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Articles by Sean Heck
Why You Should Pay Attention to Unified Clause Control and AI Redlining in Contracts
Sean Heck is a content marketing manager for CobbleStone Software and a legal technology thought leader. He helps professionals across different industries embrace unique use cases for contract management software and associated technologies to form future-minded strategies. For the modern general counsel (GC), the pressure to “move faster” has reached a breaking point. However, speed without a framework is merely a faster route to high-risk exposure.
Accelerating Contract Review with Clause Libraries and AI‑Enhanced Redlining
Modern legal departments face constant pressure to shorten contract cycles while maintaining accuracy, compliance, and defensible governance. One emerging solution is the combination of structured clause libraries and AI‑assisted redlining, which together create a more standardized, data‑driven approach to drafting, negotiation, and review.
Agentic AI in Legal: Could It Replace General Counsel?
Sean Heck is the Content Marketing Manager at CobbleStone Software. As an expert in contract lifecycle management software, Heck provides leading best practices, use cases, and thought leadership about the technology. He can be reached at s.heck@cobblestonesoftware.com. What began as a quiet question has grown louder with time and increased exposure: Will agentic AI in legal—with its ability to act autonomously and make intelligent decisions—replace the role of general counsel?
The Dark Side of AI in Contract Management: How to Avoid Ethical and Social Risks
Artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated every facet of modern business, with the promise of efficiency, accuracy, cost reduction, and more. However, the allure of AI-powered contract management may mask a darker side—one rife with ethical and social implications that deserve careful consideration. Beyond the streamlined workflows, automated clause extraction, and other features lies a complex web of potential pitfalls. Let’s explore these challenging implications of AI in contract management.
How to Structure a Contract Management Team for Success
Let's be honest for a second: contracts are not the most glitzy, glamorous thing in the world. However, they are the backbone of any business, and if they're not managed well, they can quickly transform into a nightmare of missed deadlines, litigation headaches, and lost revenue. That's where a killer contract management team comes in. Think of each team member as a superhero of your business agreements, protecting you from risk and unlocking hidden value.
Mergers & Acquisitions: Contract Management Software’s Role
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can be necessary and beneficial growth strategies for many organizations. However, M&A transactions are complex and require more than just strategic vision and financial acumen; effective contract management is pivotal in ensuring these deals go smoothly. Leveraging robust contract lifecycle management (CLM) software can be a game-changer in the M&A process.
Generative Contract AI: Future-Defining Technology for Contracts
Generative AI is a game-changer for contract management. It addresses many challenges that traditionally stall or slow down the process. By using generative AI to quickly generate clauses, you can ensure consistency and significantly reduce errors and omissions. Chatbots offer real-time assistance, answer queries, and guide you through complex aspects of contract lifecycle management.
Eu-U.S. & swiss-U.S. privacy shield frameworks: what lawyers should know
In this evermore globalized world, the transfer of data across borders has become commonplace. As such, taking steps to ensure the privacy and security of this data has become a significant affair for individuals and organizations alike. In collaboration with the European Commission and Swiss Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce has developed the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks to address these concerns.
Annual Planning Alchemy: Turning Goals Into Gold
Annual planning is a crucial process for organizations of all sizes. It allows businesses to set goals, allocate resources, and define strategies for the upcoming year. By carefully analyzing past performances and trends, companies can make informed decisions and chart a course for success.
Understanding Annual Contract Value (ACV) & Its Calculation
In virtually any business context, understanding the financial metrics that drive operational success and revenue is crucial. One such metric that plays a pivotal role in measuring the financial health of an organization is ACV (annual contract value). In this blog post, let's explore the concept of annual contract value, its importance, and how to calculate it. What Is Annual Contract Value?
4 ways to streamline credit union contract negotiations
Credit unions face unique challenges that require unique and innovative solutions, particularly when it comes to contract negotiations. The success of these negotiations hinges not only on securing favorable terms but also on managing these agreements efficiently throughout their contract lifecycle. This is where contract management software emerges as a pivotal tool.
A New World of Financial Contract Management With AI-Driven Software
In today's fast-paced financial services sector, the ability to effectively manage contracts is more critical than ever. With the advent of advanced contract and financial management technologies, businesses are discovering powerful tools to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and boost efficiency. Among these transformative solutions, AI-powered contract management software for financial services stands out as a game-changer.
