Transforming Legal Operations: A Blueprint for Efficiency and Scalability
Discover how in-house legal teams can leverage AI and automation to streamline workflows, scale lean teams, and enhance efficiency in legal operations with practical insights and actionable takeaways.
Streamlining Legal Operations
The Smart Shift to Legal Ops Automation
In today's fast-paced corporate environment, in-house legal teams are increasingly expected to deliver more with less. A recent survey revealed that 89% of GCs feel pressured to increase efficiency amid tighter budgets and staffing constraints. With these challenges, it’s clear that embracing legal operations strategies, particularly those involving automation, isn’t just advantageous—it’s essential.
Leveraging AI can transform the way legal teams operate, leading to streamlined processes, reduced risk, and improved outcomes. As we explore best practices for incorporating legal ops into daily workflows, we'll look at several actions that GCs and legal ops leaders can take immediately.
Understanding Automation in Legal Ops
Before diving into strategies, it’s crucial to understand what legal automation entails. Legal automation utilizes technology to manage routine tasks, freeing up legal professionals to focus on more complex work that adds strategic value. With platforms like Sandstone, in-house teams can customize workflows to fit their unique needs, no longer constrained by outdated processes.
But where do you start?
Identify Opportunities for Automation
Conducting a thorough audit of current workflows is a pivotal first step. Identify time-consuming tasks—be it contract management, compliance checks, or document assembly—that could benefit from automation. For example, if your team routinely handles non-disclosure agreements, AI can streamline the drafting and approval processes, cutting down turnaround time significantly.
Using data from previous agreements, AI tools can suggest language, flag unusual terms, and ensure compliance, all while creating a consistent template that aligns with your organization's standards.
Implement Modular Workflows
One of the defining features of a robust legal ops platform is the ability to create modular workflows that can be adapted as needs change. Like the layers of sandstone that give it strength, layered legal processes enable teams to build upon previous work, leading to more informed decision-making.
Consider creating a workflow for legal hold notifications. Using an automated system, the process can start with a notification issuance followed by automatic reminders for updates, ensuring compliance without the manual effort. This adaptability means your legal team can respond to new challenges without overhauling established protocols.
Measure Success Through KPIs
As you implement legal automation, measuring success through key performance indicators (KPIs) becomes critical. Common KPIs include:
-
Cycle Time: Measure how long it takes to complete tasks, pre- and post-automation.
-
Error Rate: Evaluate the accuracy of documents generated before and after implementing automated checks.
-
Cost Savings: Quantify reductions in internal and external legal spend as a direct result of streamlined processes.
By consistently tracking these metrics, legal teams can make informed adjustments to their strategies and demonstrate the tangible impact of their efforts to stakeholders.
The Concrete Benefits of Automated Legal Ops
Embracing legal automation allows in-house teams to improve efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and ultimately increase the value they provide to their organizations. Imagine a scenario where, instead of spending hours on menial tasks, your legal team can allocate time to strategic planning, risk assessment, or refining compliance protocols.
By reducing mundane workloads, legal ops leaders can foster an environment where teams innovate and contribute more meaningfully. The team is no longer just reacting to immediate issues, but proactively addressing long-term objectives.
A Practical Next Step: Start Small
Thinking about integrating automation into your legal operations? Start with one high-impact task. For example, adopt an AI-powered contract management tool that can assist in the initial review and approval process. This small step can create a ripple effect, encouraging your team to identify further opportunities to optimize.
Closing Thoughts: The Value of Scalable Operations
As legal operations evolve, the push for greater efficiency will only continue to grow. By adopting a strategic approach to automation and workflow design, legal teams can significantly advance their operations, ensuring they are equipped to handle the increasing volume and complexity of work.
With Sandstone, organizations can achieve a tech-forward approach that seamlessly integrates into existing processes, empowering teams to work smarter, not harder. Embrace the transformation—legal operations are the bedrock of better legal work, paving the way for success in an ever-changing landscape.
About Jarryd Strydom
Jarryd Strydom is a contributor to the Sandstone blog.