Stories from legal leaders, summaries of Demystifying AI and Human-centred leadership, plus practical resources. Fresh insights from Aotearoa’s in-house legal community.
Now that February has settled in, the year feels properly underway. The new year burst of energy has given way to familiar rhythms. While shaping this edition of Juno Counsel, one idea kept surfacing:ka mua, ka muri. We walk backwards into the future, guided by where we’ve come from.
John Shaw looks back to a time when moving in-house was unusual and traces how the profession has evolved since. Kelly Baxter-Rae shares what it feels like to step into a General Counsel role with a clear mandate to contribute strategically and commercially from day one. One reflecting across decades, one at the beginning of a new leadership chapter. Together, they show that credibility is earned through trust, judgement, and relationships.
That same thread runs through our recent learning sessions. Kate Billing explored how influence often begins with safety and connection. Dr Andrew Chen demystified AI, helping us understand its strengths and limits so we can use it thoughtfully, not simply reactively.
Yes, technology is accelerating. Yet the craft of the role, understanding the business, making considered calls, and building confidence over time, remains steady. And there’s plenty to learn from those navigating it.
For experienced in-house lawyers reflecting on their next chapter
Demand for Juno Lawyers continues to grow, and we’re inviting adaptable, high-calibre in-house lawyers who can embed quickly and build trust to join our team. You can learn more about joining Juno on our Join Us page.
People – Leaders and teams, in their own words
SPOTLIGHT: John Shaw
When John Shaw moved in-house in 1979, it was an unusual move. Decades later, he reflects on building legal functions from scratch and helping establish CLANZ (now ILANZ), tracing how the role has evolved and what has always mattered.
“Business clients want lawyers they respect and trust and enjoy working with.”
SPOTLIGHT: Kelly Baxter-Rae, General Counsel at Indevin
Stepping into a General Counsel role means walking in big shoes while you get used to the fit. Kelly Baxter-Rae reflects on balancing humility with authority, backing her expertise while learning a new industry, and ensuring Legal is seen as an enabler of growth.
“Be curious and humble, but also be prepared to speak up.”
Learning – Ideas and conversations we can explore together
JUNO LEARNING SUMMARY: Demystifying AI with Dr Andrew Chen
How does AI actually work, and where can it go wrong? Juno Lawyer Monique van Bellen shares her key takeaways from Dr Andrew Chen’s hype-free session on using AI responsibly in legal work.
“LLMs are often brilliant with nuance but can also be confidently wrong.”
JUNO LEARNING SUMMARY: Human-centred leadership with Kate Billing
In our recent session, Kate Billing unpacked how understanding core human security needs can shift difficult conversations and strengthen leadership in practice. Juno Lawyer Sarah Graydon captures the key insights and their practical application for in-house lawyers.
11 + 12 March 2026 | Auckland | Up to 5+ CPD hours
LawFest is one of those conferences we keep coming back to. Credit to the LawFest team for continuing to create space for practical, future-focused conversations about legal tech and the human side of the profession.
They have kindly shared a $200 discount with the Juno community for tickets (including the Expo and networking function on 11 March). Here are the links:
And if you’re curious what LawFest is like, our LawFest 2025 takeaways captures the energy and ideas. We’re looking forward to seeing how the conversation evolves this year.
Resources – Practical and useful
OFFICE HACK: Turn scanned PDFs into editable Word docs
- direct from the Juno Team watercooler
Ever opened a PDF in Word only to find… images instead of text? Ugh. No editing, no copying, no search. What can you do?
Here’s a two-step conversion trick that often means you can turn it into text without extra tools:
Open the PDF in Word – It’ll convert, even if it’s image-only.
Delete the image “text” and save as a new PDF.
Reopen that new PDF in Word – This time, Word usually extracts real, editable text.
Why it works: The first pass simplifies the structure; the second triggers Word’s built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR), for better text recognition. For more detail, check Microsoft’s guide: 👉 Scan and edit a document in Word
Jordan Furlong’s “Decoding and deploying legal judgment” starts with a practical question about whether AI really saves time once you factor in review and quality control, and then digs into the deeper issue: what “good enough” legal work actually means.
To close out this late-summer edition of Juno Counsel, here’s a small moment from the team. During the recent storm, Kyla’s cat Yumi found the warmest spot in the house, right on top of her laptop. Technology may be accelerating, but Yumi was in no hurry.
Ka kite anō,
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Juno is a leading provider of on-demand legal services actively supporting Aotearoa's in-house legal community. Get in touch today to discuss options for experienced in-house legal support on an interim basis, embedded within your team, or on a managed legal services basis.
Demand for experienced in-house lawyers who can embed quickly and build trust continues to grow. We’re expanding our team to meet that need. Learn more about joining the Juno Team on our Join Us page.
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