Legal operations - how to do it and why it matters: Introduction

This is one of 13 chapters from our eBook, 'Legal operations: how to do it and why it matters'. Download the full eBook or explore the CLOC competencies below. The views in this article are the author's own, and do not represent the views of Juro nor those of CLOC.

Foreword | Financial management | Vendor management | Cross-functional alignment | Technology & process support | Service delivery & alternative support models | Organisational design, support & management | Communications | Data analytics | Litigation support | IP management | Knowledge management | Information governance & records management | Strategic planning

For years, in-house lawyers have sought a seat at the table as a true strategic partner to the business. Now that seat is available. But to earn it, lawyers can’t be mysterious gatekeepers to arcane knowledge - they have to run legal like a modern business, and that means a lot more than just going on a training course and buying legal software. This is the era of legal operations.

The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), which has helped to define the function of legal operations, has created a helpful framework, laying out 12 competencies that are key to making a success of legal operations. This publication collects reflections from a diverse and authoritative group of experts on their experiences grouped under these competencies, as well as their practical advice as to how you can get started with legal operations in your own legal department today.

You’ll hear from leaders who’ve seen it, done it, and have the war stories to prove it

You’ll hear from a Silicon Valley veteran about how to make data a key part of your decision-making process; how to align legal with other business functions when there’s $1bn in legal spend on the line; and what happens when legal at a fintech mirrors the software engineers growing the product at lightning speed. You’ll hear from people on the front lines when Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy changed the power dynamic in legal overnight - and how smart planning and strategy helped them to thrive. You’ll learn about internal client satisfaction surveys for legal; how to map resources to the point of need in globalised teams; and what best practice actually looks like when managing vendors.

Above all you’ll hear from leaders who’ve seen it, done it, and have the war stories to prove it. I’m delighted to introduce such an esteemed set of contributors, with backgrounds that range from software giants, industrial titans and retail behemoths to fintech unicorns, ALSPs and cutting-edge consultancies. I’m grateful to Bjarne for his foreword and to each of our contributors for sharing their insights with the Juro community, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading this publication as much as we have enjoyed making it.

Explore in full the legal ops competencies covered in our eBook, Legal operations: how to do it and why it matters.

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