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Pilar Prados
CEO & Co-Founder at Bounsel - 👩🏼💻 Legal Tech - Making contracts +connected, +intelligent and +human 💙
Professional Background
Pilar Prados is a distinguished Spanish lawyer and entrepreneur renowned for her extensive experience in international business law. With over a decade of legal prowess in the world's major financial centers, Pilar has demonstrated a commitment to leveraging her skills for social impact. Currently, she serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Bounsel, a Valencia-based legal tech startup aimed at innovating the legal landscape and making legal services more accessible. Pilar's career is marked by her transformative contributions to businesses and her unwavering dedication to advancing the legal profession through technology.
Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey with Bounsel, Pilar held the role of Legal Counsel at Willowi, an insurtech startup, where she honed her legal expertise in the rapidly evolving insurance technology sector. This position followed her tenure at Cuatrecasas, one of Spain's leading law firms, where she was selected to participate in the Pro-International Advocacy Program (PPAI), an elite program for top young legal talents. Her involvement in this prestigious initiative allowed her to rotate through different legal disciplines and offices, paving the way for her comprehensive understanding of international law.
Pilar's impressive background includes significant professional experience in International Arbitration, Corporate, and Tax Law, acquired during her assignments in Madrid, São Paulo, and Barcelona. While at Cuatrecasas, she played a pivotal role in high-stakes cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), collaborating with private equity firms and engaging in multimillion-dollar international commercial arbitrations.
After earning her LL.M. from the esteemed Columbia Law School, Pilar continued her professional journey at Chaffetz Lindsey LLP, a highly specialized international dispute resolution boutique in New York City, where she was deeply involved in drafting and negotiating thousands of contracts, further enhancing her expertise in complex legal matters.
With over five years of international experience in both New York and Brazil, Pilar has successfully transitioned to her role as a legal tech entrepreneur while gracefully balancing motherhood. She is currently back in her hometown of Valencia, contributing to the legal community through several influential roles, including serving as a seed board advisor to Startup Valencia, co-organizing Valencia Legal Hackers, and serving on the board of the Fundación Mutualidad Abogacía, which fosters innovation within the legal sector.
Education and Achievements
Pilar's educational journey reflects her dedication to excellence and her aspiration to impact the legal field positively:
- Licenciatura en Derecho from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where she laid the foundational knowledge in law and developed her passion for justice and international law.
- Master of Stock Exchange and Financial Markets at IEB, which equipped her with vital insights into the financial sector's legal complexities.
- Master of Laws - LL.M. from Columbia Law School, an experience that expanded her legal horizons and connected her to a global network of legal professionals and scholars.
- Pilar's commitment to excellence is evidenced by her academic achievements, including a notable score of 9.60/10 in her Secondary Education studies at Guadalaviar School.
Beyond her formal education, Pilar's professional growth has been marked by her engagement with diverse organizations and initiatives that promote the advancement of the legal profession and the incorporation of technology in legal practices. Her role as a board member at various organizations showcases her leadership qualities and willingness to mentor the next generation of legal minds.
Achievements
Throughout her career, Pilar has amassed numerous accomplishments that underscore her proficiency in law and her entrepreneurial spirit:
- Co-founding Bounsel, a legal tech startup that innovates how legal services are delivered, making them more accessible to a broader audience and fostering greater transparency in the legal sector.
- Contributing as an advisor and mentor at Startup Valencia, where she supports budding entrepreneurs, nurturing the startup ecosystem in her hometown.
- Co-organizing Valencia Legal Hackers, an initiative focused on fostering collaboration between legal professionals and tech innovators to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of legal services.
- Serving on the board of Fundación Mutualidad Abogacía, where she champions innovation, technology, and the well-being of legal professionals.
- Teaching at Esade, where she shares her wealth of knowledge and experience with aspiring legal professionals, enriching their understanding of law and its global implications.
Pilar Prados embodies the qualities of a modern legal professional: innovative, socially responsible, and committed to continuous learning and improvement. Her journey from a distinguished lawyer to a dynamic entrepreneur illustrates her capacity to navigate complexities and drive positive change. As she continues to work at the intersection of law and technology, Pilar remains a powerful advocate for the advancement of the legal field, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.
