CLAS 2026 is a one-day immersive conference dedicated to advancing skills in contracts and legal operations, organized by CrushContracts Inc. Scheduled for May 11, 2026, at The Ivy Room in Chicago, this event focuses on enhancing productivity, negotiation techniques, Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) efficiency, and the integration of artificial intelligence into corporate contracts and legal processes.
The conference agenda includes interactive workshops and hands-on courses covering topics such as AI efficiency and ethics, CLM preparation, innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and navigating complex conversations. These sessions are designed to equip legal professionals with actionable skills and insights relevant to modern legal challenges.
Attendees will have opportunities to network with peers during the Contract Nerds Networking Mixer immediately following the conference. The event also features renowned keynote speakers who will share their experiences and advice on becoming effective business partners within legal teams.
CLAS 2026 is tailored for in-house legal and contracts teams, including general counsels, chief legal officers, legal operators, and contracts professionals. The conference aims to provide participants with future-ready skills across business, legal, technical, and soft skill domains, preparing them to navigate the evolving landscape of legal operations.
Speakers(21)
Aimee Nolan
Chief Legal Officer at Anacostia Railway Holding
Aimee Nolan serves as the Chief Legal Officer at Anacostia Railway Holding.
Brandi Combs
Director of Contracts & Risk Management at Wells Concrete
Brandi Combs is the Director of Contracts & Risk Management at Wells Concrete and Chair of the Financial Risk Management Committee at the Precast Concrete Institute.
Colin McCarthy
President & Founder at Our Legal Community
Colin McCarthy is the President and Founder of Our Legal Community, a platform dedicated to connecting legal professionals.
Courtney Welton
Former Senior Vice President, General Counsel at Allstate
Courtney Welton is the former Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Allstate.
David J. Ehrlich
Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Coastal Construction Company
David J. Ehrlich serves as the Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Coastal Construction Company.
Deisha Ling Vazquez
Legal Operations Consultant & Strategic Advisor
Deisha Ling Vazquez is a Legal Operations Consultant and Strategic Advisor, and Head of Community for Legal Operators.
Donna Haddad
Executive in Residence at Northwestern University
Donna Haddad is an Executive in Residence at Northwestern University and former Vice President and Associate General Counsel at IBM.
Jasmine Singh
General Counsel at Ironclad
Jasmine Singh is the General Counsel at Ironclad.
Jessica Lynch
Legal Operations Manager at Zarminali Pediatrics
Jessica Lynch serves as the Legal Operations Manager at Zarminali Pediatrics.
Jonathan Perkel
Chief Legal Officer at Esusu
Jonathan Perkel serves as the Chief Legal Officer at Esusu.
Josh Lazar
Founder and CEO at TechThinkTank
Josh Lazar is the Founder and CEO of TechThinkTank.
Kristin Follis
Director of CLM & Legal Operations at CrushContracts
Kristin Follis is the Director of CLM & Legal Operations at CrushContracts.
Kristin Knox Esche
Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc.
Kristin Knox Esche is the Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc.
Laura Belmont
General Counsel at The L Suite
Laura Belmont serves as the General Counsel at The L Suite.
Megan Olsting
Program Director - Outside Counsel Management at Atlassian
Megan Olsting is the Program Director for Outside Counsel Management at Atlassian.
Nada Alnajafi
Founder at Contract Nerds
Nada Alnajafi is the Founder of Contract Nerds, author of 'Contract Redlining Etiquette', and Senior Counsel at Franklin Templeton.
Richard Cox Braden
Founder & CEO at People Rocket
Richard Cox Braden is the Founder and CEO of People Rocket, co-author of 'Innovationish', and a lecturer at Stanford and Harvard.
Ryan Ware
CEO at Connective Consulting Group
Ryan Ware is the CEO of Connective Consulting Group and host of the 'Activating Curiosity' podcast.
Salvador Caranza
Chief Vibe Architect at PossibLaw
Salvador Caranza is the Chief Vibe Architect at PossibLaw.
Sarah Irwin
Founder and CEO at ITGC
Sarah Irwin is the Founder and CEO of ITGC and a global community builder.
Tom Stephenson
CEO & Co-Founder at Legal Ops AI
Tom Stephenson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Legal Ops AI, and Founder and Host of 'Dear Legal Ops'.
Event Details
- Date
- May 11, 2026
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Chicago, United States
- The Ivy Room
- Pricing
- Varies by tier
- Audience
- In-house legal and contracts teams, including general counsels, chief legal officers, legal operators, and contracts professionals.
- CLE Credits
- CLE accreditation pending
- Attendees
- 200+