Optimising Legal Ops: A Winning Strategy for CLOs & GCs

Legal departments have transformed from being support functions to becoming strategic drivers of growth. The demand now is to leverage legal technology to boost operational efficiency, align legal strategies with business goals, and drive enterprise success. How can Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) and General Counsels (GCs) adapt within this evolving terrain? How can they optimise legal operations and help build a future-ready legal team?

In recent years, legal departments have undergone a major transformation. Once viewed simply as a cost centre, today’s legal teams have stepped into the spotlight as key players in shaping business strategy. Currently, Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) and General Counsels (GCs) are no longer confined to risk mitigation and compliance. Instead, they are driving strategic decisions, boosting operational efficiency, and fuelling enterprise growth.

At the heart of this shift is legal technology. But therein again is another perception shift. Legal tech is no longer just about adopting new tools – it is about aligning them with bigger business goals and reimagining how legal teams work.

Today’s legal leaders are navigating a whole new playing field – one where sharp legal expertise must work hand-in-hand with business agility. The modern CLO or GC isn’t just a legal advisor anymore. They are expected to:

• Deliver fast, data-driven legal counsel;
• Build and maintain scalable processes;
• Align legal strategies with business goals;
• Integrate technology that enhances collaboration and reduces inefficiency.

The message is clear: legal teams no longer serve just support functions – they are critical drivers of business success.

True operational efficiency within legal departments goes much beyond reduced costs or faster workflows. It involves creating smart systems that eliminate friction, increase transparency, and generate measurable business value. Key steps in optimising legal operations include:

• Workflow Assessment: Evaluate current processes and identify bottlenecks, particularly in contract reviews and legal intake.
• Business Alignment: Partner closely with teams like Sales, Finance, and Procurement to offer strategic, tailored support.
• Outcome Focussed: Measure success by results – like faster deal closures, higher compliance rates, and improved internal responsiveness – not just hours logged.

Optimisation is not a one-and-done task. It is a continuous journey toward smarter, faster, and more impactful legal operations.

When deployed with intention and careful consideration, legal technology can help GCs and CLOs work smarter, and not just harder. The most effective legal tech stacks are those that scale with business growths and improve operational visibility. Here are some of the most impactful tools that have helped businesses transform their operations:

• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM): Automates and streamlines the drafting, review, and approval of contracts.
• Document Automation: Enables business teams to self-serve on standard documents, freeing up legal resources for higher-risk work.
• e-signature Tools: Platforms like DocuSign, MySyn, or Dropbox Sign expedite the signature process when integrated with existing business systems.
• Matter & Expense Management: Solutions like Brightflag or SimpleLegal provide clear oversight into legal budgets and external counsel costs.
• Regulatory Intelligence: Tools such as Lexis+ AI help legal teams stay current with evolving compliance requirements.

By integrating these platforms thoughtfully, legal departments can improve case lifecycle management, reduce risk exposure, and enhance collaboration.

Legal departments generate valuable data, but very few organisations utilise it in proper capacity. Metrics such as contract turnaround time, frequency of revisions of legal petitions, and outside counsel expenses offer insight into both team performance and organisational risk.

Advanced platforms now convert this raw data into dashboards and reports that support better forecasting, resource allocation, and strategic decision-making. With the right data in hand, legal teams can shift from being reactive problem-solvers to proactive business partners.

Automation in legal operations should never come at the expense of control or quality. When implemented responsibly, automation enables legal professionals to focus on strategic initiatives by reducing time spent on repetitive tasks. But deftly increases their awareness of potential risks and operational gaps. Some instances where automation has stepped up to prove all the more useful include:

• Contract Automation: Pre-approved templates and standardised clauses reduce contract negotiation cycles.
• Workflow Routing: Role-based access control and task managers automate task assignment and approvals.
• AI Review Tools: Advanced AI-integrated systems highlight potential risks in contracts, allowing legal teams to prioritise reviews and allocate resources accordingly.

The ultimate goal is not to replace legal judgment, but to support it with intelligent, and consistent systems.

Legal departments become most effective when their workflows are fully embedded within the company’s day-to-day operations. By integrating digital legal processes into tools already used across the business – such as Slack, Salesforce, or Workday; teams can reduce delays and increase visibility. By integrating with existing systems legal teams can:

• Improve Responsiveness: Intuitive systems and automated updates keep all relevant stakeholders informed and engaged.
• Reduce Friction: Legal departments become process facilitators, instead of bottlenecks.
• Get Audit Ready: Centralised recordkeeping supports compliance and reduces manual tracking.

Integrating digitised legal processes into everyday business workflows enables the legal team to function as an integrated partner, actively supporting and accelerating overall business performance.

Modernising legal operations is not just about adopting new systems – it is about empowering the right people. Legal departments today need team members who thrive at the intersection of law, technology, and operations.

This means investing in upskilling, so legal staff are confident with new platforms and data-driven decision-making. It is about bringing in Legal Ops professionals who can lead process improvements and tech adoption; and creating hybrid roles like Legal Technologists who bridge legal expertise with operational know-how. A future-ready legal team is one that blends sharp legal insight with agile, operational intelligence.

As businesses grow, legal teams often find themselves stretched thin – expected to support rising demands without a matching boost in resources. That is where scalable legal infrastructure becomes a game-changer. Smart, scalable systems empower legal departments to keep pace effortlessly by offering:

• Cloud-Based Platforms: Secure, anytime-anywhere access to templates, contracts, and critical records.
• Customisable Workflows: Tailored processes to handle increased volume without increasing complexity.
• Centralised Knowledge Bases: One-stop repositories for obligations, clauses, and policies, keeping everyone aligned.

With the right tools, legal teams can stay agile, efficient, and ready for anything – no matter how big the business gets.

When choosing legal technology, it is crucial to consider where the legal team stands in its growth journey. The right tools can enhance productivity and drive long-term success by evolving alongside your department’s needs.

Early-stage teams are typically focused on streamlining basic processes. At this stage, the priority is centralising documents and reducing manual tasks to improve efficiency. Tools like Google Workspace, e-signature platforms, and shared drives are key to ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.

For growth-stage teams, the focus shifts to collaboration, accelerating workflows, and managing spending effectively. Teams in this phase often benefit from tools like Ironclad for contract lifecycle management, and integrations like Slack to enhance communication and coordination across the department.

Finally, mature teams prioritise strategic insights, compliance, and enterprise-wide integration. AI-driven compliance tools, advanced Case Management Systems (CMS), and integrated dashboards empower mature teams to gain a comprehensive view of operations, ensuring better decision-making and long-term alignment with business goals.

By selecting tools that fit their current capabilities while also supporting future growth, legal teams can ensure smooth adoption and maximisation of value.

Securing investment in legal technology requires speaking the language of business value. CLOs and GCs must frame legal transformation as a strategic advantage, not just a departmental upgrade. Highlighting key business benefits can make all the difference. For instance:

• Faster Revenue Recognition comes from streamlined contracts that lead to quicker deal closures.
• Risk Mitigation enhances tracking and data visibility while reducing exposure.
• Efficiency Gains through automation allow teams to shift focus from routine tasks to more strategic, value-driven work.

When framed correctly, the conversation shifts from a focus on compliance and governance to one of growth and long-term business success.

The opportunity is right in front of us. By combining the right talent with the right technology, which align with organisational priorities, legal leaders can deliver measurable impact. Optimisation is not about replacing people with systems. It is all about equipping people with the appropriate legal tech to operate at their full potential. It is about making people drive business and not the other way around.