Betsi Roach, executive director of Corporate Legal Operations Consortium/courtesy photo

The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium has named Betsi Roach its new executive director.

No stranger to legal organizations, Roach previously served as executive director of the Legal Marketing Association from 2007 to 2018 and before that spent 8 years as the director of the Section of Intellectual Property Law at the American Bar Association. A press release by CLOC announcing the appointment on Thursday noted that Roach's duties will include growing membership, expanding the digital experience and "facilitating the development of relevant content."

In the release, Roach said she was attracted to the opportunity to serve as CLOC's first executive director.

"This is a really exciting time in legal operations," Roach said. "From moving away from the billable hour, to streamlining and redefining value chains, to improving the way we use data and technology, there are so many big opportunities. Our industry needs smart, driven people sharing ideas and collaborating on solutions. And that is what CLOC is all about."

It was sheer necessity that pushed CLOC to take a bigger step onto the digital stage this month after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the organization to take its annual Las Vegas Institute virtual with a series of webinars. In a statement published with the news of Roach's hiring, CLOC President Mary O'Carroll indicated that the organization's push into the digital frontier will continue.

"We have a big vision: to redefine the business of law," O'Carroll said. "To serve that vision and to improve our member service, we need to operate with focus and speed. We need to create great content and experiences for our members, both in the physical and digital worlds. I look forward to partnering with Betsi and the rest of the board to take CLOC into the future."

The corporate legal-centric organization has undergone several personnel changes over the past few years. Founder Connie Brenton resigned as chairwoman of the board in January 2019, with executive team and board of directors member Jeff Franke following close behind. "The board is more interested in moving the organization to a caretaker role versus that dynamic and growing organization and that isn't as much fun for me," Brenton said of her departure.

Meanwhile, CLOC appears poised to continue growing. Among the responsibilities listed on Roach's LinkedIn page include attracting new members and increasing the organization's visibility.

"What attracted me to this role is, more than anything else, that I believe in this community," Roach said in the release.