionable strategies on the intersection of technology and legal operations.

Every role I take on reflects my dedication to advancing the legal tech community and showing what’s possible when technology and the law work together.

My journey started with candid conversations with pioneers in legal tech. I continue to share those experiences and what I’ve learned on my website, colinslevy.com.

For updates, follow me here, on my website, or on platforms like Threads, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

Whether you’re curious about legal tech, just starting out, or building something new, I’d love to connect. 

Please reach out!

Paralegals.

Frequently the most insightful and compelling individuals I have encountered have been paralegals.

They are usually the most fluent with technology, the most inventive, and the most team oriented contributors inside a legal department.

They regularly drive forward new ideas and better ways of working.

They also commonly progress into legal operations leadership roles.

Hear them. Value them. Grow with them.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek, and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Colin Levy

Talks about #legaltech, #technology, #legalinnovation, and #legaltechnology

General Counsel @ Malbek - CLM for Enterprise | Adjunct Professor of Law | Author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem | Legal Tech Educator | Fastcase 50 (2022)

Time for some blunt talk. 

I am over hearing and reading the same tired narrative from SO many highly successful leaders:

The only way to achieve financial success is to sacrifice everything. Give up your time. Give up your relationships. Give up your hobbies. Give up your life. All because your company must come first.

Fuck. That.

I have spent my career working in legal tech across roles that demanded real commitment: in-house counsel, legal tech advocate, writer, speaker, and now General Counsel at Malbek. 

I wrote The Legal Tech Ecosystem while working full time. I built a voice in this field through years of writing, interviewing innovators, and publishing pieces that unpack the future of the legal profession. 

And I did all of it without sacrificing the rest of my life. I learned to set boundaries. I learned to protect my time. I learned that saying yes to everything is a shortcut to becoming no one.

I have seen burnout up close, both in myself and in the leaders around me. I know what it looks like when the work becomes the identity and the identity becomes the prison. I also know that it does not have to be that way.

You can push your career forward without losing yourself. You can build meaningful influence without torching your evenings, your weekends or your relationships. You can achieve financial success without buying into the false choice between being a high performer and being a whole person.

The belief that you must trade your life for your livelihood is not wisdom. It is a culture problem. It is a system problem. It is people mistaking self-destruction for dedication.

Success should not cost your health, your relationships or your joy. Sustainable success comes from clarity, boundaries, curiosity, and the courage to reject a narrative built on sacrifice theater.

You can be successful, even wildly successful, and still have a life. My career is proof. Anyone telling you otherwise is defending a myth they needed to believe to justify their own choices.

I’m Colin, General Counsel of Malbek - CLM for the Enterprise and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem. 

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Colin S. Levy

General Counsel @ Malbek - CLM for Enterprise | Adjunct Professor of Law | Author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem | Legal Tech Advisor and Investor | Named to the Fastcase 50 (2022)

Often one's biggest frustration with Generative AI isn't understanding what it can do, it's getting it to actually DO what you want it to do.

So I ran an experiment.

I asked Claude to create a comprehensive guide for writing effective prompts, using document review as a practical example. 

Here's what I've found effective AI prompting really comes down to:

→ Being specific about your desired output format
→ Providing context about your use case
→ Breaking complex tasks into clear steps
→ Including examples when possible
→ Iterating based on results

The difference between a vague request and a well-structured prompt can save hours of back-and-forth.

The full guide, shared below, covers everything from basic prompt structure to advanced techniques for complex document analysis.

I hope it helps you!

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

AI Prompting for Document Analysis

Lawyers are running headfirst into a practical problem: 

AI can speed up research, but its mistakes still land on their desks.

Every missed citation or wrong answer has real consequences, which means review is not optional.

Courts and schools are updating expectations, pushing the profession to treat verification as a core skill.

Firms are responding with stronger workflows that protect the quality of their work, not just the speed.

