While Legal Operations is not a new concept, it is gaining popularity as General Counsel look for ways to create efficiencies within their legal departments.

In-house legal teams rely on Legal Operations functions for strategic planning, people management, operational efficiency, technology investments, and project management.

As a result, more and more companies are hiring Legal Operations professionals. Formerly regarded as a technology-driven, project-based role, the role has evolved into a fully-fledged one that encompasses many aspects.

To find out more about legal operations as a career path, we spoke with Nicolas Leroux, founder and managing partner of Kalexius, and Eric O'Donnell, head of legal operations at Total Energies.

Nicolas Leroux is the Founder and Managing Director of Kalexius. He leads operations across all practice areas and is responsible for strategic orientations and business development. Prior to founding Kalexius in 2011, Nicolas was in private practice, working on public international law and arbitration.

Nicolas is a member of the Geneva and Paris bars and holds a PhD in international law from Université Panthéon Assas Paris II

Eric O’Donnell qualified as a solicitor in Ireland in 1995 and began his in-house career soon afterwards in France with Eurosport, a pan-European sports broadcaster. There, he was responsible for operational aspects of the business and was involved in the launch of several language versions and the first “window” in the UK. In 2001, Eric changed sectors and moved to Chanel, the luxury company and in 2003 started in the Refining & Marketing branch of Total (now TotalEnergies). Over the next 10 years, Eric worked on several landmark files including the Black Empowerment project for Total South Africa, development projects in Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Egypt & Ghana), Asia (Pakistan), and Europe (UK), and a refining joint venture with Saudi Aramco in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. In 2013 Eric took up the position of Head of Legal Marketing & Services for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, covering the legal management of over 50 affiliates as well as development projects. He has been Head of Legal Operations for TotalEnergies since August 2018, where he has led a team that has implemented an ambitious innovation roadmap for TotalEnergies, including several digital projects.