James Russell-Jones

James Russell-Jones served as the Head of Legal at Secret Escapes from May 2017 to March 2022, a role he held for 4 years and 11 months.2 During his tenure, he was responsible for establishing and growing the legal team from 1 to 4 members.2 Russell-Jones is a seasoned lawyer with extensive experience in leading legal teams within rapidly growing, venture capital-backed enterprises.

In his role at Secret Escapes, Russell-Jones focused on streamlining in-house counsel workflows and improving efficiency. He implemented strategies such as:

1. Standardizing contracts to simplify legal processes across different jurisdictions1
2. Insourcing low-risk legal tasks to internal teams1
3. Training non-legal staff to handle initial legal processes1
4. Leveraging technology to manage international legal complexities1

Russell-Jones has shared his insights on optimizing in-house legal teams in various forums, including a podcast episode titled "Streamlining the workflow of in-house lawyers".34 He emphasizes the importance of adapting to fast-paced environments, fostering collaboration across departments, and harnessing technology to support business growth.1

Currently, James Russell-Jones holds the position of General Counsel at Bark.com.2