Mike Caplan serves as the firm’s chief operating officer. As COO, Mr. Caplan manages the firm's business, financial and administrative operations. He serves on Goodwin's Executive and Management Committees, and focuses on the firm’s growth strategy and execution; he joined Goodwin in 2014.
His background includes roles in both corporate and consulting management positions where he has worked with over 30 general counsels in managing data analytics, technology project implementation, law firm relationship management and financial management. In consulting, he focused on managing engagements related to intelligent cost reduction for non-compensation expenses, program management, compliance, risk management and legal spend management. These practice areas focus on building relationships with corporate legal, sourcing and finance departments.
With legal, he focuses on teaching attorneys to use technology solutions to drive optimal return on investment for the business through the use of metrics, reports and trend analysis. Additionally, Mr. Caplan has worked with general counsels, legal CAOs and CIOs to develop reporting metrics and dashboards to focus on key spend areas such as litigation, e-discovery, outside counsel accruals and alternative fee savings. Mr. Caplan also hosts a quarterly legal advisory roundtable where industry executives come to discuss best practices, technology solutions and current issues facing the office of the general counsel.
Prior to joining Goodwin, Mr. Caplan served starting in 2011 as the global chief operating officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies’ Corporate Legal, Risk and Compliance Departments. Mr. Caplan was also the global director of operations for Goldman Sachs’s Legal Department from 2000-2006. In between Goldman Sachs and Marsh & McLennan Companies, Mr. Caplan ran his own legal operations consulting business supporting general counsels and corporate legal departments in the areas of technology, project management, data management and operations.