COMPLIANCE BY DESIGN PODCAST
Compliance by Design is the podcast where regulation meets innovation. Hosted by Patrick Daniel, SVP of Compliance and Laurence Baker, VP of Marketing at Avantia, it features a rotating panel of legal and compliance leaders as it explores how asset managers and legal teams are navigating today’s evolving regulatory landscape.
Each episode features candid conversations with industry experts, from top law firms to in-house risk leaders, on the future of KYC and AML, global compliance challenges, the rise of AI in legal services, and building a culture of compliance in a complex world.
Whether you’re a lawyer, compliance officer, or risk professional, Compliance by Design delivers practical insights, strategic advice, and real-world experiences to help you stay ahead of what’s next.
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Featured on Compliance By Design:
Season:
1
Episode:
3
Aired:
Sep 26, 2025
Runtime:
19 min
Building an AI-Powered Law Firm: COO Hannah Thompson on People, Process, and Trust
What does it really take to embed AI into a law firm? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Avantia COO Hannah Thompson joins host Laurence Baker to share the operational reality of building a tech-enabled law firm. From her journey as a litigator to leading operations, Hannah explains why traditional law firm models reward inefficiency, how lawyers actually respond to AI tools, and why trust and human judgment remain at the heart of legal services. We cover: • Why the billable hour is the enemy of innovation • How to overcome lawyer scepticism and drive adoption of AI • Turning messy legal processes into workflows ready for automation • The reality of AI in law today — and what the future holds
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What does it really take to embed AI into a law firm? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Avantia COO Hannah Thompson joins host Laurence Baker to share the operational reality of building a tech-enabled law firm. From her journey as a litigator to leading operations, Hannah explains why traditional law firm models reward inefficiency, how lawyers actually respond to AI tools, and why trust and human judgment remain at the heart of legal services. We cover: • Why the billable hour is the enemy of innovation • How to overcome lawyer scepticism and drive adoption of AI • Turning messy legal processes into workflows ready for automation • The reality of AI in law today — and what the future holds
Read more
What does it really take to embed AI into a law firm? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Avantia COO Hannah Thompson joins host Laurence Baker to share the operational reality of building a tech-enabled law firm. From her journey as a litigator to leading operations, Hannah explains why traditional law firm models reward inefficiency, how lawyers actually respond to AI tools, and why trust and human judgment remain at the heart of legal services. We cover: • Why the billable hour is the enemy of innovation • How to overcome lawyer scepticism and drive adoption of AI • Turning messy legal processes into workflows ready for automation • The reality of AI in law today — and what the future holds
Read more
What does it really take to embed AI into a law firm? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Avantia COO Hannah Thompson joins host Laurence Baker to share the operational reality of building a tech-enabled law firm. From her journey as a litigator to leading operations, Hannah explains why traditional law firm models reward inefficiency, how lawyers actually respond to AI tools, and why trust and human judgment remain at the heart of legal services. We cover: • Why the billable hour is the enemy of innovation • How to overcome lawyer scepticism and drive adoption of AI • Turning messy legal processes into workflows ready for automation • The reality of AI in law today — and what the future holds
Read more
What does it really take to embed AI into a law firm? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Avantia COO Hannah Thompson joins host Laurence Baker to share the operational reality of building a tech-enabled law firm. From her journey as a litigator to leading operations, Hannah explains why traditional law firm models reward inefficiency, how lawyers actually respond to AI tools, and why trust and human judgment remain at the heart of legal services. We cover: • Why the billable hour is the enemy of innovation • How to overcome lawyer scepticism and drive adoption of AI • Turning messy legal processes into workflows ready for automation • The reality of AI in law today — and what the future holds
Read more
Season:
1
Episode:
2
Aired:
Aug 20, 2025
Runtime:
20 min
Cutting Through the Legal AI Hype with CTO Paul Gaskell
The legal AI market is buzzing with new tools — but how much of it is hype, and what’s actually working for legal teams? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Laurence sits down with Avantia’s CTO, Paul Gaskell (ex-BlackRock, Bloomberg), to unpack the state of play. They discuss why the first wave of AI “platforms” fell short, how legal teams should think in workflows not point solutions, and the three critical questions every GC and CCO should be asking their legal tech providers. Plus, Paul shares how Avantia built its own AI, Ava, to integrate directly into Word and Outlook — and why the future of AI might just involve rocks and octopuses.
