Ivory GC

E035: How Access Governance Impacts Revenue, Solvency, and Enterprise Trust

Access controls used to be treated as a technical checklist item. Today, they can determine whether a company closes an enterprise deal, secures cyber insurance, passes an audit—or survives a breach. In this episode of Ivory GC, host Brian Becker sits down with Garrett Grajek, CEO of YouAttest and a longtime leader in identity governance and access control. With nearly three decades in information security, Garrett explains why identity and access management are no longer just IT concerns—they are core business, legal, and financial risks. The conversation explores how the shift to cloud-based systems and SaaS platforms has fundamentally changed enterprise security. As traditional network perimeters disappear, identity becomes the primary control layer. That shift carries implications not just for CISOs, but for general counsel, CFOs, and executive teams responsible for governance, compliance, and disclosure. Brian and Garrett discuss: - Why access governance now belongs high on a general counsel’s priority list - How regulations like HIPAA, SOX, and emerging AI governance frameworks require documented access practices - The risks of “privilege creep” and why over-permissioned users create hidden exposure - Lessons from high-profile enforcement actions, including SolarWinds - How weak access controls can increase insurance premiums, disrupt enterprise sales cycles, and erode customer trust - Why governance documentation—not just security tools—matters when breaches occur Garrett also explains how automation and repeatable review processes can help companies demonstrate compliance, reduce financial waste from unused licenses, and mitigate long-term reputational damage. For growth-stage and enterprise companies alike, this episode reframes access controls as strategic infrastructure—impacting revenue, valuation, insurance coverage, and brand trust. What are your thoughts on access governance and the influence of AI? Let us know in the comments! Connect with Brian Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-becker-jd-mba-80bb211a/ Connect with Garret Grajek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theauthguy Visit the Ivory Law website here: https://www.ivory.law/ Visit the YouAttest website here: https://youattest.com/ Listen to Ivory GC on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LsuryrP5VuthnqO2uVtXZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ivory-gc/id1779481512?uo=4 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b2841956-606a-4d84-b20d-e774185fe610 #InHouseCounsel #LegalStrategy #CorporateLaw #IvoryGC #BusinessLaw #LegalCareers #LawyerLife #GeneralCounsel #CorporateGovernance #LegalAdvice #LegalProfessionals #InsideCounsel #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation Ivory GC Podcast is your go‑to channel for in‑depth conversations on balancing legal risk and business innovation. Every week, we bring you candid interviews with general counsel, corporate legal advisors, and business leaders navigating regulatory complexity while driving transformative growth. Ideal for in‑house legal teams, executives, and risk managers, our content delivers strategic insights, practical tips, and real-world stories to help you lead confidently in an ever‑changing legal landscape.

E034: What “Deal-Ready” Really Means: Aligning Legal and Capital Strategy Before Fundraising

In this episode of the Ivory GC Podcast, host Brian Becker sits down with Jeffrey Fidelman, CEO and Founder of Fidelman & Company, to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in startup fundraising. Drawing on experience across Morgan Stanley, HSBC, venture capital, and interim executive leadership, Jeffrey explains what founders often misunderstand about fundraising — and how preparation, structure, and disciplined execution directly impact valuation, timelines, and deal success. Together, Brian and Jeff explore: * The difference between being “pitch-ready” and truly “deal-ready” * Why most founders misunderstand fundraising timing and complexity * The three core materials every company needs before raising capital * How legal structure, cap table mechanics, and term sheet rights can derail a raise * Why consistent execution — not just a great deck — determines fundraising outcomes * How aligned legal and capital strategy can protect valuation and strengthen negotiation leverage Jeff also explains his firm’s “fundraise as a service” model and why institutional best practices — when applied thoughtfully — can help early-stage companies operate with the discipline of much larger organizations. This conversation delivers a practical, execution-focused playbook for founders looking to approach fundraising with clarity, discipline, and confidence. Listen now and let us know your biggest fundraising takeaway. Connect with Brian Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-becker-jd-mba-80bb211a/ Connect with Jeffrey Fidelman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyfidelman Visit the Ivory Law website here: https://www.ivory.law/ Visit the Fidelman & Co and Fundex websites here: https://fidelmanco.com/ & https://www.usefundex.com/ Listen to Ivory GC on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LsuryrP5VuthnqO2uVtXZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ivory-gc/id1779481512?uo=4 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b2841956-606a-4d84-b20d-e774185fe610 #InHouseCounsel #LegalStrategy #CorporateLaw #IvoryGC #BusinessLaw #LegalCareers #LawyerLife #GeneralCounsel #CorporateGovernance #LegalAdvice #LegalProfessionals #InsideCounsel #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation Ivory GC Podcast is your go‑to channel for in‑depth conversations on balancing legal risk and business innovation. Every week, we bring you candid interviews with general counsel, corporate legal advisors, and business leaders navigating regulatory complexity while driving transformative growth. Ideal for in‑house legal teams, executives, and risk managers, our content delivers strategic insights, practical tips, and real-world stories to help you lead confidently in an ever‑changing legal landscape.

