Overview

How do you manage your legal operations to get the most out of your team?

With challenging deadlines and demanding internal clients to deal with, even the most organised GC can easily find their matter management, legal intake and contract management going from efficient to messy very quickly.

Luckily, help is at hand with innovative tech solutions aimed at making these challenges a thing of the past.

In this coffee morning session, produced in association with the team at Legal 500, we will hear from corporate counsel who have had success with using new solutions and discuss their experiences with practical examples added throughout.

Ideal food for thought for any corporate counsel looking to write their 2024 Christmas list.

Transforming In-House Legal Teams: A Practical Guide to Legal Ops Technology

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of legal operations, technology has become an indispensable tool for in-house counsel.

Tying in with our recent lunch and learn, this summary of the conversation aims to provide a guide to legal ops technology, offering practical insights and real-world experiences to help legal teams navigate the selection, implementation, and optimisation of these solutions.

During our lunch & learn we drew from the experiences of industry leaders HARTMANN Group and BWT Group who explored the journey from identifying initial needs to realising long-term benefits.

Whether you’re just starting to consider legal ops technology or looking to enhance your existing systems, this summary offers valuable perspectives to inform your decision-making process.

The Current State of Legal Ops Technology

The legal ops technology landscape is continuously evolving, with solutions that have moved beyond basic functionality to offer sophisticated tools that can transform how in-house legal teams operate.

Current applications of legal ops technology include:

1. Matter Management: Centralised systems for tracking and managing legal cases and projects.

2. Legal Intake: Streamlined processes for receiving and triaging legal requests from across the organisation.

3. Contract Management: Secure storage and easy retrieval of contracts and related documents.

4. Email Integration: Seamless incorporation of email communications into matter records.

5. Workload Analysis: Advanced tools for analysing lawyer workloads and productivity.

As the technology matures, we’re seeing a shift from basic document storage to more strategic applications that can drive efficiency and inform decision-making at all levels of the legal department.

Identifying the Need for Legal Ops Solutions

For many in-house legal teams, the journey towards adopting legal ops technology begins with recognising fundamental challenges in their current processes.

Common pain points include:

1. Inefficient Document Management: Difficulty in storing and retrieving contracts and emails.

2. Lack of Standardisation: Inconsistent processes for handling routine legal matters.

3. Security Concerns: Need for robust permissions and security frameworks.

4. Resource Allocation: Challenges in tracking and managing lawyer workloads.

The legal team at BWT Group faced several of these challenges. They needed to streamline standard processes like employment contracts, NDAs, and Data Processing Agreements. Additionally, they sought to establish a permissions and security framework for the legal team without relying heavily on IT department resources. By identifying these specific needs, BWT was able to focus their search for a technology solution that could address their unique challenges.

Key Factors in Technology Adoption

When considering legal ops technology, several factors come into play:

1. Cost Management: The ability to track and manage legal spend more effectively.

2. Project Tracking: Tools for monitoring the progress and status of legal matters.

3. Customisation: The flexibility to adapt the system to specific organisational needs.

4. Integration: Capability to work seamlessly with existing systems and processes.

5. User-Friendliness: Intuitive interfaces that encourage adoption across the team.

For many organisations, the enhanced functionality and customisation offered by platforms like HighQ are key factors influencing their decision to adopt new technology.

Gaining Stakeholder Buy-In

Securing approval for new technology investments often requires convincing multiple stakeholders.

This process typically involves:

1. Management Approval: Demonstrating the potential ROI to secure budget allocation.

2. Team Adoption: Encouraging the legal team to embrace and fully utilise the new system.

3. Cross-Departmental Support: Gaining buy-in from IT and other relevant departments.

Use data to persuade leadership

Markus Warmholz, Head of Commercial Legal at HARTMANN Group, emphasised the power of data in convincing senior leadership.

He cited a study showing that even a one-minute email interruption can take an individual ten minutes to return to their primary task.

Over the course of a year, such distractions accumulate significantly. By quantifying the potential time savings, Warmholz was able to demonstrate a quick return on investment, even before considering the additional benefits of the technology.

