Statements of Work in the AI Era: Drafting Smarter, Managing Risk, and Redefining Legal Precision

Mark Grossman
Mark Grossman
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP

Mark Grossman is a technology and business attorney, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor who helps companies close complex deals and navigate emerging legal risks. Throughout his legal career, which includes technology law, digital media, and high-stakes commercial transactions, Mark has closed deals exceeding a billion dollars in value across a wide range of industries.

Lucy Bassli
Lucy Bassli
InnoLaw Group, PLLC

Lucy Bassli is an attorney, author of The Simple Guide to Legal Innovation and CLM Simplified: Efficient Contracting for Law Departments, and founder of InnoLaw Group, PLLC, a niche consultancy focused on operationalizing commercial contracting and CLM readiness.

Live Video-Broadcast: November 18, 2025

2 hour CLE

Tuition: $195.00
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Program Summary

Session I - Negotiating and Understanding Your Statements of Work – Mark Grossman

Whether you represent a mid-sized business or a Fortune 100 company, your world is moving to the cloud at warp speed. As lawyers, you need to understand the complex legal issues that arise so you can effectively negotiate and draft Statements of Work (SOWs). In this session, I explain the unique norms of SOWs in a SaaS world and the provisions every lawyer should know. Drawing on three decades of negotiating cloud and technology deals, I share practical, battle-tested approaches you can apply immediately. Topics include: the essential provisions that belong in every SOW; how limitation-of-liability clauses can undercut your client’s protection; how SLAs connect to and impact the SOW; IP pitfalls that trap the unwary; strategies to keep SaaS agreements out of court; and how to draft SOWs that clearly and unambiguously reflect the deal and reduce risk to the enterprise.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Identify key legal and business terms that must be addressed in every SOW
  • Recognize how limitation-of-liability and IP clauses shift risk in cloud transactions
  • Align SOWs with SLAs to avoid gaps and ambiguity
  • Apply practical negotiation strategies drawn from real-world SaaS deals

Session II - Redefining Legal’s Role in Reviewing SOW – Lucy Bassli

We regularly say that the SOW should be a business document, but still find lawyers dragged into the review and negotiation of SOWs. It may make sense for the most complex SOWs, but there are ways to minimize the time lawyers spend on the average SOW while still managing risk by empowering the business. We’ll review pragmatic ways to realign roles and responsibilities for contract negotiations and practical tips for enabling the business to do more with streamlined processes and effective use of AI to automate SOW review.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Develop a legal review threshold and policy
  • Create a roles and responsibilities matrix
  • Identify the right type of contract review AI technology

This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.

Date / Time: November 18, 2025

  • 1:00 pm – 3:10 pm Eastern
  • 12:00 pm – 2:10 pm Central
  • 11:00 am – 1:10 pm Mountain
  • 10:00 am – 12:10 pm Pacific

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Mark Grossman | Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP

Mark Grossman is a technology and business attorney, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor who helps companies close complex deals and navigate emerging legal risks. Throughout his legal career, which includes technology law, digital media, and high-stakes commercial transactions, Mark has closed deals exceeding a billion dollars in value across a wide range of industries. He is a partner at the law firm Falcon Rappaport & Berkman.

When the stakes are highest, clients—from early-stage ventures to Fortune 10 companies—rely on Mark for his strategic insight, sound judgment, and proven ability to deliver results.

He has also served as a fractional general counsel, providing seasoned legal strategy to companies seeking executive-level insight without the expense of a full-time in-house counsel. His practice covers a wide range of technology transactions, including software licensing, SaaS and cloud services agreements, technology development and integration contracts, IT outsourcing, data privacy and security agreements, and intellectual property transfers. Mark also advises on enterprise-level AI and data governance, regulatory compliance, with a particular focus on fast-moving industries such as technology and cannabis.

Mark brings the rare advantage of operational experience to his legal practice. He co- founded Eisenworld (later Apptimum), where he helped develop software that reshaped how enterprises managed PC migration, ultimately leading to a significant investment from Granville-Baird Capital Partners and a subsequent acquisition by Microsoft. He later co-founded Boldstreak, a rapidly scaling social media talent agency that a larger competitor acquired.

This entrepreneurial background shapes his legal counsel with a business-first mindset. Mark understands what it takes to scale growth and negotiate under pressure—because he has done it himself.

Mark has represented industry leaders such as AvisBudget, General Electric, ExxonMobil, Warner Music, Carnival Cruise Lines, Publix Supermarkets, Burger King, BankAtlantic, and Levi Strauss Co.

He authored Technology Law: What Every Business (and Business-Minded Person) Needs to Know, co-authored the ABA’s Internet Law for the Business Lawyer, and wrote over 400 published articles—including his long-running weekly TechLaw column in the Miami Herald.

