Advisory Group

Merlie Calvert

Founder & CEO – Farillio

Merlie Calvert is the CEO and founder of Farillio, an award-winning, tech startup in the business and legal services sector. Passionate about Farillio’s mission to ensure that no small business owner struggles because they can’t get access to the info, materials or expert help they need, on a basis they can afford, Merlie’s unapologetically rebellious about championing small business rights. To this mission, Merlie brings over 20 years’ experience of business and legal practice spanning a wide range of legal and business roles in industries from pharmaceuticals and insurance through to music, FMCG and diamonds. Recognised by the FT in 2019 for being among the top 4% of global legaltech innovators, she’s an advisor for Antler VC and mentor/adviser to a number of other businesses also.

Alistair Maiden

CEO – SYKE

Alistair is an award-winning legal technologist who comprehensively serves the intersection of law, business and tech to solve companies’ real-world problems. He has a track record of helping a wide range of corporate clients adopt legal technology defining the future for lawyers worldwide. At Asda (Walmart UK), Alistair implemented a digital contracting tool which reduced the average contract cycle from 17 days to just 5 days. He has personally led projects for HSBC, Unilever, Clif Bar, Springer Nature, AA, Royal Mail, Capita and Amadeus. Alistair teaches legal tech at the University of Manchester where he is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Law. In 2019, he was named legal business technologist of the year at the prestigious FT Intelligent Business Awards in San Francisco.

Ed Simpson

Founder & CEO – The Legal Director

Ed Simpson is the founder and CEO of The Legal Director. During his career as an in-house lawyer Ed recognised that in-house lawyers are extremely proficient at applying their legal expertise practically, especially in the realities of the commercial world, and that they can play a very valuable role in any organisation. He set up The Legal Director in 2007 with a view to making senior and experienced in-house lawyers available to all businesses. The Legal Director now comprises a team of over 40 experience general counsel who provide ambitious, high-growth businesses with in-house legal expertise on a part-time, flexible basis.