This approach of using concrete data to illustrate the impact of inefficiencies and the potential benefits of new technology can be a powerful tool in gaining stakeholder support.

Implementation and Onboarding

Once the decision to adopt legal ops technology has been made, the implementation process begins.

This typically involves several key steps:

1. Initial Setup: Working with the technology provider to configure the system.

2. Customisation: Tailoring the platform to the specific needs of the legal team.

3. Data Migration: Transferring existing data and documents to the new system.

4. Training: Providing comprehensive training to ensure team members can effectively use the new tools.

5. Ongoing Support: Establishing channels for continued assistance and troubleshooting.

Support, knowledge base & client community were key success factors

Phillip Sammern, System Architect at BWT Group, shared his experience implementing HighQ.

Following the initial onboarding with Thomson Reuters’ key accounts team, he worked with their consultants to tailor the platform and provide training.

Within three to four months, his legal team was able to take full ownership of the system, adapting it to their specific needs and processes.

Sammern emphasised the value of the comprehensive support, knowledge base, and client community offered by Thomson Reuters throughout this process.

These resources proved invaluable in ensuring a smooth implementation and encouraging ongoing optimisation of the system.

Realising Post-Implementation Benefits

The true value of legal ops technology often becomes apparent in the months and years following implementation. Some key benefits experienced by organisations include:

1. Improved Data Analysis: Better insights into legal team operations and performance.

2. Enhanced Resource Allocation: More effective distribution of work among team members.

3. Targeted Training: Identification of common legal issues to inform training programs.

4. Increased Visibility: Greater recognition of the legal team’s value within the organisation.

5. Process Optimisation: Streamlining of routine tasks like NDA generation.

6. Improved Accessibility: Development of user-friendly legal intake systems.

7. Stronger Negotiating Position: Better data and processes leading to more effective negotiations.

Improved data analysis led to efficiencies for HARTMAN Group

Markus highlighted the improved data analysis capabilities that continue to enhance efficiency in his organisation.

He can now track how many matters each lawyer is handling, allocate resources accordingly, and identify the most common types of matters referred to the legal team.

This data informs targeted training programs to address recurring themes.

Legal tech solutions increased legal department visibility within BWT Group

Sammern emphasised the increased visibility his legal team has gained within the organisation.

After optimising processes like NDA generation internally, his team developed a legal intake system, accessible via the company intranet. This made it easier for business departments to contact the legal team.

The improved interface and faster response times for standard queries were well-received, resulting in more engagement from the business side. This, in turn, has strengthened the legal team’s position in negotiations.

Future Trends in Legal Ops Technology

As legal ops technology continues to evolve, several exciting trends are emerging:

1. AI Integration: Greater use of artificial intelligence for tasks like document analysis.

2. System Integration: Connecting legal ops platforms with other internal systems to create a single ‘point of truth’ for the organisation.

3. Predictive Analytics: Using historical data to forecast future legal needs and potential issues.

4. Automation: Increased automation of routine legal tasks and workflows.

5. Mobile Accessibility: Enhanced mobile capabilities for on-the-go legal work.

As these technologies mature, they promise to further transform the way in-house legal teams operate, driving even greater efficiencies and strategic insights.

Conclusion

The adoption of legal ops technology represents a significant opportunity for in-house legal teams to enhance their efficiency, visibility, and strategic value within their organisations.

By carefully considering their needs, securing stakeholder buy-in, and thoughtfully implementing and optimising these solutions, legal teams can position themselves at the forefront of organisational innovation.

As we’ve seen through the experiences of HARTMANN and BWT, the benefits of legal ops technology extend far beyond simple document management. These tools can transform how legal teams operate, analyse their work, and demonstrate their value.

As you consider your own legal ops technology journey, remember that success lies in choosing the right platform but also in how you implement, adapt, and leverage these tools to meet your unique organisational needs.

With careful planning and a commitment to ongoing optimisation, legal ops technology can be a powerful catalyst for transforming your in-house legal team.

If you’re ready to speak to one of our team, fill in our form and we’ll be in touch.

 

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