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The legal AI market is buzzing with new tools — but how much of it is hype, and what’s actually working for legal teams? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Laurence sits down with Avantia’s CTO, Paul Gaskell (ex-BlackRock, Bloomberg), to unpack the state of play. They discuss why the first wave of AI “platforms” fell short, how legal teams should think in workflows not point solutions, and the three critical questions every GC and CCO should be asking their legal tech providers. Plus, Paul shares how Avantia built its own AI, Ava, to integrate directly into Word and Outlook — and why the future of AI might just involve rocks and octopuses.
Read more
The legal AI market is buzzing with new tools — but how much of it is hype, and what’s actually working for legal teams? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Laurence sits down with Avantia’s CTO, Paul Gaskell (ex-BlackRock, Bloomberg), to unpack the state of play. They discuss why the first wave of AI “platforms” fell short, how legal teams should think in workflows not point solutions, and the three critical questions every GC and CCO should be asking their legal tech providers. Plus, Paul shares how Avantia built its own AI, Ava, to integrate directly into Word and Outlook — and why the future of AI might just involve rocks and octopuses.
Read more
The legal AI market is buzzing with new tools — but how much of it is hype, and what’s actually working for legal teams? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Laurence sits down with Avantia’s CTO, Paul Gaskell (ex-BlackRock, Bloomberg), to unpack the state of play. They discuss why the first wave of AI “platforms” fell short, how legal teams should think in workflows not point solutions, and the three critical questions every GC and CCO should be asking their legal tech providers. Plus, Paul shares how Avantia built its own AI, Ava, to integrate directly into Word and Outlook — and why the future of AI might just involve rocks and octopuses.
Read more
The legal AI market is buzzing with new tools — but how much of it is hype, and what’s actually working for legal teams? In this episode of Compliance by Design, Laurence sits down with Avantia’s CTO, Paul Gaskell (ex-BlackRock, Bloomberg), to unpack the state of play. They discuss why the first wave of AI “platforms” fell short, how legal teams should think in workflows not point solutions, and the three critical questions every GC and CCO should be asking their legal tech providers. Plus, Paul shares how Avantia built its own AI, Ava, to integrate directly into Word and Outlook — and why the future of AI might just involve rocks and octopuses.
Read more
Season:
1
Episode:
1
Aired:
Jul 10, 2025
Runtime:
35 min
US AML compliance updates, with Rob Johnson, Partner at Lowenstein Sandler
In the first "Compliance by Design" episode, hosts PD and James Sutton welcome Rob Johnston of Lowenstein Sandler to discuss US AML compliance updates, focusing on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and new FinCEN AML rules. Johnston explains the confusion and uncertainty for registered investment advisors under the Bank Secrecy Act, as the clock is counting down to the Jan 1 deadline. He advises asset managers to document processes and strengthen internal policies, especially for private transactions, and we discuss AI’s potential in compliance.
Read more
In the first "Compliance by Design" episode, hosts PD and James Sutton welcome Rob Johnston of Lowenstein Sandler to discuss US AML compliance updates, focusing on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and new FinCEN AML rules. Johnston explains the confusion and uncertainty for registered investment advisors under the Bank Secrecy Act, as the clock is counting down to the Jan 1 deadline. He advises asset managers to document processes and strengthen internal policies, especially for private transactions, and we discuss AI’s potential in compliance.
Read more
In the first "Compliance by Design" episode, hosts PD and James Sutton welcome Rob Johnston of Lowenstein Sandler to discuss US AML compliance updates, focusing on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and new FinCEN AML rules. Johnston explains the confusion and uncertainty for registered investment advisors under the Bank Secrecy Act, as the clock is counting down to the Jan 1 deadline. He advises asset managers to document processes and strengthen internal policies, especially for private transactions, and we discuss AI’s potential in compliance.
Read more
In the first "Compliance by Design" episode, hosts PD and James Sutton welcome Rob Johnston of Lowenstein Sandler to discuss US AML compliance updates, focusing on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and new FinCEN AML rules. Johnston explains the confusion and uncertainty for registered investment advisors under the Bank Secrecy Act, as the clock is counting down to the Jan 1 deadline. He advises asset managers to document processes and strengthen internal policies, especially for private transactions, and we discuss AI’s potential in compliance.
Read more
In the first "Compliance by Design" episode, hosts PD and James Sutton welcome Rob Johnston of Lowenstein Sandler to discuss US AML compliance updates, focusing on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and new FinCEN AML rules. Johnston explains the confusion and uncertainty for registered investment advisors under the Bank Secrecy Act, as the clock is counting down to the Jan 1 deadline. He advises asset managers to document processes and strengthen internal policies, especially for private transactions, and we discuss AI’s potential in compliance.
Read more