Executive Edge | Law & Business

Available to Executive Edge participants only

Darling Harbor, NSW + Online

4 September 2025
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm AEST

Sydney ICC,
Darling Harbor, NSW
+ Online

1.5

Mark A. Cohen
Mark A. Smolik

TypeWorkshop
CPD1 - Practice Management and Business Skills
1 - Professional Skills
Available to Executive Edge participants only ‎

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Presented by

Mark A. Cohen, Legal Mosaic
Mark A. Smolik, DHL Supply Chain Americas

Part of the invitation-only ALPMA Executive Edge Program

Law & Business | Strategic Leadership for the Modern Law Firm 

Mark A. Cohen has long distinguished the practice of law from the business of delivering legal services at scale—the “business of law.” He emphasizes that legal services must align more closely with business objectives and client value to remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving market.  

Joining Mark will be Mark Smolik, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at DHL Supply Chain Americas. Mark Smolik leads all legal, compliance, commercial contract management, and government incentives functions across the region. Recognized for transforming his legal department and pioneering the use of AI and data analytics to drive efficiency through automation, Mark Smolik is known for fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and high-performance teamwork.  

Together, they will examine the traditional law firm model, the evolving role of corporate legal departments, and the impact of new market entrants. The session will frame the evolution of the legal industry as a market-driven story, where client demand, competition, and capital are fundamentally reshaping the delivery of legal services. 

Workshop Outline 

1. Client-Centric Models
Guided Discussion: 

  • Designing law firms and legal departments around client needs, not lawyer preferences. 
  • Strategies for prioritizing client value and enhancing the client experience. 
  • The importance of anticipating and understanding client expectations for long-term success

2. Economic Innovation
Guided Discussion: 

  • Why law firms must rethink traditional business models, pricing structures, and capital arrangements. 

  • The role of economic innovation in sustainability and market relevance. 

  • New approaches to financing and profitability to address market pressures. 

3. New Delivery Models
Guided Discussion: 

  • The rise of new entrants and the influence of capital on the legal services landscape. 
  • The dual role of AI and technology as disruptors and enablers of new service delivery models. 
  • The partnership model under pressure: challenges and opportunities for law firms to reimagine their structure and economics in response to AI-driven change. 

Pre-Reading 

Key Takeaways 

Client-Centric Models 

  • Legal services must be designed around client needs, not lawyer preferences. 

  • Firms that prioritize client value and experience gain a competitive advantage. 

  • Anticipating and understanding client expectations is essential for long-term success. 

Economic Innovation 

  • Law firms must rethink traditional business models, pricing structures, and capital arrangements. 

  • Innovation in economics is vital to remain sustainable and relevant in a changing market. 

  • New approaches to financing and profitability are required to respond to market pressures. 

New Delivery Models 

  • New entrants and capital are reshaping the legal services landscape. 

  • AI and technology are both disrupting and enabling new legal service delivery models. 

  • The partnership structure and economic model are being tested as never before. Law firms will be challenged to maintain the current model and have an opportunity to seize the opportunity afforded by AI to reimagine it to remain competitive. 

Workshop Objectives (Internal) C-Suite Leaders:  

  • Focus on Strategic Business Value: Highlight how legal innovation and client-centricity drive firm growth and market position. 

  • Encourage Open Dialogue: Invite C-Suite leaders to share their perspectives on challenges and opportunities in legal service delivery. 

  • Showcase Real-World Examples: Use case studies from Mark Smolik’s experience to illustrate the impact of AI, automation, and new business models. 

  • Prompt Actionable Insights: Challenge participants to identify one strategic change they can implement in their own firms 

Presented by

Mark A. Cohen
Founder at Legal Mosaic

Mark A. Cohen, is a globally recognized lawyer, thought leader, innovator, and visionary at the intersection of law, business, and technology. Mark’s views are shaped by his remarkable range of high-level experiences forged over a 50-year professional career. The first 30 years of that career were as a practicing lawyer. His distinctions include: a decorated stint as an Assistant US Attorney, youngest partner at the then second largest US law firm, Founder and Managing Partner of a national boutique civil trial firm with offices across the US and clients that included 7 foreign sovereign nations and 67 of the then Fortune 500, an appointment by a federal judge to serve as Permanent Receiver of an international aviation company conducting business on 4 continents, and serving as outside General Counsel to 3 insurance company clients. Mark was an early adopter of technology applied to legal practice. In 1991, he commissioned AT&T, a client, to install a virtual law library, videoconference capability, centralized phone access among the firm’s multiple offices, as well as other bleeding-edge advances.  

Mark has focused on modernizing the global legal industry for the past twenty years. He co-founded Clearspire, a ground-breaking “two-company model” comprised of a law firm and bundled managed services corporation that featured an integrated tech stack. The Clearspire model has been studied globally and has been adopted by several legal providers over the years. Mark has published approximately 350 articles on the global legal industry for Forbes over the past decade, has been a keynote speaker at major business, law, and technology conferences around the world, has taught and lectured at leading global business and law schools, and serves as a Distinguished Scholar at the Singapore Academy of Law.  

Mark is insightful, creative, pragmatic, and authentic. He will offer actionable insights, not buzzwords, and provide data-backed support for his opinions and recommendations. As lead facilitator and keynote, Mark will deliver unmatched insight, connecting international best practice with local ambition, and ensure every session is informative, engaging, and designed to provoke and encourage a more holistic, humanistic, and value-driven approach to meeting client needs and societal obligations.  

Mark A. Smolik
General Counsel at DHL Supply Chain Americas

General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, DHL Supply Chain Americas 

Mark Smolik is a highly accomplished legal leader with a distinguished track record of transforming legal departments and driving business value at global organizations. As General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for DHL Supply Chain Americas, he leads all legal, compliance, commercial contract management, and government incentives functions across the region, and serves as Global Chair of DHL’s Supply Chain Legal Practice Group. 

Mark is widely recognized for his innovative approach to legal operations, notably pioneering the use of AI and data analytics to automate processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. Under his leadership, the legal department has expanded from a small team to a high-performing group of over 80 professionals, while significantly reducing outsourcing expenses and delivering substantial savings through automation. 

With a career spanning top-tier companies such as Safelite Auto Glass and Sherwin-Williams, Mark is known for building collaborative, results-driven teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. He is a sought-after speaker on legal transformation and a mentor to emerging leaders in the legal and business communities.