Product Law Hub

Slack went down, and the internet panicked. But let’s be honest—this isn’t about Slack. It’s about how fragile our business operations have become when a single tool suddenly disappears. I’ve seen this play out before. A company I worked with relied heavily on a single SaaS vendor for all internal and external communication. When that platform went down—just for a few hours—it disrupted customer service, stalled sales deals, and even delayed compliance reporting. The aftermath? Scrambling to recover, frustrated clients, and a whole lot of “Why didn’t we have a backup plan?” First, redundancy is non-negotiable. Every business should have an alternative communication channel ready—whether it’s email, a second chat tool, or even (gasp) the phone. Second, product counsel should be in the room when these tools are selected. The legal team isn’t just there to review contracts—we should help assess risk, negotiate protections, and push for backup plans before disaster strikes. Third, train your teams. A business continuity plan only works if people know how to execute it. If your team’s response to an outage is “Now what?”—that’s a problem. If you’re rethinking your reliance on SaaS after this outage, good. It’s time for legal, IT, and product teams to work together to build a more resilient operation. For my take on the legal implications of SaaS downtime, check out the video—because trust me, contracts matter when things go south. -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

?? Is Google’s AI breaking competition laws? Chegg just sued Google, claiming its AI Overviews are more than just helpful summaries—they’re killing competition. Instead of sending users to sites like Chegg, Google’s AI-generated answers keep them on Google’s platform. If you’ve ever searched for something and found everything you needed right there—without clicking a link—you’ve seen this in action. This raises serious antitrust questions: Is Google leveraging its dominance in search to push out other businesses? Is AI becoming a gatekeeper, controlling access to information? Should regulators step in before more companies face the same fate? This lawsuit could set a major precedent for how AI interacts with content—and whether companies like Google have too much power. Want to dive deeper into the intellectual property side of this battle? I break it all down in my latest video on AI, Fair Use, and Content Ownership. Check it out. Let’s talk—should Google be held accountable for how its AI impacts businesses? Or is this just the price of innovation? Drop your take below! -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

Apple’s investing $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure. And if you’re a product counsel, that’s not just a business move—it’s a legal wake-up call. AI isn’t just code anymore. It’s servers, chips, and data centers that raise massive legal questions. Where those servers sit determines which privacy laws apply. How they’re built impacts AI security risks. And if your company is relying on cloud providers instead of owning the stack, you better believe regulators will have something to say about that. So, here’s the question: Is your legal team thinking about AI only as a software problem, or are you proactively tackling the infrastructure risks, too? If AI is the new electricity, the product counsel needs to be the grid operator—making sure everything runs safely and legally. Check out my video breaking this down with actionable insights. And tell me: How is your company managing AI infrastructure risks? What did I miss? Let’s discuss. ?? -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

What an inspiring discussion we just had at LexLab @ UC Law San Francisco with Olga V. Mack, Adrienne Go, myself, Drew Amerson, and an incredibly engaged group of UC Law SF students! Olga and Adrienne — co-founders of Product Law Hub and authors of the excellent and brand new Product Counsel: Advise, Innovate, and Inspire — brought their expertise to campus, unpacking what it means to be a product counsel and why this evolving role is more critical than ever. Key Takeaways: ?? Product counsel isn’t just an in-house role—it’s a strategic function. Legal teams shape product development, innovation, and risk mitigation, bridging law, business, and technology. ?? Law students can start now. Courses like UC Law SF’s Product Counsel course provide early exposure to this growing field, preparing future lawyers to think like product strategists. ?? Legal education must evolve. The next generation of lawyers must be ready to advise on emerging technologies, rethink traditional legal roles, and use new tools ethically and effectively. Seeing our students engage so deeply — especially during midterms and in a last-minute session — was a testament to how essential these conversations are. The future of tech law is being shaped now, and it’s exciting to be part of it! Thank you, Olga and Adrienne, for sharing your expertise and insights. Looking forward to continuing the conversation on the future of product law! University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) Product Counsel, Advise, Innovate, and Inspire : https://lnkd.in/e-U_wbzj

Complaints aren’t just problems—they’re opportunities to improve your product, build trust, and drive innovation. As product counsel, you can help your team analyze grievances and turn them into actionable insights. Here’s how: Identify Patterns: Review complaints and lawsuits to spot recurring themes—confusion, unmet expectations, or missing features. Collaborate With Teams: Work with product managers, designers, and engineers to brainstorm improvements based on customer pain points. Simplify Processes: For example, unclear subscription terms? Add easy-to-understand disclosures and cancellation options to build trust. Proactively Improve: Complaints often highlight problems before they snowball. Address them early to save costs and enhance the user experience. Turn Lawsuits Into Lessons: Use the detailed feedback from legal disputes to innovate and set new industry standards. Customer complaints are a gift—they show you where to grow. What’s one way you’ve turned a complaint into a product win? Share your story below! -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

