Maureen O’Neill’s career is a testament to the power of evolution, a journey that seamlessly blends legal acumen with a fervent dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). From the rigorous corridors of a prestigious law firm to the dynamic landscape of eDiscovery and the heart of Consilio‘s DEI initiatives, Maureen has built bridges between worlds, proving that precision and passion can coexist beautifully.
Her story begins in the traditional realm of law, where she spent over 14 years at Paul Hastings, navigating complex litigation and mastering the art of employee data analysis. Rising to partner, she honed her skills in a demanding environment, laying the groundwork for her future pivot. In 2010, she ventured into the eDiscovery world, joining DiscoverReady, which eventually became part of Consilio. It was at Consilio that her legal background and her growing passion for DEI intersected.
From Courtroom to Culture Curator
“I began my career on a rather traditional path,” Maureen reflects, “graduating from law school and working as a lawyer.” But her trajectory took an unexpected turn 15 years ago when she embraced the burgeoning field of eDiscovery. “For those not familiar, eDiscovery is the process of finding, collecting, and then reviewing digital information… essentially, it helps lawyers gather evidence more efficiently in our increasingly digital world.”
When Consilio acquired DiscoverReady in 2018, Maureen’s role expanded. She not only continued to excel in strategic client experience but also found herself drawn to the company’s growing DEI program. In 2021, she became Consilio’s second-ever DEI officer, a role that allowed her to leverage her legal expertise and her deep-seated desire to create inclusive workplaces.
“While I still help to lead our Client Experience function at the firm, I also split my time carrying out our DEI strategy for our employees around the globe,” she explains. Partnering with Consilio’s executive team, advisory boards, and external partners, she’s shaping policies and programs that champion diversity, celebrate employee strengths, and hold the company accountable through annual DEI reports.
Maureen O’Neill’s journey is a powerful reminder that careers are not always linear. She is building a legacy of equity, one strategic initiative at a time.
In our latest Faces, meet Maureen O’Neill.
Who is/was your biggest influence in the industry?
Consilio’s President, Meredith Kildow, was a driving force in formalizing our DEI Program, and she significantly influenced my approach to DEI work and the way we pursue our strategies. Also, working with my predecessor in the DEI Officer role at Consilio, Amy Hinzmann, a friend and former colleague from DiscoverReady, helped me develop my leadership approach in the DEI space.
What’s your best mistake and what did you learn from it?
I made quite a few mistakes in the early parts of my career – and one thing they all reinforced was the importance of accountability. Ignoring a mistake will only make things worse down the line, so no matter how hard it is, it’s important to acknowledge a mistake and have a plan for how to fix it and show that it will not happen again.
What’s your favorite part about working in the industry? What’s your least favorite part, and how would you change it?
My favorite part about my work within the DEI space would probably be the conversations I get to have, whether that’s with new employees, senior management, or external partners who are working toward the same goals as we are. When people can speak transparently about the work they are doing or the needs that they have, the easier it is for us to move confidently toward our goals.
I’d also say that working in DEI allows us to reflect on anything going on in the world that feels frustrating at times and figure out how to make things better, at least within our organization that our employees are spending their time in. We get to think about how we can change the world we work in, both professionally and personally, to address what’s going on around us, which is special. When you have a culture of talent working toward a communal goal that isn’t necessarily a direct business outcome, you end up seeing more engaged, happier employees that ultimately serve our customers better.
As for my least favorite part, I guess I would say that it’s working in DEI at a time when that work is under attack politically, culturally, and legally. But facing that challenge also provides us with the opportunity to strengthen our resolve and become more creative in how we execute on our strategies.
It sounds like through your experience you really care about people, and you want to help them feel safe and comfortable, which is important in the industry. Please elaborate here.
Yes – I believe that an inclusive culture is critical for a workplace where employees feel not only safe at work, but also valued. While the specifics will look different for every organization, inclusive culture must emanate from the top, with executives acknowledging, and ideally sponsoring or participating in initiatives meant to celebrate diversity, setting an example for the rest of the company. Even these small steps can go a long way toward building a stronger community.
From there, companies can implement a few other easy changes – for example, using gender-inclusive language and expanding the holidays and events the firm recognizes to be inclusive of more employees.
Finally, I’ve found that creating groundwork for inclusiveness can be done simply by asking employees what they need and then looking to fill those gaps. For instance, we have a network of what we call Employee Affinity Groups (EAGs) at Consilio, which are groups created for employees with shared interests or identities to come together, learn from each other, and support each other in overcoming challenges. We are constantly looking for ways to make sure our EAGs are supporting the most employees as possible.
Where do you see the industry heading in five years? Or are you seeing any current trends?
I work for a legal technology company, so I spend a lot of time thinking about how generative AI and other technologies will influence the ways in which we work going forward – and DEI is no exception. When AI is used or developed without a thoughtful approach, proper implementation, and education, it can lead to unintended biases in its conclusions. This is already starting to affect the world of hiring, so it is essential that DEI leaders make sure their organization is mitigating potential biases when analyzing data.
More broadly, we’ve all been watching certain companies start to scale back their public commitments to DEI in the past few years. That is not the case at Consilio, and I generally think that the backlash may not be quite as prevalent as it may seem based on the media’s coverage of this issue. However, I do expect a continuation of a trend that began in 2023, which is an increased involvement by legal and compliance in DEI efforts. For the vast majority of companies that intend to continue their DEI work despite the backlash, ensuring that the work is lawful and compliant is a key to their success.
Finally, I think we will continue to see companies looking for ways to facilitate inclusion in their corporate culture, which helps everyone succeed.
What are you most proud of?
Since 2019, we have published an annual DEI report detailing the initiatives we worked in in the year prior and the progress we made against our goals. These reports are full of data, providing a transparent way for us to show areas where we succeeded in our objectives, and where we have more work to do in.
This transparency leads to accountability, which in turn leads to credibility. Demonstrating progress towards fulfilling our goals set in the years prior allows employees to see us as a credible force that is here to help foster inclusivity, in addition to ensuring each individual has growth opportunities.
Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?
I would encourage anyone entering the DEI world to remember to be patient. Results do not happen overnight nor are they linear. It can sometimes take more time than you’d like to accomplish your ultimate goals, but that doesn’t mean good things aren’t happening in the meantime.
It’s also important to be self-aware and constructively critical—but that’s easier said than done! This means constantly taking a step back and assessing what is working and what isn’t. And having conversations with others about what could be done differently, even when those conversations are difficult.
Anything else you’d like to add?
One thing I would love to add is to just stay open-minded, because whatever role or industry you may have started in, you never know where you’ll end up. While I did not expect that life would lead me to this role when I left law school, taking on DEI responsibilities at Consilio has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my career. And the world will never stop needing dedicated people working in DEI to advocate for everyone and make workplace communities stronger.