E033 | How legal functions can become enablers of change, not barriers | Leslie Cornell | Ivory GC

This episode of Ivory GC features Leslie Cornell, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Social Finance, a nonprofit investment advisor pioneering outcomes-based financing for social change. Leslie shares her transition from public finance law to leading legal strategy in the mission-driven world of impact finance, offering a rare look into legal operations that blend philanthropy, government partnerships, and investment rigor. She discusses how her team structures innovative financial models like the Renew Fund for nursing students while navigating regulatory complexity across tax, securities, and advisor law. From fund formation to compliance for first-of-its-kind projects, Leslie explains how legal functions can become enablers of change, not barriers. This episode is rich in insights for lawyers working at the intersection of finance and social impact and is a must listen for legal professionals looking to build teams that power both innovation and purpose. We hope you enjoyed this episode! :) - The Ivory GC team Connect with Brian Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-becker-jd-mba-80bb211a/ Visit the Ivory Law website here: https://www.ivory.law/ Listen to Ivory GC on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LsuryrP5VuthnqO2uVtXZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ivory-gc/id1779481512?uo=4 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b2841956-606a-4d84-b20d-e774185fe610 #InHouseCounsel #LegalStrategy #CorporateLaw #IvoryGC #BusinessLaw #LegalCareers #LawyerLife #GeneralCounsel #CorporateGovernance #LegalAdvice #LegalProfessionals #InsideCounsel #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation Ivory GC Podcast is your go‑to channel for in‑depth, expert conversations on balancing legal risk and business innovation. Every week, we bring you candid interviews with general counsel, corporate legal advisors, and business leaders navigating regulatory complexity while driving transformative growth. Ideal for in‑house legal teams, executives, and risk managers, our content delivers strategic insights, practical tips, and real-world stories to help you lead confidently in an ever‑changing legal landscape.

E032 | Navigating marketing regulations and AI in legal workflows | Richard Sarhaddi | Ivory GC

This episode of Ivory GC features Richard Sarhaddi, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Aspen Standard Wealth, a platform investing in independent registered investment advisory firms. Richard brings nearly 20 years of experience across regulatory, legal, and compliance leadership roles, including at Vanguard, Charles Schwab, and OptionsXpress. In this conversation, Richard shares how he's building a legal and compliance framework from scratch to support a fast-scaling private equity-backed platform. He reflects on lessons learned from building Vanguard’s personalized indexing compliance function, offers insights into onboarding RIAs, and discusses navigating marketing regulations and AI in legal workflows. He also opens up about his career journey—from launching a hedge fund to leading legal across multiple sectors—and the leadership principles that continue to shape his approach. We hope you enjoyed this episode! :) - The Ivory GC team Connect with Brian Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-becker-jd-mba-80bb211a/ Visit the Ivory Law website here: https://www.ivory.law/ Listen to Ivory GC on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LsuryrP5VuthnqO2uVtXZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ivory-gc/id1779481512?uo=4 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b2841956-606a-4d84-b20d-e774185fe610 #InHouseCounsel #LegalStrategy #CorporateLaw #IvoryGC #BusinessLaw #LegalCareers #LawyerLife #GeneralCounsel #CorporateGovernance #LegalAdvice #LegalProfessionals #InsideCounsel #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation Ivory GC Podcast is your go‑to channel for in‑depth, expert conversations on balancing legal risk and business innovation. Every week, we bring you candid interviews with general counsel, corporate legal advisors, and business leaders navigating regulatory complexity while driving transformative growth. Ideal for in‑house legal teams, executives, and risk managers, our content delivers strategic insights, practical tips, and real-world stories to help you lead confidently in an ever‑changing legal landscape.

E031 | Embedding legal foresight across the organization | Sal Roccaro | Ivory GC

In this episode of Ivory GC, we’re joined by Sal Roccaro, Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel at Maximum Quality Foods, a third-generation family-run food distribution company. With a background in engineering, law, and business, Sal’s multidisciplinary expertise has helped him shape strategic growth, manage complex acquisitions, and embed legal foresight across the organization. He shares his journey from environmental litigation and land use law to leading operations, compliance, and legal strategy in a fast-moving industry. Sal discusses how he integrates AI tools into legal work, the compliance challenges of entering food manufacturing, and how he balances legal and strategic decision-making. Whether leading union negotiations or building guardrails for risk in a high-volume environment, Sal brings a sharp, grounded view of how legal can fuel operational innovation. We hope you enjoyed this episode! :) - The Ivory GC team Connect with Brian Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-becker-jd-mba-80bb211a/ Visit the Ivory Law website here: https://www.ivory.law/ Listen to Ivory GC on these podcast platforms:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LsuryrP5VuthnqO2uVtXZ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ivory-gc/id1779481512?uo=4 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b2841956-606a-4d84-b20d-e774185fe610 #InHouseCounsel #LegalStrategy #CorporateLaw #IvoryGC #BusinessLaw #LegalCareers #LawyerLife #GeneralCounsel #CorporateGovernance #LegalAdvice #LegalProfessionals #InsideCounsel #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation Ivory GC Podcast is your go‑to channel for in‑depth, expert conversations on balancing legal risk and business innovation. Every week, we bring you candid interviews with general counsel, corporate legal advisors, and business leaders navigating regulatory complexity while driving transformative growth. Ideal for in‑house legal teams, executives, and risk managers, our content delivers strategic insights, practical tips, and real-world stories to help you lead confidently in an ever‑changing legal landscape.