GDPR Compliance: An MVPs Guide to DPA Execution and Effective Contract Management
In the baseball game of data protection, mastering the rules and strategies is as critical as practicing the fundamentals at spring training. Enter the world of data processing agreements (DPAs) and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). We will learn about these agreements and regulations, as well as how contract management software helps ensure businesses don't just play but dominate in this crucial stadium.
Unleashing the Power of AI in Contract Management for Lawyers
Legal professionals are increasingly leveraging technological innovations to enhance efficiency, time savings, and accuracy. One of these powerful tools for legal work includes AI systems. AI for lawyers has become a cornerstone in transforming traditional legal practices. Legal AI is not a concept of the future but a present reality, altering the landscape of contract management and various legal processes.
Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Contract Review Processes
Conversations about artificial intelligence in a business setting are important. According to a study performed by MIT Sloan Management Review, over 80% of organizations see AI as a vehicle for strategic opportunity. Additionally, 85% of organizations view AI as a means for competitive business advantages.1 This interest in – and implementation of – AI applies to legal teams and other contract managers as well.
Promoting Data Privacy With Legal Contract Management Software
Contract management professionals oversee important contracts and agreements with sensitive data, clauses, details, and information. Given the importance that such classified data is kept confidential, rules pertaining to data access and classification must be precisely and carefully reviewed. Learn how AI-based contract management software can help contract managers categorize, safeguard, and protect data.
5 Risk Management Lifecycle Stages Your Legal Team Should Track
Effective risk management provides organizations with not only valuable business protection – but also the potential for meaningful growth. Central to a healthy approach to risk is an understanding of the risk management lifecycle. Let's delve into the five stages of this risk lifecycle - exploring the types of risks, risk management frameworks, strategies, and the essence of a risk management plan.
How Legal Technology Can Make Contract Drafting Easy
Contract drafting is a multi-faceted and complex process. Document collaboration, contract authoring, negotiation, terms and conditions, and other relevant steps can be challenging. They are all the more challenging if you are relying on manual tools - such as shared drives and emails. Leave tedious, manual contract drafting methods in the past by embracing robust contract management software.
4 Ways Contract AI Can Empower Your Legal Team
Digital transformation is the future of contract management – whether legal operations professionals like it or not. Organizations not leveraging contract intelligence may very well encounter a bleak contract lifecycle management future. Obsolete CLM methods can include scattered contracts in shared drives, tediously entered contract data, and a lack of data security. Contract clause mistakes, missed key dates, and storage issues are almost sure to ensue.
CobbleStone Software Launches 2023 CobbleStone® Roadshow Reimagined With Masterclasses & Trainings
CobbleStone Software - a recognized Leader in contract lifecycle management (CLM) according to the SPARK Matrix™ 2022 report - is pleased to announce The 2023 CobbleStone Roadshow Reimagined with its accompanying dates and agenda. The 2023 CobbleStone Roadshow will be hosted in person and virtually on various dates from February 24th, 2023 through December 15th, 2023.
Key Features To Look for When Selecting Contract Management Software
The idea of implementing contract management software arises from an organization’s existing contracting process becoming outdated. As you may know, common causes of this process stagnation include (but are not limited to): a confusing storage process – often resulting in a decentralized approach, missing or lost contracts and documents, and a confusing mess of unclear document versions.
Contract Termination - A Simple, 3-Step Approach for Your Legal Team
Contract termination should involve rigorous financial analysis, contract performance data analytics, and the creation of a notice of termination. With tight deadlines and specific terms required to terminate a contract, organizations need a strategy to identify contracts not meeting contract KPIs, write notices of contract termination, and secure proper contract closeout. This article will show you how to implement this strategy readily with the help of contract management software.
I Need Contract Management Software...But How Do I Convince My Boss?
So…your expertise leads you to discover the value of contract management software. That’s great! However, the odds are that your boss or your company’s executives don’t know what you know. Well…you aren’t alone. Per a recent study exploring Manitoba, Canada’s legal operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous executives and business leaders with high authority failed to realize the importance of using contract management software to aid in the survival of contract processes.
5 Contract Drafting Tips To Empower Your Legal Team
Contract drafting is essential in helping capture the purpose of a contract in written form. Haphazard drafting of a contract can result in pushing outdated contract versions to collaboration and negotiation. Additionally, the lack of a centralized and informed process can result in incorrect language being introduced into the review process. Unfavorable terms, missed obligations, and legal disputes can follow.
