Introduction: 0:00
- Introducing Cecilia Ziniti, Founder of GC AI, a generative AI interface designed specifically for in-house counsel.
- Formerly serving as Head of Business Development at Replit, General Counsel at Bloomtech, Anki, and Cruise, and Lead Counsel for Amazon’s Alexa.
- Launching an AI platform for in-house teams and combating the perception that legal software is largely unusable.
Leading legal at Replit: 2:52
- Gaining experience with AI by working on a development platform for software engineers.
- Recognizing the similarities between lawyers and large language models.
- Acknowledging the skills required for software engineering and legal work.
Why lawyers should use emojis: 5:40
- Increasing recall and top of mind awareness with stakeholders
- Following the lead of emoji-forward platforms like Notion that are popular with Gen Z.
- Leaning into the effectiveness of video and bullet points.
Starting a business after gaining extensive experience working with AI: 13:00
- Finding that AI makes it easier to start a company.
- Refusing to let others tell you that you’re “just a lawyer.”
- Continuing to identify as a lawyer while taking on the CEO title, perspective, and duties.
- Thinking of every employee in your company as “we,” not “they.”
Considering how GCs should leverage AI: 22:18
- Recommending that everyone try to cross the AI threshold (comfort in using AI) by asking it to help with personal tasks.
- Considering guidance on AI from the American Bar Association.
- Experimenting with AI and finding creative ways to use it in your legal work.
- Adding a new tool to accompany your hard-earned expertise and skill set.
- Getting a head start on AI before the technology is perfected.
Hiring legal teams in the age of AI: 39:03
- Looking for generalists who use AI to absorb knowledge rather than hiring specialists.
- Referring to highly specialized outside counsel for complex matters but using AI to assist with simpler problems.
Teaching a class on AI at Stanford University: 47:35
- Taking advantage of the California Bar Association’s technology credit.
- Valuing user feedback to build a tech product in a rapidly growing industry.
Book Recommendations: 51:52
- To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink
- 7 Rules of Power: Surprising--but True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women at Work by Deborah Liu
- The Acquired podcast
What you wish you’d known as a young lawyer: 55:11
- Would have shared a message of comfort and understanding that with hard work, everything will work out.
.webp){kind=small}