When product updates cross borders, legal risks follow. Most legal teams focus on contracts, compliance, and IP. But what happens when a product decision accidentally steps into geopolitics? Google’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America is a textbook example—what seemed like a simple update is now a potential international legal battle. Legal risk isn’t just about regulations. When a product change affects national identity, territorial claims, or cultural sensitivity, it moves into the realm of sovereignty and international law. Google followed its standard policy of using official government sources—but did it account for the fact that countries disagree on what’s official? One overlooked strategy for product counsel: scenario testing with international legal and policy teams. Before rolling out changes with geopolitical impact, simulate potential government reactions. If a country like Mexico or Cuba had been in the room, would this update have looked like a legal risk instead of a routine product tweak? To get ahead of these issues, ask: Does this change touch on politically sensitive topics? Are we relying on one government’s position, and could that create international backlash? Have we tested how different jurisdictions will perceive the change—legally and culturally? Legal isn’t just an after-the-fact clean-up crew. The best product lawyers spot these risks before they turn into lawsuits. What’s your team doing to make sure legal is part of the product development process—not just damage control? -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

Regulations often feel like barriers. The best product teams know how to turn them into opportunities. As product counsel, you can help your team leverage compliance as a competitive advantage. Here’s how to make regulations work for you: Position Compliance as a Feature: "GDPR compliance isn’t just a requirement—it’s how we keep your data safe." Use this in marketing to build trust. Use Standards to Enter Markets: Regulations like PSD2 or FDA approval create high barriers to entry—turn them into your unique selling point. Exceed Baseline Requirements: Go beyond accessibility or environmental laws to deliver exceptional experiences for underserved markets. Spot Trends Before They’re Mandates: Proactively align with emerging regulations (like AI transparency laws) to position your product as a leader. Collaborate With Regulators: Build relationships and advocate for smart policies that align with your product’s goals. When you approach regulations intentionally and creatively, you don’t just follow the rules—you lead the market. What’s your favorite example of turning compliance into innovation? -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

Want to know what it takes to become a top product counsel? ?? Product Counsel: Advise, Innovate, and Inspire is earning praise from some of the most respected voices in the legal world. This isn’t just a book; it’s a toolkit for lawyers who want to lead and influence in today’s fast-paced business landscape. Here’s what industry leaders are saying: ? Eve Saltman (GoPro): “A must-read for any product lawyer who wants to be a trusted business partner.” ? Rob Chesnut (Airbnb): “A master class…you’ll keep this book by your computer and refer to it over and over.” ? Adam Sterling (UC Berkeley): “Essential reading…for all corporate legal professionals looking to stay ahead.” ? Karna J. Nisewaner (Cadence Design): “A great foundation for your journey to successful legal leadership.” ? Michael Jacobson (eBay): “A thorough overview…explains not just what product counseling is, but how best to achieve excellence in its practice.” This guide is packed with actionable frameworks, checklists, and real-world insights from the authors, designed to help you navigate the intersection of law, technology, and business. If you’re ready to elevate your role and be the go-to business partner, this book has you covered. ?? Discover what makes this book a game-changer: https://lnkd.in/giTw-9AZ -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

A McKinsey survey found that 58% of consumers prefer remote driving over autonomous vehicles, largely due to a sense of safety and control. But for product counsel, "control" raises a critical legal question: Who is liable when something goes wrong? Unlike traditional driving, where liability falls on the driver, and autonomous driving, where responsibility shifts toward manufacturers and software developers, remote driving blurs the lines: ?? The Remote Driver – If a remote operator makes a mistake, are they personally liable? Should they be trained and licensed like commercial drivers? ?? The Service Provider – If a company hires and supervises remote drivers, does it assume liability under employer responsibility doctrines? ?? The Automaker – If the vehicle’s software misinterprets a command or loses connectivity at a critical moment, does the manufacturer share fault? ?? The Regulatory Gap – Current laws weren’t designed for a world where a driver in one state (or country!) controls a car in another. How will jurisdictional issues be handled? As product counsel, we don’t just mitigate risks—we help define the rules of the road. When building something new, the companies that proactively address these questions with clear contracts, risk frameworks, and regulatory engagement will lead the industry. How do you think liability should be structured in remote driving? What are your strategies when building something new? Let’s discuss it! The link to the fascinating McKinsey article is in the comments. -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

From idea to sunset: The journey shapes a lawyer—and a business. There’s something transformative about advising a product throughout its entire lifecycle. Maria Dinzeo highlights in her recent article that this proactive approach—guiding products from idea to launch, growth, scale, and even sunset—isn’t just about compliance or risk management. It’s about truly understanding the business and becoming an integral part of its success. This mindset resonates deeply with me. Early in my career, being embedded in product teams didn’t just teach me how to navigate complex challenges. It fundamentally changed how I approached the law. It helped me see the big picture, aligning legal insights with business strategy and ultimately prepared me to take on broader leadership roles, like becoming a general counsel. Maria’s piece beautifully captures this connection between product counseling and stepping closer to the core of a business. Thank you, Maria, for spotlighting the skills that make product law a niche and a cornerstone of modern legal practice. Here’s something to ponder: How can lawyers working in other legal disciplines adopt a lifecycle approach to get closer to the business? What skills from product counseling could help them become not just legal advisors but strategic partners? I’d love to hear your thoughts: How has guiding products—or projects—through their entire lifecycle shaped your perspective as a professional? The article is linked in the comments—let’s continue the conversation! -------- ?? I’m Olga V. Mack ?? Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling ?? Upskilling human capital for digital transformation ?? Leading change management in legal innovation & operations ?? Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech ?? Let’s connect ?? Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter