Legal.io has added former Credit Karma legal operations director Tom Stephenson to its executive team as Vice President of Community and Legal Operations, as first published by Aaron West at Law360.
Stephenson, who worked at Credit Karma for two years, said the new role allows him to combine his interests and experience. The San Francisco based company founded in 2011 at Stanford helps match attorneys and other legal professionals with temporary and permanent roles at in-house legal departments and firms."
"This opportunity is truly a culmination of everything I have worked so hard to reach for — combining my corporate legal operations/chief of staff experiences, passion for connecting members of the legal profession, and lifelong commitment to education, advocacy, and mentorship opportunities — to elevate and strengthen the legal ecosystem for all," he wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Legal.io's online platform, which combines elements of a social network and a marketplace, is used by companies such as Medallia, Nextdoor, and Zoom to hire legal talent. Originally called LawGives, the company changed its name to Legal.io in 2015 and last year raised $11.6 million in Series A investment, which brought its valuation to $51.6 million.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tom Stephenson to the Legal.io team as our new VP of Community & Legal Operations,” Pieter Gunst, CEO and co-founder of Legal.io, said in a statement. “Tom's extensive experience in legal operations and his deep understanding of our platform as a long-term client make him an invaluable addition to our team. His passion for connecting legal professionals and fostering positive change aligns perfectly with our goal to build a more flexible, transparent, and accessible future for legal work while nurturing a supportive and thriving community that drives innovation in society, technology, and the legal ecosystem."
Stephenson brings significant legal operations experience to the position. Before his role at Credit Karma, he served as head of legal operations for Teladoc Health and as legal operations manager at Keller Postman LLC. He began his legal operations career as a paralegal at Macey Bankruptcy Law, where he worked for three years before moving to serve as litigation practice manager at Golan Christie Taglia LLP.
"I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter, transitioning from a long-standing client of Legal.io to an integral member of the leadership team,” Stephenson said. “Over the years I’ve had the privilege to witness firsthand their holistic approach to serving the needs of their clients and the legal community. Supported by prominent backers like Tiger Global, Legal.io is poised to make a lasting impact on the legal profession through a culture of collaboration, support, and continuous learning. With the imminent launch of a revolutionary tool, we will be able to provide legal professionals at all stages of their careers with vital information that will ultimately contribute to the betterment of the industry as a whole.”
As a published author and Harvard Law School lecturer, Mr. Stephenson demonstrates a lifelong commitment to education, advocacy, and mentorship that seeks to elevate and fortify the legal ecosystem for everyone. Tom received a master's in legal studies from the University of Illinois Springfield.
