Legal Operations on the Rise

Legal Operations on the Rise: A Brief Overview

In the ever-evolving landscape of the legal industry, the legal operations function has emerged as a pivotal force driving efficiency, effectiveness, and strategic value within legal departments.

As organizations grapple with increasing legal complexities, technological advancements, and the imperative to deliver more with limited resources, the role of legal operations has become paramount. Although this function is still rather new to most Belgian companies, the importance of having dedicated and specialized legal operations professionals in your in-house legal team is growing rapidly, particularly as the role expands to encompass innovation, business planning, technology implementation, change management and providing data-driven insights.

Defining Legal Operations

Legal operations, at its core, involves the strategic management of legal processes, resources, and technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of legal departments. This multifaceted discipline goes beyond traditional administrative tasks to include responsibilities like financial management, project management, technology integration, vendor management, and more. Legal operations professionals work in collaboration with legal counsel and various business units to align legal strategies with overall organizational goals.

The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) has identified core competencies that define successful legal operations professionals. These competencies include project management, financial management, data analytics, technology proficiency, vendor management, and strategic planning. By excelling in these areas, legal operations professionals are equipped to drive innovation, efficiency, and collaboration within their legal departments.

A slow start in continental Europe

In continental Europe, the concept of legal operations has only gained prominence more recently. Traditionally, legal departments focused primarily on legal matters, with administrative tasks taking a secondary role. However, with the increasing complexity of legal matters, regulatory changes, and the need for cost efficiency, the landscape is shifting. Legal operations is emerging as a critical function that brings together legal expertise and operational efficiency.

CLOC has played a pivotal role in this evolution. CLOC's insights highlight how legal operations has transformed from a mere administrative function in the 1990’s to a strategic business enabling function in the early 2000’s to a catalyst for innovation and value creation in the 2020’s.

Meeting the Innovation Imperative

One of the defining features of modern legal operations is its connection to innovation and digital transformation. Legal operations professionals are no longer limited to managing paperwork and logistics. They now play a crucial role in fostering innovation within legal departments. This includes drafting business plans that align legal strategies with business objectives, implementing cutting-edge technologies to streamline processes, and overseeing change management initiatives.

In the Belgian context, where legal operations is still in its early days, this link to digital transformation is particularly crucial. The legal operations function needs to bridge the gap between legal expertise and constantly accelerating technological advancements. This requires a deep understanding of both legal intricacies and the potential of technology to transform legal processes.

As legal departments strive for efficiency and strategic alignment, the need for dedicated and specialized legal operations professionals becomes both evident and imminent.

Embracing the Shift Towards Legal Operations

As Belgian legal departments navigate the relatively new terrain of legal operations, organizations have the opportunity to seize a competitive advantage. By acknowledging the shifting paradigm of legal operations and investing in dedicated professionals, companies can streamline processes, optimize costs, and enhance strategic alignment. The experiences of organizations overseas, as championed by organizations like CLOC, can serve as guiding lights on this journey.

And while legal operations in Belgium is a relatively new concept, its importance can hardly be underestimated. The increased integration of innovation requires dedicated and specialized professionals who can bridge the gap between legal expertise and operational excellence. Many Belgian companies are in the process of recognizing the benefits of legal operations and the role it plays in enhancing legal department efficiency and alignment with business objectives.

This is equally true for smaller legal departments who may not require a full time dedicated legal operations professional. These legal departments can benefit from the services of experienced interim legal operations managers and consultants who are willing to leverage their expertise. Interim legal operations managers bring external insights and best practices from established legal operations environments. Their experience in managing legal processes, implementing technology solutions, and fostering innovation can jumpstart the transformation of legal departments. This approach offers a practical solution for companies that are in the early stages of integrating legal operations into their structure.

As more and more organizations across Belgium recognize the value of dedicated legal operations professionals, they will move closer to unlocking the full potential of their legal departments. Whether it's optimizing processes, driving innovation, or aligning legal strategies with business goals, legal operations professionals are at the forefront of this transformation.

As this series continues, the next post will delve into the value that dedicated legal operations professionals bring to legal departments and organizations as a whole.

Contacts

If you have any questions concerning the items in this newsflash, please get in touch with your usual Deloitte Legal - Lawyers contact at our office in Belgium or:

• Jan Roggen, jroggen@deloitte.com  + 32 2 800 70 41