EP 14: Building High-Impact Legal Teams in the Age of AI | David Tudor

In this episode of Beacon Voices, Akshay Verma (COO at SpotDraft) speaks with David Tudor, Group General Counsel at Prosus and Naspers, about what it takes to lead legal teams at scale in today’s fast-moving, tech-driven environment.  David reflects on his career path from private practice in South Africa to overseeing legal strategy for a global technology powerhouse. He shares candid perspectives on how legal teams can prioritize better, move beyond routine work, and align more closely with business goals.  The conversation also dives into the growing influence of AI on legal workflows and decision-making and what it means for the future of both in-house teams and law firms. This episode is packed with actionable ideas for legal professionals looking to elevate their impact and stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape.Topics Introduction: 00:00 Why David Tudor Chose Law and Studied Business Science: 01:06 Life at the University of Edinburgh and Studying European Law: 04:18 Starting a Legal Career and Working on South Africa's First Mobile Network: 06:43 The In-House Experience That Changed His Career Path: 10:27 From Law Firm Lawyer to Business Partner: 14:41 Law Firm Life, Work-Life Balance, and Career Choices: 20:48 How the Role of the In-House Lawyer Has Evolved: 23:50 What Modern Legal Teams Should Stop Spending Time On: 29:51 Why Lawyers Need to Become Product Builders in the AI Era: 32:26 How AI Is Transforming Legal Departments and Law Firms: 34:50 Trusting AI: Risk, Regulation, and the Future of Legal Work: 39:06 Building High-Impact Legal Teams That Understand the Business: 50:00 Connect with us: David Tudor - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tudor-4211a510/ Akshay Verma - https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshay-verma-esq/ SpotDraft - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotdraft SpotDraft is a leading contract lifecycle management platform that solves your end-to-end contract management issues. Visit https://www.spotdraft.com to learn more.