An Inside Look at How Atlassian Uses Its Own Tools to Power Legal Workflows and Encourages Thoughtful Adoption of AI (Stan Shepard, General Counsel)

Technically Legal - A Legal Technology and Innovation Podcast

This episode features Stan Shepard, General Counsel of Atlassian, a leading provider of team productivity and collaboration software. Stan discusses his unique career journey from a finance journalist to the current GC of Atlassian. He shares valuable insights into how Atlassian's legal department leverages technology and AI for maximum efficiency.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:09]: Introduction and Stan's background - Learn about Stan's journey from finance journalist to lawyer at Charles Schwab, and eventually to his current role at Atlassian.

[00:04:00]: Why Stan transitioned from journalism to law - Discover his motivations for pursuing a legal career, including the desire for greater impact and client interaction.

[00:07:00]: The growth of Atlassian's legal department - Hear how the legal team has expanded significantly alongside the company's rapid growth, particularly during the pandemic.

[00:12:39]: How Atlassian's legal team uses their own products - Stan explains how Atlassian's legal department utilizes Jira, Confluence, and other tools to streamline workflows and improve collaboration.

[00:14:10]: AI routing of legal requests - Discover how AI automates the process of routing incoming legal requests to the appropriate specialists.

[00:17:02]: Atlassian's new AI product, Rovo - Learn about Rovo's search, chat, and agent capabilities, designed to enhance teamwork and efficiency.

[00:23:31]: Advice for legal departments adopting AI - Stan provides practical guidance on how legal teams can effectively integrate AI into their workflows.

[00:24:29]: Responsible AI implementation - Stan emphasizes the importance of approaching AI adoption with a focus on ethical considerations and mitigating potential biases.

[00:28:16]: Atlassian's involvement with BSA | The Software Alliance - Learn about Atlassian's advocacy work in the global software industry and their efforts to shape responsible tech policy.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace continuous learning: Stan's career path underscores the importance of adaptability and a growth mindset.
• Leverage technology for efficiency: Atlassian's legal team exemplifies how technology can optimize legal workflows and improve collaboration.
• Adopt AI responsibly: Stan highlights the need for a thoughtful and ethical approach to AI implementation.

Resources Mentioned:

• Atlassian: www.atlassian.com
• Jira: Atlassian's project management software.
• Confluence: Atlassian's knowledge management software.
• Loom: Atlassian's asynchronous video messaging tool.
• Rovo: Atlassian's new AI product with search and chat functionality.
• Responsible Tech Review Template: A guide for responsible AI development. (Available on Atlassian's website)
• BSA | The Software Alliance: bsa.org

Connect with Stan Shepard:

LinkedIn: Stan Shepard

Episode Credits

Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock

Theme Music: Home Base (Instrumental Version) by TA2MI

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