About

Team size: 10
Major law firms used: Baker McKenzie, Fieldfisher, Kemp Little

As the GC of a constantly evolving mobile ticketing app, Neil Murrin has had to keep up with the times. The introduction of the company’s first legal ops professionals, and saving Trainline £250,000 as a result, has gone some way in doing that.

With a mandate of streamlining Trainline’s internal functions, Murrin appointed Holly Manvell and Keruschka Shunmugam, as head of legal operations and legal operations manager respectively. While
both were already part of the business, they represented the first dedicated legal ops function. Murrin oversaw as the in-house team designed and implemented a matter-management system for the wider Trainline business, offering templates and best-practice guides. This has improved contracting time by 30% and led to the cost savings.

Other innovations from the Trainline legal team include the implementation of Concord, an end-to-end contract management system, and using electronic signature product DocuSign, which Murrin insists has provided ‘miraculous efficiency’. Murrin says that this introduction of legal ops was the most important thing he and his team did in 2018. ‘It means we can talk to the business about where resources are being used – a prioritisation discussion.’

In addition to the increased appreciation for technology, Murrin has gained plaudits for maintaining a stable budget, despite a boom in headcount. Five years ago, Trainline had around four lawyers, compared to ten now. However, the business-as-usual legal services budget of around £500,000 has remained ‘relatively flat’ during that time period, according to Murrin. As for the secret to his success, Murrin says it is down to being a team player: ‘I’m open and make a point of sitting with the rest of the team. I’m always looking for feedback.’