René Jovel on representation and building your legal brand

In the world of in-house legal leadership, few figures embody purpose-driven disruption quite like René Jovel, Deputy General Counsel and Director of Legal Operations at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin.

A first-generation Salvadoran-American, who created his own legal path of purpose and impact, René’s career is a lesson in how being authentic, curious and empathetic can reimagine the role of legal.
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René’s legal origin story

René’s journey into law was an honest one - one that grew from necessity rather than big dreams of grandeur.

Raised by parents who fled the Salvadoran civil war in the early 1980s, he grew up hearing about their challenges navigating the U.S. immigration system. From experiencing difficultly going through the right processes, to receiving false legal advice, to even encountering scams along the way. Eventually the family received their permanent residency, but this wasn’t a simple endeavor.

Growing up René heard from his family that they couldn't find the legal help they needed, or anyone that spoke Spanish to fully understand their needs. This didn’t defeat René, it inspired him.

I knew I wanted to help represent others, speak the language and try to help people just like my family, navigate the legal system.

René began forging his legal path, starting at Northwestern University and then Marquette Law School, where he gained a passion for learning that would continue throughout his career.

After his studies he worked as a legal assistant, law clerk, professor, and even alongside U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, before becoming Deputy General Counsel and Director of Legal Operations at Goodwill - a social nonprofit enterprise with retail and community service arms that he personally knew from his childhood.

I went to Goodwill to buy clothes when I was growing up, to try and do with the little that we had” he explains “now I’m here trying to help others in similar circumstances.

How René reframed legal’s role

René’s passion for helping others has led him to his current role, where he mentors a legal team recognized for its enablement and business value.

I always tell folks, we’re not a roadblock, we're a speed bump. We're here to slow you down to look at the risks, to figure out the risk appetite, and to see what we need to do to reach success.

Goodwill’s Legal Team isn’t seen as the “no” department. The team is a proactive enabler that assesses risk but in a way that moves the business forward safely and quickly. To do this well, it’s vital for the legal team to understand the full business.

I'm a constant learner, I want to know what's going on. So we work with HR, sales, marketing, because there’s always an opportunity for learning.

Once you truly know your business and understand what success looks like, legal teams can turn risk into opportunities and be in a position to proactively find ways to support business growth.

This is exactly what René does through his focus on legal operations, tech, and data. By leading initiatives like Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software, leveraging internal data to streamline workflows, and promoting legal data literacy, he’s transforming Legal from a cost center into a strategic, value-driven department.
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The legal toolkit of the future

To put this into action, René encourages the use of the “legal toolkit”.

The first tool in the toolkit is technology. Legal teams should be curios and agile when it comes to tech and AI, as it has become a non-negotiable for any legal professional wishing to move forward.

Three years ago, people were trying to shut down AI and I was thinking, I don’t think that’s the right way to go about it” René reflects. “Now we have been using AI for the last two and a half years, so we are pretty further along than a lot of other legal teams.

The second tool in the toolkit is conferences. Early in his career, René attended a tech expo that, as he recalls, “blew my mind as a student” by revealing solutions far beyond traditional legal research tools. Since then, conferences have become a key learning opportunity.

To make the most of each event, he attends panels within and outside his usual scope, in order to stay curious and learn from areas he may have otherwise missed.
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The importance of your personal brand

The third tool is personal brand. René is a strong believer in being authentic and leaning into your personal brand.

He first embraced personal branding during his time in politics, wanting people to know what he stood for. Rather than change who he was, he embraced the likes of his personal style – colorful ties and bright sneakers – and his strong belief in always helping others, “Help me help you” which is a quote he displays prominently in his office.

By staying true to himself, René builds genuine human connections. He aims to be seen as approachable, open and supportive – all qualities he instils in his legal team to encourage positive collaboration with the wider business.
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Lasting and final thoughts

René’s story is a full-circle tale. From starting his life with complexities of the legal system, to becoming a legal leader of a company who support underserved communities.

For those wanting to make a similar but authentic mark in legal, his advice is simple but powerful:

• Know your business as well as you know the law, and then you can really make a bigger legal impact and difference.
• Stay curious about people, learning and especially technology.
• Go to conferences, talk to people, explore the unknown and be open to learning from every corner of the room.
• Invest in your personal brand, but show up as your true, authentic self.
• Help others and they will help you.
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His advice shows that disruption isn’t about destruction, it’s about staying true to yourself and continuously investing in your growth. Disruptors like René reshape the perception of Legal, positioning the role as authentic and human-first, driving value and success with both people and the business in mind.

If you would like to learn more about legal disruption, follow René on LinkedIn, and explore more of our inspiring Legal Disruptor spotlight stories.