My last newsletter issue of 2025 offers a direct look at how legal practice is adjusting and what responsible use of AI now requires.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

In the spirit of the approaching Festivus season, I am kicking off an early airing of grievances. I have many. I will share a few.

First, if I see the term AI powered one more time without any clarity on what the system actually does, I may file an internal complaint with myself. At this point, my coffee mug is AI powered because I said so.

Second, I would love to attend one conference session where someone talks about revolution or transformation and can point to at least three data points showing that something changed beyond a slide deck.

Third, redlining is not a sport where you swap an entire clause for your favorite clause and pretend it is a minor tweak. My tracked changes can only take so much.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek, and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

I am done watching and reading the same breathless declarations flood my feed from people who should know better.

AI will fix everything.

AI will replace everyone.

AI will transform every corner of every industry if we just get out of the way.

ENOUGH.

I have spent my career at the intersection of law and technology working with tools that actually move the needle. 

I have seen what AI can do well and  I have also seen where it fails, where it misleads and where it becomes a shiny distraction rather than a meaningful solution.

AI is powerful. AI is useful. But AI is not magic.

I built my career by asking hard questions, pushing past hype, and reminding teams that technology is a means, not a mission. 

I have seen leaders invest in systems that promised transformation only to deliver confusion because no one bothered to ask the most important questions: 

What outcome are we chasing and is this even the right tool to get us there?

Chasing AI for the sake of chasing AI is not strategy. It is noise. It is performative innovation. It is what happens when people confuse novelty with progress.

You can embrace AI without worshipping it. You can leverage it without surrendering judgment. You can build better legal and business functions without assuming that every problem deserves a model or a chatbot or an automation layer.

AI should support thinking, not replace it. It should expand human capability, not become a crutch that excuses bad decisions or shallow planning.

The belief that AI is the solution to all problems is not vision. 

It is wishful thinking. It is a failure to do the harder work of defining goals, diagnosing root causes, and choosing the right tools for the right jobs.

Real progress comes from clarity, intentionality, experimentation, and knowing that sometimes the most effective solution is not AI at all.

You can lead with intelligence, not hype. You can innovate with restraint. You can build strong, modern teams without handing every challenge to a model and hoping for the best.

I’m Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem. 

And I am here to remind this profession that AI is a but a tool, not a doctrine.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

AI is NOT the solution to all problems.

AI is NOT infallible.

AI is here to augment.

Can we please stop with the AI worship and endless talk of AI transformation?

We should focus on the outcomes we want to achieve and then focus on how to get to the desired outcome knowing that AI may NOT be the tool you need or solution you seek.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Thank You.

Thank you to all who support me, inspire me, reach out to me, and those along for the journey.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Lawyers who use AI tools effectively make conscious decisions about what to ask AI, when to double-check results, and when to trust their own judgment over the AI's suggestions.

Successful lawyers are learning that using AI well means building new skills on top of their existing expertise, not replacing one with the other. 

Organizations need people who can work at different stages: spotting new AI opportunities, experimenting with tools, and improving workflows that already use AI.

The line between what these tools can do on their own and what needs human legal judgment keeps moving. This means lawyers need to regularly think about which tasks actually benefit from AI and which do not.

Lawyers are adopting AI in a pattern we've seen before with other new technologies. First there's pushback, then people start experimenting, and eventually systematic use becomes normal as lawyers get better at it and more confident.

The difference now is that this process is happening much faster than with past technology changes, forcing lawyers to adapt and often quickly.

Simply thinking of AI as just one thing or another misses the bigger picture.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek, and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Much of my work has centered on helping legal teams understand how technology and AI are reshaping legal practice. 

At Malbek, I lead the legal function while working closely with product, engineering, marketing, and sales to improve contracting processes, strengthen data governance, and align product development with the needs of modern legal departments.

I also teach law school courses on legal technology, where students work directly with the tools reshaping today’s legal workflows. 

My writing, including The Legal Tech Ecosystem, CLM for Dummies, and the Handbook of Legal Tech, aims to give practitioners a clear structure for understanding this evolving space.

