Suzanne Maso, a 2018 graduate of the MSL program and current co-chair of the MSL Alumni Board, recently shared some thoughts about her career and the future of the MSL program. Read on to learn more about Suzanne’s experience – in her own words.
As a member of the inaugural class, it has been my pleasure to see the program grow and change throughout the years. I am happy to serve as co-chair of the MSL alumni board, along with Zheny Liu (MSL ’18). The MSL program has a vibrant and impressive alumni community. If you don’t believe it, check out the profiles on the website.
Before coming to the MSL program in 2014, I had a long career in law. I worked in the Illinois legislature, at the Department of Commerce, and with in-house legal teams. I was a contract manager when I started the program, and a legal operations manager by the time I finished the program.
As a part-time student, I was able to apply the learnings from my classes directly to my job. The knowledge I acquired afforded me new opportunities and expanded responsibilities. While in the MSL, I was promoted to legal operations manager, a new role which I was able to help create. The MSL provided me the skills to fill in gaps and add efficiencies to the processes of the in-house team I supported at the time. I created a role and a team that handled legal technology, budgeting, human resources administration, and litigation support.
When I first became involved in legal operations (“legal ops”), the goal was to “let the lawyers’ lawyer” and to have a separate team handle the day-to-day office management. Legal ops was very focused on administrative management, e-billing, and vendor relations. Now, the profession is moving towards a new phase in data analysis and AI, taking the lead in these emerging areas while maintaining the management foundation. This evolution has allowed those of us in these legal ops roles to again change and grow in new functions with expanding responsibilities.
As you know, the MSL is an innovative program. It is the first of its kind and still responds to the changing needs of today’s legal profession. The program I attended in 2014 is very different from today’s. And this is a good, and excellent thing. Being able to grow and change has brought us success. In our ever-changing, unpredictable world, MSL alumni, are well-prepared with a diverse skill set that allows us to take on new challenges.
Many of my family members are educators. They say again and again that they are preparing children for jobs that are not created yet. MSL alumni are reflective of that same phenomenon. As you explore the MSL360 blog and website, you will learn about the innovative roles and programs our fellow alumni have created in law and legal ops. I find these stories inspiring and hope you will too; maybe you’ll even be encouraged to create your next job!
-Suzanne Maso (MSL ’16)
