From Dublin to NYC: Johnson Hana’s First Legal Event Makes Its Mark

Written by Emer O'Hora - Head of Legal, Johnson Hana

Photography by James Higgins

Johnson Hana hosted our inaugural US event last month in the heart of New York City 🗽

We were joined by an incredible group of panellists: Meredith Grauer, TikTok, Gabrielle Kohlmeier, Verizon and Carly McKenna, Airbnb, and a room full of brilliant legal and privacy professionals. It was a fantastic afternoon of connection and conversation on a fabulous rooftop overlooking the city.

There were so many highlights, but top 5 key takeaways were:

→ We learned that our panellists, though from different customer-facing companies, all face similar challenges.

Interestingly, even those in large multinationals can feel like they're still operating in start-up mode, due to: the ever-shifting landscape of laws & regulations; pace of operational change particularly with use of AI; and business initiatives such as new product launches and drive to acquire new entities.

→ Across the board, new regulations are reshaping how businesses:

• Manage customer complaints & interactions

• Build and scale new processes

• Shift from localised to global operations

• Drive efficiency, automation and lean thinking, all within the context of highly regulated industries.

The key to navigating this change is to try step back and see the bigger picture, not just the disruption but the strategic opportunity it creates, and how legal teams can shape this transformation.

→ As those working on an in-house legal team know too well; there’s always more to do than time available.

That’s why it’s essential to step away from the legal instinct to strive for perfection in everything. Not every task demands 100%, and over-investing can often lead to inefficiency. Everyone present loved the concept of “finding GEMO” ..Good enough, move on! 🐠

→ Another standout topic was leadership and mentoring:

Each of our panellists clearly cares deeply about their team’s career journeys, making it a point to pay forward the mentorship they once received. Always inspiring to hear how leaders of the legal community help pave the way for those starting out in their careers.

→ Finally, the importance of psychological safety was emphasised:

Teams need to feel they can fail without major consequences. It’s through these moments of failure that we learn, grow and build stronger, higher-performing teams.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us — we hope to see you at our next event ✨