Started at CPA Global working with IP software clients across Europe and the US. Joined Novartis in 2012 and never left until now. Mind Frame is built on what those eighteen years taught.
Michael Francony started his career on the vendor side, at CPA Global (now Clarivate), working with their IP management system Memotech. Over four years he covered client demos, RFP responses, business analysis, requirements gathering, and solution design. He led EU and US software user communities, worked alongside development and QA teams in an Agile environment, and ran on-site workshops and training sessions across client sites in Europe and the US.
In 2012 he joined Novartis in Basel, initially in IP operations and systems, then moving into Legal Operations from 2019. Thirteen years in total, across IP management, contract lifecycle management, legal matter management, eBilling and spend analytics, workflow automation, and Legal AI. End-to-end: from strategy to delivery to the teams running it afterwards.
The combination matters. Understanding what vendors are actually selling, how implementation really works, and what the gap looks like between a demo and production that changes how you buy, how you deploy, and how you diagnose when something isn't working. Both sides of every RFP. Both sides of every rollout.
Michael is based in the Mulhouse-Basel cross-border area and works primarily with Swiss multinationals in pharma, medtech, and manufacturing. He is available as a consultant, as a fractional Head of Legal Operations, or for a permanent in-house role where the fit is right.
Business analyst and pre-sales consultant for Memotech, an IP management system. Client demos, RFP responses, requirements gathering, solution design, and Agile delivery alongside development teams. Led EU and US software user communities and presented at international conferences.
Thirteen years across IP operations and Legal Operations. CLM, legal matter management, eBilling, IP systems, workflow automation, and Legal AI. Built the NovaMatters platform on SharePoint as a replacement for a paid vendor solution still running after eight years. 100% delivery record across all initiatives led.
Active in the CLOC, Liquid Legal Institute, and Legal Operations Switzerland communities. The benchmarks and methodology behind Mind Frame are grounded in the most current industry data from these sources.
End-to-end delivery across the full legal technology stack. Not requirements gathering handed off to a team design, build, rollout, and adoption from start to finish.
Delivered and scaled CLM solutions supporting 50,000+ contracts, growing 20,000+ contracts per year, reducing turnaround to under 24 hours from initiation to execution through end-to-end digitisation.
Led replacement of legacy eBilling platform supporting 50,000+ invoices per year, becoming the backbone for legal spend analytics and management.
Built and launched an internal matter management solution replacing a paid vendor platform. Supporting 5,000+ matters annually. Still running eight years later.
Managed enterprise IP management system and led a multi-year global programme to simplify and harmonise IP systems and processes.
Designed and delivered workflow applications including patent search, infringement reporting, copyright management, and IP litigation approval processes.
Practitioner first, not theorist. The AI work below is hands-on delivery, not advisory at a distance.
First Legal associate licensed for Microsoft Copilot at Novartis. Led AI-driven contract analytics RFI-RFPs. Piloted Harvey, Wordsmith, and Leah in a legal context.
Built Copilot Studio proof-of-concepts: Legal chatbot, contract generator, and contract extractor. Built the Mind Frame diagnostic tool and marketing site with AI assistance.
Delivered internal trainings, workshops, and conference sessions on practical Legal AI adoption and governance. AI governance is a pillar of the Mind Frame Operating Governance assessment.
Developed a full AI strategy for legal and compliance functions covering use case identification, governance frameworks, vendor evaluation, and adoption roadmaps.
Regular speaker and panelist at legal operations conferences in Europe. Topics span legal ops foundations, CLM, technology adoption, AI in legal, and change management.
What it really takes to transition from buyer to true partner when working with legal technology vendors. Drawing on experience from both sides of the table what makes implementations succeed or fail, the four Fs framework for vendor relationships, stakeholder management, and how AI is reshaping the legal technology landscape.
Listen to the episodeMichael is a trail and ultra-trail runner, with multiple 100-mile races in the Alps including the TDS and UTMB. The cairn at the centre of the Mind Frame methodology is not a borrowed metaphor. It comes from the Alps, and from the discipline of moving through difficult terrain with a clear picture of where you are and what the next section requires. The parallels to running a legal function are not forced.
He is also a supporter of Blackpool FC. A tangerine club from his hometown on the Lancashire coast. The brand colour was not a coincidence.
He lives in the Alsace, just across the border from Basel, with his family.
Whether you are thinking about a diagnostic, a consulting engagement, or an in-house role, the right place to start is a conversation.
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