A significant part of my work involves speaking with law firms and large professional groups about the operational realities of adopting technology, including AI. 

These discussions focus on practical implementation, risk considerations, and the process changes required to make technology genuinely useful.

The legal industry does not need more hype. 

It needs clear frameworks, grounded guidance, and examples that reflect how legal work actually gets done. That is the lens through which I approach everything I do.

If you are thinking through how technology fits into your legal function or how to adopt it responsibly and effectively, I am always open to connecting.

I’m Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem. 

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Too often sales teams see lawyers as obstacles, and lawyers see sales as careless. 

The real opportunity sits in redefining how these teams work together.

Progress starts when both sides understand what the other is actually trying to achieve. 

When sales invests in learning the fundamentals instead of relying on legal as a helpdesk. 

When legal responds as a coach rather than a gatekeeper. And when leadership treats this partnership as a priority rather than something that will sort itself out.

The better question is not how to eliminate tension between sales and legal, but how to channel it in ways that ultimately serve customers more effectively.

Because at the end of the day, that is the metric that matters most.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Lawyers who get real value from AI are intentional about how they use it. 

They think carefully about the questions they ask, they know when an output needs a closer look, and they recognize the moments when their own professional judgment should take the lead.

Successful lawyers are discovering that working well with AI is not about trading old skills for new ones. 

It is about layering new capabilities on top of the expertise they already have.

Organizations need people who can contribute at different points in the process: identifying where AI could help, trying out and refining tools, and strengthening workflows that already incorporate AI.

The boundary between what these systems can do on their own and what still calls for human judgment is constantly shifting. 

This makes it essential for lawyers to revisit which tasks truly benefit from AI support and which do not.

Lawyers are adopting AI in a way that feels familiar from past waves of technology. 

There is early hesitation, followed by small experiments, and eventually more structured use as confidence and skill grow.

The difference today is speed. 

This cycle is unfolding far faster than with earlier innovations, which means lawyers are being asked to adjust, learn, and apply new approaches at a much quicker pace.

Reducing AI to a single role or label misses how broad and flexible its impact really is.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Lawyers who use AI tools effectively are deliberate about how they frame questions, when they validate outputs, and when their professional judgment should override a model’s proposed answer.

Successful lawyers are recognizing that competent AI use depends on layering new analytical and technical habits onto their current capabilities rather than substituting one set of skills for another.

Organizations need contributors who can operate across the full lifecycle of AI adoption: identifying meaningful use cases, running targeted tests, and refining processes that already incorporate AI systems.

The boundary between automated capability and tasks that still demand legal reasoning is shifting. 

This requires lawyers to continually examine which responsibilities gain value from AI assistance and which remain firmly in the domain of human judgment.

Lawyers are adopting AI through a familiar progression with emerging tools: initial reluctance, followed by controlled experimentation, and then structured integration as proficiency increases.

The difference now is the accelerated pace. 

Adjusting to AI driven change demands quicker learning cycles than previous waves of technology.

Treating AI as a single, uniform category obscures its varied impacts and limits how effectively it can be integrated into legal work.

I'm Colin, General Counsel at Malbek, and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem.

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Solve Intelligence just raised a 40M Series B and launched a new product for generating patent claim charts. 

Solve has gone from a 12M Series A to 55M raised in total, with tenfold ARR growth and profitability. 

More than 400 IP teams across six continents now use the platform, including major firms and global corporate IP groups. 

That level of adoption speaks to a real shift in how patent tasks are being handled.

Solve’s focus on security and confidentiality has helped drive trust, especially in a profession that treats data protection as nonnegotiable.

The patent industry is a large and complex market that has seen limited innovation. 

It is good to see sustained investment in tools built specifically for this work and strong adoption by the teams who rely on them every day.

I’m Colin, General Counsel at Malbek and author of The Legal Tech Ecosystem. 

#legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

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