Many in-house teams struggle not because the tools are wrong, but because adoption isn’t properly managed. Change requires governance, structure, and above all, buy-in. Without that, even the most advanced platform becomes another unused licence.
The simple truth: efficiency gains come from behaviour, not software. Businesses that succeed in digital transformation will be those that understand the human curve behind every change curve.
The relentless pace of change for in house legal teams
The pace of change facing in house legal teams today is nothing short of relentless. Legal functions are operating under sustained pressure to deliver compliance, act as trusted strategic advisers, and demonstrate a forward-thinking mindset – often within increasingly constrained budgets. More than ever, in house teams must navigate a complex and evolving landscape of legal and business challenges while continuing to add tangible value to their organisations.
In addition to providing legal expertise, in house teams are expected to demonstrate commercial acumen, anticipate risk, and partner closely with the business. This requires striking a careful balance between reducing costs and embracing the digital era head on. At the same time, legal teams must ensure their organisations are positioned to achieve digital equity – leveraging technology effectively while maintaining quality, consistency and control.
A number of pressures consistently sit at the forefront of these challenges. Regulatory scrutiny continues to intensify, reputational risk remains high, and organisations are under increasing obligation to meet ESG and sustainability requirements. Alongside this, cost reduction initiatives and the need to implement and adopt new technologies place further demands on already stretched teams. As a result, many General Counsel are actively exploring alternative delivery models and technology enabled legal solutions to support leaner, more efficient operations.
This shift is also evident in the expectations in house teams place on their external advisers. Legal departments are becoming more vocal in their demand for innovative solutions, streamlined delivery models and reduced costs. Law firms are increasingly expected to demonstrate operational excellence and to bring creativity and efficiency to the way legal services are delivered.
Where efficiency gains matter most
Improving efficiency within an in house legal function starts with a deep understanding of the business itself and the market in which it operates. Given the unique demands and nuances of each organisation, there is no one size fits all approach. Prioritisation is key, and efficiency initiatives must be aligned to core business objectives.
Successfully navigating today’s legal landscape requires maintaining focus on what matters most to the business while managing growing complexity. Many legal teams are achieving significant efficiency gains by leveraging external expertise in areas such as financial management, project management, transformation and change management, data analytics, and technology selection and implementation. A data driven approach can help determine the most effective team structures, while workflow harmonisation can streamline operations and deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.
By strategically offloading certain tasks and projects, in house teams can unlock much needed capacity. This allows legal professionals to focus on higher value work, supporting growth and innovation, and ensuring the legal function remains agile and responsive to the evolving needs of the organisation.
What slows transformation and technology adoption?
Despite clear opportunities, several factors continue to slow the pace of process change and technology adoption within in house teams – most notably cost, user engagement and data.
Budgetary constraints remain the primary challenge. Securing stakeholder buy in to disrupt established processes, invest in transformation and adopt emerging technologies often requires overcoming short-term thinking. Making the case for change means clearly articulating the risks of inaction, alongside the long-term value and return on investment that transformation can deliver.
The technology landscape itself adds further complexity. The market is saturated with emerging solutions, particularly in the GenAI space, making it difficult for legal teams to navigate options with confidence. Investment costs, combined with uncertainty around timing – implementing too early or too late – can stall decision making. Overlaying this is the very real risk of organisational adoption falling short of expectations.
Change management is frequently underestimated. Driving adoption while managing multiple complex matters demands significant time, energy and buy in. Without a carefully mapped plan, supported by robust governance and controls, teams often default to familiar processes rather than investing the effort required to learn and embed new ways of working – even where efficiencies are clear.
Data presents a further, and often critical, barrier. Internal data challenges are consistently cited by General Counsel as a major obstacle to implementing new processes and technologies. The acquisitive nature of many organisations, combined with legacy systems and inconsistent working practices, can prevent the creation of a stable, transformation ready ecosystem. Yet the potential of data to unlock insight, drive efficiency and secure competitive advantage should not be underestimated.
Supporting legal functions for the future - how legal operations can help
Through our integrated legal management approach we combine deep legal expertise with operational excellence to deliver smart, creative and innovative solutions underpinned by quality. Technology sits at the heart of our legal operations offering. Through the integration of next generation legal technology, human intelligence and agile processes, we help clients achieve meaningful efficiency gains and sustainable transformation.
Our partnership with AI platform provider Legora exemplifies this approach, enabling us to leverage AI to enhance legal delivery and support our clients more effectively.
Many businesses will undoubtedly be looking to optimise and future proof their legal functions. Navigating transformation does not have to be done alone. With the right blend of expertise, technology and governance, in house legal teams can build resilient, efficient and forward-looking functions that are ready for what lies ahead.
