Advisor, Industry Experts
Mary O'Carroll
Fmr. COO at Goodwin, Fmr. President of CLOC, and Fmr. Director of Legal Ops at Google
Mary O'Carroll is a Sandstone advisor on the Industry Experts panel. Fmr. COO at Goodwin, Fmr. President of CLOC, and Fmr. Director of Legal Ops at Google.
Who Is Mary O'Carroll
Mary O'Carroll is CEO of LegalEng Consulting Group (LECG), a boutique legal operations consulting and services firm working with clients ranging from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies. She's spent her career transforming how legal organizations operate, scale, and innovate — building modern operating models, driving technology adoption, and challenging conventional wisdom around legal talent, incentives, and service delivery. Most recently, Mary served as Chief Operating Officer of Goodwin, leading global strategy and operations for a 1,000+ person professional services organization and partnering with firm leadership on transformation initiatives spanning technology, data, pricing, and organizational design. Before that, she was Chief Community Officer at Ironclad, the contract lifecycle management platform, and spent 13 years at Google as Director of Legal Operations, Technology, and Strategy — building one of the most advanced legal operations functions in the world. While at Google, Mary co-founded the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC). Over her five years as President, CEO, and Board Member, CLOC grew from 40 members to thousands globally, helping define legal operations as a discipline in its own right. She also hosts the legal innovation podcast *Pearls On, Gloves Off*, where she has candid conversations with industry leaders about the future of legal services. Her work has been featured in two Harvard Law School case studies, and she's been recognized by the Financial Times, the American Bar Association, the San Francisco Business Times, and LegalTech News.
What's one accomplishment you're proud of?
"You know, I don't actually think there's one accomplishment I'm most proud of. The moments that stick with me are when someone reaches out completely out of the blue and says, 'You probably don't remember me, but something you said a few years ago changed how I thought about my career,' or 'You encouraged me to take a chance, and it completely changed my trajectory.' Those are the moments that really matter to me. If I can help someone grow, build confidence, or make a career move — that's what I consider a real accomplishment."
Who has influenced or helped you on your journey?
"I've always been lucky to have what I call a personal board of directors. I'm a huge extrovert, so I process decisions by talking them through with a small group of trusted friends, mentors, and advisors. There are a few people — and they know who they are — whose judgment I trust completely. They've shaped so much of my career and remind me that none of us succeeds alone. That's also why I care so much about paying that forward."
Why advise for Sandstone?
"I'm fortunate to get approached by a lot of legal tech startups, and I always ask myself three things: Are they solving a real problem that isn't being addressed? Do I believe in the founders and their ability to execute? Do I have experience or perspective that can help them succeed? With Sandstone, the answer to all three was an immediate yes. Within minutes of meeting, I understood the problem because I'd lived it firsthand as a legal ops leader. I believe in the team's vision and ambition, and I'm excited to help them build."