Consider Contract Management Software for Legal Departments
Home / Feature Articles / Consider Contract Management Software for Legal Departments The contract negotiations process can be daunting, to put it lightly. The back-and-forth nature of negotiations can feel like a never ending game of chess. In turn, general counsel can face confusion and contract life cycle management inefficiencies internally and with external stakeholders.
How credit unions can use contract software to manage compliance and risk
Leverage graphical dashboards, artificial intelligence and OFAC tools to your advantage Costly compliance issues and risk variables are on the rise for credit unions and can get in the way of meeting strategic goals. Luckily, in the age of digital transformation, credit unions can plan for risk and track compliance using contract management software.
5 Ways AI Can Automate Legal Contracting Processes in 2022
As we navigate 2022, it is clear that contract artificial intelligence - or contract AI - is sharpening contract management software practices and broader legal operations in significant ways. How exactly can your organization leverage contract intelligence to automate and streamline contract lifecycle management? Read on to learn five ways contract AI is positively transforming contract lifecycle management operations in 2022.
Legal Document Redlining Made Easy With Contract Software
Redlining a legal document can prove to be an arduous facet of contract negotiations. Collaborating with stakeholders to redline contract documents with outdated methods such as back and forth sharing of MS Word documents, sporadic emails, and disorganized shared drives can cause contract negotiation bottlenecks. But there is a better way. Start leveraging leading contract management software and enjoy online contract redlining for enhanced contract negotiations.
5 Essential Contract Management Tools for 2022
2022 is quickly approaching and, with it, new advancements in legal contract management options. To that end, we’ve detailed five essential tools that legal professionals must empower themselves with to navigate the ever-changing landscape of contract management best practices going forward. #1 Secure Contract Repository System The Problem with Manually Storing Contracts Leading legal organizations have utilized digital contract and document storage tools for efficiency and productivity.
The Top 3 Legal Operations Trends of 2022
The world of legal operations has evolved drastically in recent years. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the embrace of digital transformation over obsolete legal operations methods, organizations must be ready to brace themselves in 2022 with automated contract management software tools that support remote contract collaboration and intelligent workflow automation.
How to Improve Legal Operations with Contract Management Software
In-house counsel, paralegals, and other legal professionals are eager to streamline legal operations with lower cost and increased ROI. As such, they should be happy to know that there is a way to optimize and centralize spend management, efficiency and productivity, communication, contract lifecycle management processes, contract data analytics, and more. Here is how to improve legal ops with leading contract management software.
Quickly Find Force Majeure Clause with Contract Management Software | Lexology
With continued global complications due to COVID-19, it is not difficult to see why many organizations may have trouble fulfilling their contractual obligations. Consequently, legal and contract management professionals find themselves faced with the need to find where force majeure clauses are located to determine whether the suspension of contractual duties is legally justified.
5 Tips for Better Remote Contract Management During the COVID Crisis | Lexology
In the wake of unpredictable circumstances such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, your organization is more than likely allowing employees to work remotely. No matter which relevant industry you are working in, you must be supported with a sufficient system in place for contract management operations. To that end, we've assembled a list of five tips for maintaining remote contract management software process efficacy during the COVID crisis.
4 Legal Department KPIs for Better Contract Management | Lexology
Canada, USA
July 8 2020 Legal departments face ever-increasing pressure to deliver contract value and streamline legal ops with shorter contract lifecycle times and improved contract performance. Legal departments that regularly measure the efficacy of their contracts against KPIs can proactively calibrate their legal contract management process to improve organizational impact through goal alignment and goal attainment. Discover four crucial legal department KPIs in this article.
OFAC Search Made Easy with Document Management Software | Lexology
Canada, USA
June 26 2020 Effective compliance management is essential for organizations to maintain adherence to compliance standards, mitigate risk, and uphold their reputation. However, as contract volume grows, it can be difficult for organizations to track the records of vendors, customers, partners, and employees regularly.
5 Tools for Better Government Contract Management: Fiscal Year End
As the end of the traditional local government fiscal year draws near, city, state, and other public agencies must make sure that they are leveraging their budgets by investing in software tools for streamlined, robust, and transparent contract management, purchasing, and sourcing for current and future needs. Here are five tools that can be used for simple, user-friendly, and powerfully integrated government contract management, procurement, and sourcing processes.
