Clio Con Clips 2025 – Marina Harris – E06

Transcript

Robert Hanna (00:00)

Welcome to Clio Con Clips 2025, recorded live from Boston and proudly sponsored by Clio, the world’s leading legal technology company, transforming the legal experience for all. I’m your host, Rob Hannah. And over this special legally speaking podcast series, we’ll be bringing you exclusive conversation with brilliant minds behind Clio. The innovators, strategists, visionaries driving one of the most transformative companies in legal tech.

Across these interviews, we’ll explore how Clio is uniting brilliance across teams, technology and communities worldwide. From AI and data to leadership, culture and the future of client experience. You’ll hear from people shaping what’s next for law and redefining what’s possible for legal professionals everywhere. So whether you’re a lawyer, technologist or leader passionate about innovation, you’re in the right place.

This ClioCon Clips 2025 is where brilliance meets purpose and the future of law takes shape. Let’s get into it.

Welcome to the Legally Speaking podcast, recording live here from Boston for our Clio Conclipse 2025 series sponsored by Clio, and I am joined by name, title and organization.

Marina Harris (01:14)

Marina Harris and I’m Chief People Officer at CLIO.

Robert Hanna (01:17)

And it’s an absolute pleasure to be doing this live with you here at Boston, but before we get into some meaty stuff I’d love to know a fun fact about you that people here at clear con may not know

Marina Harris (01:25)

Ooh, fun fact about me, mother of twins, love to scuba dive, and I love to paint when I have time, which is not often, but… ⁓

Robert Hanna (01:35)

Well look, we’ve got three fun facts there and we’re here for that. Good for you. And look, it’s a real pleasure to be doing with this with you. I love the energy of CleoCon and Cleo has scaled dramatically. But one thing that’s really, really impressed me is the culture is so really strong. So how do you preserve that people first approach during such a rapid pace of growth?

Marina Harris (01:55)

Absolutely. think when you’re going through massive growth, it’s times like this where you lean on your culture even more. And our culture has always been such a core part of what’s enabled Clio Scale, frankly. And so we think of it when we hire new folks to join us in our teams. How are they going to embrace the culture? How are they going to add to it? We actually moved this last year from a twice per year survey of our employees to really understand, we living our culture, to actually doing it every month. We asked a series of questions to a series of Clions.

And then we follow on with active listening strategies and connect with them all the time. And so we’re always pulsing, how are we doing truly and what needs to evolve about our culture.

Robert Hanna (02:32)

It’s

interesting you mentioned listening there because it something Jack really kind of articulated in his keynote about being exceptionally client-centered, listening, and you really take that to another level with your own people as well because if you don’t do that you then can’t look after your clients. So it’s really paramount that you do that. I admire the approach Clio takes. This year’s theme at ClioCon is all around uniting brilliance. So what does uniting brilliance mean from a leadership and culture perspective?

Marina Harris (02:55)

Oh gosh, uniting brilliance. So for us, I mean, we’re a pretty distributed team. We talk about being distributed by design. We go where the best talent is and where the business needs us to be. But then you need to bring those folks together. So we talk about it in the sense of being very intentional with how we gather. We do it at ClioCon, which is really a manifestation of our culture where we have 200 Clions join us here. And we are leveraging all the capabilities of every Clion at ClioCon.

We also do it through an annual event called Team Day where we bring everyone together. We really rally around the culture, around our ambition for the year, and we have moments throughout the year where leaders, know, in pivotal moments, milestone moments, we unite the teams that way and it really is a chance to, you know, get to know your colleagues more deeply, build trust with each other, and then that accelerates our momentum. So for us, that’s really a critical way that we unite the brilliance of all Clions.

