Charlotte Smith

Principal @ Edge International, Global Consultancy to the Legal Profession

About

The next era of legal performance won’t be built on harder work. It will be built on leaders equipped for what comes next.I made partner before 30. On paper, success.What I saw underneath was different.Capable people hitting invisible ceilings. Not because they lacked talent. Because no one had built them for the pressure that comes with scale.It wasn’t a talent problem. It was a pressure problem.That became my work.For the past decade I’ve sat inside elite law firms and high-growth tech companies — first as a lawyer, now as a coach and strategic advisor. As a Principal at Edge International, I work with law firm leaders globally on performance, talent, and the human side of running a modern legal business.Through Level7 Legal, I work with General Counsel and Legal Ops leaders doing the same inside high-growth companies.Two environments. The same core problem.How I work:Executive CoachingLeadership clarity, presence, and decision-making in high-stakes environments.Leadership DiagnosticsIdentifying where teams are stretched, misaligned, or quietly stuck before it becomes risk.Performance StrategyBuilding the human systems that let legal teams scale without breaking.Legal teams that perform today. And are ready for what comes next.“Charlotte is world-class. She blends sharp strategic insight with empathy and precision. The work transformed how I lead and how my team performs.”DM me to explore the Leadership Diagnostic, begin a coaching cycle, or subscribe to my Substack.

Country

United States

City

Los Gatos

Industry

Legal Services

Skill

Executive Level Management, Executive Team, Strategic Relationships, Problem Solving, Communication, Management Consulting, Business Relationship Management, Negotiation, Business Development, Creativity and Innovation, Public Speaking, Applied Behavior Analysis, Educational Leadership, Torts, Commercial Torts, Civil Litigation, Criminal Law, Criminal Justice, EU Competition Law, Facilitation

Experience

Principal

Edge International, Global Consultancy to the Legal Profession

2026-5 - Present · 5 mos

San Jose, CA

Edge advises top law firms globally. We share a view: the future of legal isn't just about structure or AI. It's about how people perform, lead, and make decisions inside the system. Same focus. Bigger reach.

Chief Executive Officer

Level7 Legal

2019-3 - Present · 7 yrs 7 mos

San Jose, CA

I work with General Counsel and senior legal leaders at top tech companies and elite law firms to build high-performing, resilient legal teams. I’m a former law firm partner and accredited executive coach. I’ve spent the last decade inside legal teams under real pressure. Scaling. Change. Burnout. Resistance. Talent risk. My work sits at the intersection of human performance, leadership, and legal operations. What I do: • Executive coaching for General Counsel and senior legal leaders • Leadership and performance programs for legal teams • Strategic advisory on talent, capacity, and sustainable performance Designing an AI-enabled performance platform for legal teams What clients care about: + Stronger judgment under pressure + Clearer leadership presence + Better delegation and decision-making + Higher morale, lower attrition + Teams that perform without burning out I don’t teach lawyers how to use tools. I help them become the kind of leaders who use tools well. My focus is simple: Unlock human potential where the stakes are highest.

Founder

Stealth AI Startup

2025-3 - Present · 1 yr 7 mos

San Jose, CA

Partner

Travlaw

2007-4 - 2014-4 · 7 yrs 1 mo

United Kingdom

From 2007 to 2014, I was employed at a top-tier, Chambers and Partners #1 ranked firm, where I built and led the Employment Law team. I specialized in advising clients within the travel and aviation sectors, collaborating closely with CEOs, founders, and in-house counsel on complex employment law matters. During this time, I spearheaded the development of an innovative employment law subscription model in partnership with insurance providers. This initiative not only promised to generate significant revenue upon its launch but also created new work opportunities for the employment team. Earlier in my career, as a Senior Associate on the Commercial Team, I provided specialist advice on Supplier Agreements, Software Agreements, Data Privacy, and Consumer Booking Conditions. My expertise spanned Employment, Intellectual Property, Commercial, and Corporate Law. My dedication to innovation in these areas was recognized with a "30 Under 30" award by TTG in 2014 and an offer of partnership.