In addition to his writing, Mark’s expertise has been featured by major media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV, NPR, ABC’s Nightline, and Wall Street Journal Radio, where he has provided commentary on business and legal topics. He has delivered more than 400 presentations to audiences around the world, including industry conferences, corporate seminars, and academic forums. Mark is widely recognized for his ability to translate complex business and legal concepts into clear, practical insights.

Mark is also a professional speaker who has delivered over 400 presentations worldwide and is frequently invited to serve as a keynote speaker. His topics include negotiating skills for the C-suite, advanced strategies for software licensing and cloud computing agreements, risk management in technology transactions, and effective contract negotiation techniques. Mark’s presentations are known for providing actionable insights and practical guidance tailored to executives, legal professionals, and technology leaders.

Best Lawyers, in confidential peer review, named him “Lawyer of the Year” for Technology Law in New York City in both 2016 and 2018. His peers have also selected him as a Super Lawyer for seven consecutive years—an honor reserved for the top 5% of attorneys in each state. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and is admitted in both New York and Florida.

Whether you require strategic guidance drawn from decades of high-stakes legal experience, assistance with negotiating major contracts, support in structuring tech deals, or advice on building a compliant and scalable business in a complex regulatory environment, Mark adapts his legal expertise and business insight to meet your unique needs, backed by a proven track record of results.

 

Lucy Bassli | InnoLaw Group, PLLC

Lucy Bassli is an attorney, author of The Simple Guide to Legal Innovation and CLM Simplified: Efficient Contracting for Law Departments, and founder of InnoLaw Group, PLLC, a niche consultancy focused on operationalizing commercial contracting and CLM readiness. Her team works with law departments on modernizing their commercial contracting practices in support of their business. Lucy’s “been there, done that” approach brings first-hand experience to all things contracting: resource allocation, automation, process optimization and smart risk-taking.

Lucy is a highly sought-after legal industry expert, engaging in thought-leadership projects to drive change and evolution in the delivery of legal services. She is a former Assistant General Counsel of Legal Operations and Contracting at Microsoft. During her 13-year tenure, she led the legal support for global procurement and redefined how contracting was handled through the industry-leading example of outsourcing legal review of contracts and implementation of an enterprise-wide new CLM system.

Lucy is a strategy advisor for several legal tech start-ups. She is a frequent speaker on topics of legal services innovation, legal technology and legal process outsourcing. She was honored as one of WorldCC’s 2021 Inspiring Women in Commerce and Contracting. In 2015, she was named to the National Law Journal list of Outstanding Women Lawyers.

Agenda

Session I – Negotiating and Understanding Your Statements of Work | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

  • Identify key legal and business terms that must be addressed in every SOW
  • Recognize how limitation-of-liability and IP clauses shift risk in cloud transactions
  • Align SOWs with SLAs to avoid gaps and ambiguity
  • Apply practical negotiation strategies drawn from real-world SaaS deals

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session II – Redefining Legal’s Role in Reviewing SOW | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

  • Develop a legal review threshold and policy
  • Create a roles and responsibilities matrix
  • Identify the right type of contract review AI technology

Credits

Alaska

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through Alaska’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity.
Alabama

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Arkansas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Arizona

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

California

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Colorado

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Connecticut

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

District of Columbia

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Delaware

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Florida

Approved via Attorney Submission
2.5 General Hours

Receive CLE credit in Florida via attorney submission.
Georgia

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Hawaii

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Iowa

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Idaho

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Illinois

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Indiana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Kansas

Pending CLE Approval
2 Substantive

Kentucky

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Louisiana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Massachusetts

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Maryland

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Maine

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Michigan

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Minnesota

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Missouri

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Mississippi

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Montana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Dakota

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through North Dakota’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity. Section 1, Policy 1.14
Nebraska

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

myLawCLE reports attendance to Nebraska on each attorney’s behalf for all programs. Please do not self-report.
New Hampshire

Approved for CLE Credits
120 General minutes

As of July 1, 2014, the NHMCLE Board no longer provides pre- or post-approval of courses. Attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance online at www.nhbar.org, based on qualification provisions of Rule 53.
New Jersey

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New Jersey’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity, except for the courses required under BCLE Reg. 201:2
New Mexico

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Nevada

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

New York

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New York’s Approved Jurisdiction Group “B”.
Ohio

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Oklahoma

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

Oregon

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Pennsylvania

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Rhode Island

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

South Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

South Dakota

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Tennessee

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Texas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Utah

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Virginia

Not Eligible
2 General Hours

Vermont

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Washington

Approved via Attorney Submission
2 Law & Legal Hours

Receive CLE credit in Washington via attorney submission.
Wisconsin

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

West Virginia

Pending CLE Approval
2.4 General

Wyoming

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

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