Robert Hanna (03:49)

And I have to say it’s incredible team day. mean, it’s brilliant coming to ClioCon year after year, but I got FOMO even looking at the team day. And I think it’s really shows how much you invest in your people for everyone all around the world comes to there. And you really spend time to connect, educate, inform, build that culture. And I think it’s impressive how you do that. And it looks like a hell of a show as well. Of course, we have to talk about AI and automation in the world that we’re living. Cause you know, how are AI and automation changing the ways Clio’s people work and collaborate?

Marina Harris (04:19)

That’s a great question. So a few different ways and every team is doing it in ways that are meaningful for them, right? a few things that we’re doing in the people team are really defining what does it mean to be AI fluent? And we’re just now building really rich curriculum for folks all the way through folks who are at the foundational stage of their AI fluency, all the way through folks who are then makers and who are reimagining workflows and building agents. And we’re going to equip them each to go along that journey.

And then some of our teams are further along, like our engineering team leverages cursor to really be that accelerant to their work. ⁓ Our go-to-market teams are leveraging it, our CS teams. And so they’re really thinking through and reimagining ways that they work, not just applying AI, but then thinking, can we do things differently? And that is making the biggest difference.

Robert Hanna (05:07)

Big time, yeah. And again, improving the overall wellbeing of everybody involved, right? Not just passing onto the clients, but your people. Okay, what lessons have you sort of drawn from your time at some huge brands such as Netflix or Wealthsimple that influence the way you build culture here at Clio, if at all?

Marina Harris (05:22)

Absolutely. one thing I’ll say that ⁓ I’ve taken especially from Netflix and it’s translated to Clio is this idea that the right people actually make the biggest difference. You start with that, everything else gets easier. So being very intentional as you scale that every hire needs to be additive. That every hire needs to be someone who is really going to add to your culture or add to the business. And so that’s something that I’ve taken with, you from Netflix, but I’ve applied it to Well Simple, have it applied it to Clio.

because it really is what prevents you from putting in processes and controls that slow people down. And it really makes sure that everyone who joins isn’t just joining for the mission, but the way that we’re going to work together and thrive. And they’re the ones who are continuing to make sure the culture stays active and healthy. And so that’s been one of the biggest lessons is people over process really, and make sure you hire great people and then let them do the work.

Robert Hanna (06:16)

So true that the power is in the people. I’ve been in the talent and recruiting space for longer than I care to share. And it’s so true. And I love that you kind of talk to that point around really understanding them, because if you really invest the time, the rewards are infinite. And you can see that from all the Clions on the ground here. They genuinely care about the mission. They genuinely want to deliver. They’re passionate. It just seeps through.

Okay, one thing that also I’m really impressed about ClioCon is the level of inclusion and thought that goes in to making a really inclusive experience. So how do you ensure inclusion and belonging are truly lived value across global teams?

Marina Harris (06:53)

Absolutely. So a lot of it ⁓ frankly starts with all of us anchoring around the purpose and thinking about what are we giving back to and having a unified sense of belonging at Clio. So we’re all activated around that same shared mission and we know that our clients are all across the world so we want our employee base to really be representative of that and all the different lived experiences so we really actively seek out folks we’re going to add to our diversity, add to our perspectives. At Clio…

We have an active social impact program where we give back to the legal community. We have a strong representation of employee resource groups that we support and make sure that their voices are heard so that it’s not just that we’re adding to our diversity, but we also are really living up to inclusion and equity. And then we pulse that in the survey that I mentioned to you today, are folks having the same shared experience at Clio or does it vary based on different intersections of your identity? And so we’re actively monitoring that to see

We could have really strong engagement scores across the board, but then our pockets of folks with differing backgrounds having that same experience or not. And so we regularly are asking ourselves if that’s true and it’s really critical.

Robert Hanna (08:02)

And you’re offering systems of action to your client, but you’re putting systems of action in place within Clio as well. Absolutely. And that’s really impressive because you see a lot of things on websites about values and words, and then it doesn’t quite live up to it. But through everything you’ve articulated there, you are genuinely putting things in place to ensure that people not just come to work happy, but have fulfillment, a great overall well-being. I feel like they’re really part of this mission to transform the legal experience for you all. And it’s super inspiring. What excites you most about the evolution of the workplace culture at Clio?