Digital Signatures vs. Electronic Signatures: What's the Difference? | Lexology
What is a digital signature? Is it not that the same thing as an electronic signature? In an ever-evolving technological landscape in which new and updated terminology and functionality are incessantly presented to a myriad of industries, it can be confusing to know the differences between the two terms mentioned above.
The Second Coming Of The Nat Turner Rebellion
BY SEAN HECK The Nat Turner Rebellion was a circa late ‘60s/early ‘70s Philadelphia funk-soul quartet who took their name from the infamous slave uprising led by the titular Nat Turner in 1831. Which was a bold move in a time of pronounced racial strife for a band that trafficked in Black Power themes in addition to the same hippie musings and love song tropes that were typical of their late ‘60s soul contemporaries.
HR Answers: Help Your Employees Find Purpose at Work
4 minutes Uncovering strengths and aligning them with core values increases engagement. Does “purpose” matter? For centuries, humans have pondered “meaning and purpose”—what it means to live, and perhaps a bit more recently, to work. In 2019, the organizational musings on purpose have not radically changed from the past. Purpose need not be a lofty ideal, nor something to find in retirement.
FUNNY BUSINESS: Q&A W/ Roy Wood Jr.
Photo by M KELLY WILT BY SEAN HECK Well-rounded comedic powerhouse Roy Wood Jr has garnered laughs throughout his career, initially gaining traction in radio as the head writer and producer for the Buckwilde Morning Show based in his home town of Birmingham, Alabama and Jamie Foxx’s The Foxxhole showon Sirius XM Radio. He was a top three finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, which garnered mainstream attention and established the by-then well-known comic as a household name.
BEYOND THE BARS: Q&A W/ Comedian Ali Siddiq
BY SEAN HECK Ali Siddiq is not your traditional stand-up comic. This Houston-bred funny man, writer, actor, and activist spent six years of a fifteen-year sentence for drug trafficking behind bars in the Texas state penitentiary system. For his 2018 Comedy Central special Ali Siddiq: It’s Bigger Than These Bars, Siddiq returned to prison to perform stand-up and interview inmates and prison personnel at Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas.
DAWG DAZE: Q&A W/ Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog
BY SEAN HECK Consistently making waves as a member of the South Gate, California hip hop group Cypress Hill since the early 1990s, Cuban-American rhymesayer Sen Dog has been praised as a founding father of West Coast rap. However, he is far from a one-trick doggy.
STUDY: Curbing Cash Bail Has Had No Significant Negative Impact On The Crime Rate In Philadelphia
Artwork via THE NATION BY SEAN HECK One year after the implementation of their cash bail reduction plan for low-level offenses, Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner and Mayor Jim Kenney announced the success of their groundbreaking new policy at a press conference yesterday at City Hall. “We changed our low-level bail policy because it was the right, and fair, thing to do for the poor, for people of color, and everyone in Philadelphia’s criminal justice system.
REVIEW: LCD Soundsystem Electric Lady Sessions
BY SEAN HECK Throughout the second half of our first decade into the millenium, Brooklyn-based electronic rock outfit LCD Soundsystem breathed fresh life into the by then decaying corpse of dance-punk and attempted to fuse it cohesively with the sounds of contemporary garage rock bands and 80s post-punk bands, coming into their own and proving themselves as an entity independent of their influences along the way. After that, they disbanded—only to reunite a few years later.
JUST FOR THE LAUGHS: Q&A W/ Chris DiStefano
BY SEAN HECK Don’t let Brooklyn-born actor and comedian Chris Distefano’s macho-man persona fool you. He is a whip-smart observational comic whose fluid storytelling style makes the audience feel like one of his buddies from back home. Chris got his first big break as a regular cast member on MTV’s Guy Code and Girl Code. He continued to flourish in starring on the IFC series Benders, and co-hosted Netflix’s Ultimate Beastmaster.
RETROSPECTIVE: Earl Sweatshirt, The Understated Young Poet Laureate Of The Mumble Generation
Illustration by @KingJediah via Instagram BY SEAN HECK In 2011, Los Angeles-based hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All were at the zenith of their fame. By then, the group of boisterous young rappers, producers, crooners, skaters, fashion designers and hype men had collectively released 12 mixtapes, with a few members showcasing a large array of distinct influences, personalities, and sounds.
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