People: the change agents behind the tech
Legal tech success starts with people, not platforms. Engage early, train well, and build a culture of change.
- Stakeholder engagement: early involvement of legal, business, and IT stakeholders ensures the solution reflects real-world needs and garners buy-in.
- Change management: adoption doesn’t happen by chance. It requires structured onboarding, role-specific training, and ongoing support.
- Culture of innovation: legal teams must be empowered to embrace change. When users feel heard and supported, they become advocates, not just adopters.
Why it matters: without people, even the most advanced tech becomes shelfware. With them, it becomes a strategic asset.
Process: the operational backbone
Technology should never be applied to broken or unclear processes. Legal departments must first understand how the work flows, where bottlenecks exist, and how compliance is managed.
- Process mapping: before implementation, workflows must be documented, analyzed, and optimized.
- Standardisation and simplification: streamlined processes reduce ambiguity, improve consistency, and make automation meaningful.
- Compliance embedded: processes should be designed to support internal policies and regulatory requirements from the ground up.
Why it matters: tech amplifies whatever it touches. If your process is flawed, tech will scale the inefficiency. If it’s strong, tech will scale the impact.
Product: the enabler, not the hero
The product—the legal tech solution itself—is the enabler, not the hero. Its success depends on how well it integrates with your people and processes.
- Fit-for-purpose design: the product must solve actual problems, not just offer features. It should be intuitive, configurable, and aligned with legal workflows.
- Scalability and integration: a future-ready solution integrates seamlessly with existing systems and scales across departments and jurisdictions.
- Data-driven insights: the right product doesn’t just automate, it empowers. It provides visibility into contract status, obligations, and risks, enabling smarter decisions.
Why it matters: a well-chosen product becomes the engine of transformation; driving efficiency, transparency, and strategic value.
The power of alignment: where the Ps meet
Legal tech success is a team sport. Align your people, process, and product. Each P supports the others:
- A great product without user buy-in will sit unused.
- Engaged people working with broken processes will get frustrated.
- Streamlined processes paired with the wrong tool will stall progress.
Alignment ensures that the legal tech solution is not just implemented but embraced. It becomes part of the team’s DNA, driving efficiency, transparency, and strategic value.
This alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional planning, cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Lessons from the field: when the three Ps algin
Legal tech success isn’t theoretical - it’s practical, measurable, and repeatable when the three Ps are aligned. Here are two real-world examples:
Case Study 1: Global Financial Institution – Building from the ground up challenge: A leading global financial institution struggled with fragmented contract lifecycle processes across multiple entities. Manual systems couldn’t keep pace with regulatory demands, leading to inefficiencies, compliance gaps, and operational risk.
People
- Our team embedded within the Legal Ops function, building trust and aligning with strategic goals.
- Cross-functional collaboration ensured legal, business, and IT teams were co-owners of the solution.
- Post go-live, tailored training and a dedicated helpdesk drove adoption across 554 users in 75 departments.
Process
- We mapped workflows and standardised templates across departments, creating clarity and consistency.
- Processes were redesigned to embed compliance and policy adherence from the ground up.
- Agile execution allowed us to pivot and reprioritize as needed, keeping the solution relevant.
Product
- Migrated from three legacy systems to a centralized CLM platform with over 700,000 contracts and 1,234 templates.
- Automated contract generation simplified user experience and reduced turnaround times.
- Real-time reporting empowered strategic decision-making and improved compliance visibility.
Outcome: A scalable, future-ready CLM ecosystem that empowered legal teams and delivered measurable ROI.
Case Study 2: Global Chemicals and Technology Company – Diagnosing a misfire challenge: less than a year after implementing a contract management system, a chemical and technology company faced internal criticism. Adoption was low, user engagement was poor, and the legal team was seen as “difficult to deal with.” The client asked us to assess whether to stick with the current tech or start over.
People
- We provided an independent, objective review - bringing clarity and confidence to a critical decision point.
- Our team worked closely with stakeholders to understand frustrations and reframe expectations.
- A quick-win offshoring strategy helped shift high-volume work away from the system, allowing the legal team to refocus on strategic tasks.
Process
- We identified that over-engineered configurations had created complexity and confusion.
- Change management had been overlooked, leading to poor onboarding and resistance.
- Our recommendation: simplify workflows and strip back to core functionality aligned with business goals.
Product
- The tech itself was sound but misconfigured. We advised retaining the platform and reconfiguring it to better serve user needs.
- By reversing bespoke features and focusing on usability, performance improved significantly.
- The system became a tool for simplification, not complication.
Outcome: A turnaround strategy that salvaged the investment, restored user confidence, and repositioned the legal team as a strategic enabler.
Conclusion: A holistic approach wins
Legal tech is not a plug-and-play solution. Legal operations leaders must champion a holistic approach. Start with people, understand their needs and build trust. Refine your processes, make them clear, efficient, and adaptable. Then choose the right product - one that fits, empowers, and evolves.