Marina Harris (08:31)

Oh gosh. What excites me most about, it’s interesting, you say about the evolution of our workplace experience and culture, but truly what excites me is the fact that our values have actually been very consistent as we’ve scaled. So I know you’ve asked about evolution, but for me, it’s really the fact that as we’ve gone from, even from when I started about a year and a half ago, 900 employees to now over 1600. Wow. And you know, growing pretty tremendously with our acquisition of VLUX, hopefully soon to close next month.

⁓ What really impresses me is how true we’ve stayed to our values and we’ve evolved them over time as they haven’t served us as well But but that’s what truly inspires me that that’s not lost and it’s fascinating I mentioned the listening tours that we do well when I chat with Clions They’re often folks who have been with us. We have five seven eleven years and they still describe That consistency in our culture that no matter how we’ve scaled the Clio that they joined is still the Clio that they love

Robert Hanna (09:23)

What’s the secret source to keeping that then? Because you you’ve brought in Vlex, Sharedo, you know these aren’t small organisations, these are established businesses with you know is it the level of DD you do prior to ensure there’s the fit sort of how have you ensured that value stay aligned and you don’t lose it?

Marina Harris (09:40)

So that’s a huge part of it. You’re absolutely right. So we do really rigorous DD in it. Of course, we have rigorous technology DD, finance, legal. Culture is a huge, huge part of that. And so we really go in deep. We understand the types of folks that they hire. When they part ways with folks, why? Like, what are those things that make people successful ⁓ or not at a company? And we really want to hear that from them because I think that cultures are made real by who you ask to join, your reward and who you ask to leave. And so we really look for that in that due diligence.

⁓ But then on top of that, when we bring people on board, integrating folks into our culture, really making sure we understand theirs deeply, but then spending a lot of time making sure that the areas where we’re values aligned, they understand how it translates from their current company to Clio’s. And so that there’s that continuity for them as they join us. There’s also a deep curiosity on our part, so we’re respecting their culture.

And then we bring them on board, we match them up with other Clions who are going to be their mentors, help them really integrate well. And we take a lot of care in that integration with every new hire and then every new joiner through a company like ShareDo or Villex.

Robert Hanna (10:48)

It’s you invest the time and it pays dividends absolutely in the long run. Okay, Cleo is hiring You know, it’s been very explicit that you’re on growth directory and you still need humans despite this AI world we’re in so people watching this that are probably inspired by Cleo or sort of just touching Cleo for the first time What are some of the things you think what people should be thinking about in terms of traits to bring to Cleo? And yeah people who tend to do well here

Marina Harris (11:12)

Absolutely. So I’ll share when I was interviewing I was looking of course at our values and the one that really stood out to me for a multitude of reasons was Draw the Owl. Okay. And whenever I mentioned that to folks who have not heard of that value they’re like what does that mean? And that was my my first thought as well. But it’s ⁓ when we talk about Draw the Owl it means that you’re someone who’s really curious. Yeah. And you’re approaching a lot of things for the first time because we’re always pushing the boundaries at Clio.

And you just need to figure things out. So they’re folks who really approach any problem set that’s in the gray space with a deep desire to just jump in, figure it out, get really curious, and be able to complete that picture, the rest of the picture of the owl, right? And so I think folks who thrive at Clio have that innate curiosity. They have a whole lot of humility. They really want to keep learning and growing, and that kind of mindset really sets folks up for success. ⁓

Robert Hanna (12:01)

From my outside looking in, mean, we’ve partnered with Cleos since 2021. I think there’s a real kind of power in the why. So, you know, when your clients are asking for features, you don’t just say, yes, you go deep. Why? Why? Why? And similarly in terms of the people bringing in, you really want that growth, understanding and questioning to really see if they’re going to be a good fit and have that curiosity, growth mindset and being adaptable to learn. OK, in terms of you touched on it, it’s hybrid, right? So you have a hybrid culture and connection can feel a little bit harder than ever.

