It’ s about making better decisions faster, quicker execution, and more reliability
__________________________________________________________________________________ Jaron
Brown | Outokumpu
I expect, but I also ask my team members what they are looking for from the team and what we are trying to accomplish together,” he adds.
After graduating from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Jaron began his practice in Cleveland just as deal work slowed after 9 / 11. He started in mergers and acquisitions but found few deals.“ At that time, there was no M & A work to be had. I pivoted and became a securities lawyer,” he recalls. He developed expertise in SEC periodic reporting and governance & compliance while staying involved in transactional work.
It’ s about making better decisions faster, quicker execution, and more reliability
He eventually returned to transactional work, joining an Atlanta firm to handle private equity deals and public company matters. He enjoyed the work and valued his client relationships but reached a turning point.“ I loved doing the work. I loved counseling clients and helping them accomplish their goals and solve problems, but I wasn’ t as passionate about selling legal services,” he reflects.
Jaron moved in-house in 2013, joining Novelis. The transition required a new set of skills.“ There is a very different skill set that you have to master as an in-house lawyer,” he observes. Jaron learned to balance legal expertise with operational outcomes and stayed for eight years before seeking a new challenge. That search led him to Outokumpu.
Enabling momentum
Jaron frames legal work as a driver of value. He taps into advice from peers and networks, including a group of general counsel with deep experience who share insights across industries. One message stands out.“ Show them everything you’ re doing is either allowing the business to make more money, causing the business to keep the money it makes, or helping it seek new opportunities,” he recalls.
That mindset shapes how Jaron’ s team works every day.“ It’ s really about finding solutions to let the business accomplish its goals,” he notes.
Technology powers much of that efficiency. Jaron champions tools that streamline contracts and sharpen decision-making.“ We’ re using tools to help others do their jobs better. It’ s about making better decisions faster, quicker execution, and more reliability,” he points out.
His work focuses on modernizing legal operations through contract lifecycle management systems, e-billing platforms, and AI-powered
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