We’ve been through lockdowns, we’ve had a whole host of different things. What’s one initiative that you’ve led that’s genuinely strengthened belonging across Clio’s global teams, or you’re most proud of?

Marina Harris (12:40)

Absolutely. So I will say, coming back from COVID, we were fully remote. And then we went once a week into the office. And that was a big transition for folks. And this year we moved in twice per week into the office for folks who are near hubs. And when you say most proud of, mean, what I’m most proud of, that sounds like very simple, like bring folks back in twice a day per week.

but you really have to create an environment frankly where folks want to be there. When they come in, they really feel that sense of connection and community. And so we’ve worked really hard to make sure that’s the case, that it’s not just a requisite ask to come in, but truly a deep desire to build partnership across teams and feel that connectivity and sense of belonging. And that’s been huge for us this past year. I feel like we’ve really found our groove. I feel like we see new relationships forming across teams. In our survey that we’ve done with employees.

We found folks felt very close with their immediate team, but less so with the teams across the organization when we were all fully remote. And as we started to come in and you just have that organic interaction, it really has changed the sentiment. We see it in how folks are expressing that degree of belonging. And so that ⁓ has been huge.

Robert Hanna (13:48)

Absolutely and successful and you know that’s why Clio continues to hire, continues to grow, continues to do all these amazing things and put on these amazing shows and I guess that’s allows us to zoom out before we close. What’s been a highlight for you of ClioCon 2025 thus far?

Marina Harris (14:01)

my gosh, a highlight. Well, I’d be remiss not to say Jack’s keynote because it really was a moment where we prepare so much for CleoCon every year. We’re taking on so much work throughout the year that builds up. And when you see it all put together and the transformation that we’re shaping, I just got chills listening to it because it’s not often you take stock and just kind of stand back on the balcony and look down at everything you’ve accomplished as a team. And it was really a moment and I could see it in all the other Clions.

And then for me, it was also looking across at the customers and their reactions. They were hearing what what Cleo has been working on and what we’re so excited about for the legal industry. And so that was for me one of the most special moments.

Robert Hanna (14:41)

Yeah,

and there were some really big reactions to the features you’ve been working on. It must just feel really intrinsically good when you see the amount of work you’ve done in the course of a year. We were in Austin, obviously doing Clio Con Clip Series there and the theme was Amplify Your Impact. And wow, Clio has absolutely done that, bringing into uniting brilliance for this year and just very excited for what the future holds. And if people watching this want to get in touch with yourself or learn more about Clio or potentially interested in exploring your vacancies, where do they need to go? Feel free to share on your websites, any social media handles, we’ll share this episode for you too.

Marina Harris (15:11)

my gosh, well, reach out to me on LinkedIn. Always happy to chat with folks directly. ⁓ Go to our careers page. You’ll see more about our values there, our culture, and all of the opportunities ahead. We tell a really great story about our culture there, and you can learn a lot more. ⁓ But also, if you’re here and you happen to run into a Clion, we’re always really gracious with our time and want to tell you all about our culture, because we all have such passion around the company and what we’re building together.

Robert Hanna (15:37)

Yeah, and I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing tons of Clions over the years and I can absolutely attest to that that really everyone radiates the energy in such a positive, genuine, authentic way. And I think that’s real testament to the culture and the value and what you’ve been building. Rene, it’s been an absolute pleasure having you on the Leaguing Spoon podcast. Thoroughly enjoyed this. But for now, from all of us here live in Boston on the Leaguing Spoon podcast sponsored by Cleo, over and out. Thank you for listening to this week’s episode. If you like the content here, why not check out our world leading content and collaboration pub, the Legally Speaking Club over on Discord. Go to our website www.legallyspeakingpodcast.com. There’s a link to join our community there. Over and out.