Navigating
the
world
of
legal
technology
implementation
can
feel
overwhelming,
but
with
a
clear
strategy,
success
is
within
reach.
We’ve
worked
with
numerous
legal
teams
and
distilled
our
experience
into
four
key
pillars
for
a
smoother,
more
successful
rollout
—
especially
when
dealing
with
emerging
technologies
like
Generative
AI
(GAI).
Before
diving
into
these
pillars,
it’s
important
to
note
that stakeholder
alignment,
training
and
change
management
(CM),
and
leadership
buy-in
are
non-negotiable.
However,
the
way
these
components
are
addressed
will
vary
by
organization.
Leadership
support,
ongoing
communication,
and
a
well-executed
change
management
plan
ensure
your
tech
rollout
has
the
foundational
support
it
needs.
The
specifics
of
how
each
company
handles
these
elements
will
depend
on
its
culture
and
structure,
but
their
importance
remains
universal.
Define
Success
Before
you
begin,
be
crystal
clear
about
what
success
looks
like.
Too
often,
legal
departments
set
goals
like
“improving
efficiency,”
but
that’s
too
vague.
Instead,
ask: How will
we
measure
efficiency?
What
specific
processes
will
improve?
Will
it
mean
quicker
contract
approvals,
reduced
manual
tasks,
or
fewer
emails
clogging
inboxes?
In
Legal
Operations,
metrics
are
critical.
Some
essential
metrics
you
can
track
include:
-
Cycle
time:
Measure
how
long
it
takes
to
process
key
tasks
such
as
contract
approvals,
dispute
resolutions,
or
legal
intake. -
Workload
distribution:
Analyze
how
work
is
divided
among
the
team
to
spot
inefficiencies. -
Cost
savings:
Calculate
how
much
time
or
money
the
tech
implementation
saves
by
automating
routine
tasks
or
reducing
outside
counsel
spend. -
Adoption
rates:
Track
how
many
users
actively
engage
with
the
new
technology,
especially
within
the
first
few
months. -
Client
satisfaction:
Measure
internal
client
satisfaction
through
surveys
or
feedback
loops
to
assess
if
the
tech
improves
response
times
and
service
delivery.
Define
success
in
stages.
For
example,
stage
one
could
focus
on
reducing
the
time
spent
on
routine
inquiries
by
20%.
Stage
two
could
be
increasing
the
speed
of
contract
execution
by
30%.
When
you
break
down
success
into
specific,
measurable
outcomes,
tracking
progress
and
making
necessary
adjustments
becomes
easier.
Assess
Your
Readiness
Rolling
out
a
new
technology
without
a
readiness
check
is
a
recipe
for
frustration.
Before
implementing
anything,
take
stock
of
your
current
workflows.
What’s
running
smoothly,
and
where
are
the
bottlenecks?
Conduct
a
readiness
assessment
to
identify
where
new
tech
will
enhance
your
department
and
where
it
might
create
more
friction.
Also,
make
sure
your
data
and
materials
are
updated.
GAI
is
powerful,
but
it
works
best
when
fed
clean,
structured
data.
Test
your
workflows
and
policy
materials
first
and
start
with
a
limited
scope
before
expanding
—
especially
if
you’re
automating
processes
like
FAQs
or
legal
request
intake.
Encourage
Simplicity
Implementing
every
shiny
new
feature
that
tech
offers
is
tempting,
but
more
complexity
often
leads
to
longer
timelines
and
higher
chances
of
failure.
Focus
on
simplicity.
If
your
goal
is
faster
responses
to
employment-related
inquiries,
build
the
basic
framework
first
—
start
with
high-frequency,
high-impact
workflows
and
leave
the
edge
cases
for
later
phases.
Remember:
Simplicity
is
not
a
lack
of
ambition
—
it’s
about
achieving
your
goals
efficiently.
You
can
continually
iterate
and
expand
once
you’ve
established
a
strong
foundation.
Avoid
letting
perfection
get
in
the
way
of
progress.
Let
It
Go
No
implementation
will
go
off
without
a
hitch,
and
that’s
OK.
The
key
to
success
is
flexibility.
Be
prepared
to
let
go
of
things
that
aren’t
working
as
planned.
Maybe
a
key
feature
doesn’t
perform
as
expected,
or
you
need
more
time
to
get
the
team
on
board.
Instead
of
holding
rigidly
to
the
initial
plan,
allow
room
for
adjustments.
Iterate.
Gather
feedback.
Stay
agile.
Your
tech
rollout
should
evolve
as
you
learn
what
works
and
what
doesn’t.
Building
in
this
flexibility
not
only
prevents
project
burnout
but
also
ensures
long-term
success.
Success
Starts
with
a
Practical
Approach
Legal
tech
implementation
doesn’t
have
to
be
a
headache
if
you
approach
it
with
clear
goals,
an
understanding
of
your
department’s
readiness,
and
a
commitment
to
simplicity
and
flexibility.
When
done
right,
legal
tech
will
transform
how
your
team
works
—
allowing
them
to
focus
on
high-value
tasks
and
leave
repetitive
work
to
automation.
Sumi
Trombley practiced
in
law
firms
and
in-house
legal
departments
for
more
than
a
decade
before
coming
to
UpLevel
Ops.
Sumi
previously
served
as
Director,
Legal
at
enterprise
legal
services
provider
Marshall
Denning,
LLC,
where
she
managed
and
trained
a
team
of
junior
and
senior
attorneys
and
developed
and
implemented
resource
optimizing
processes
for
RFPs
and
pre-litigation
disputes.
She
is
known
for
her
ability
to
provide
strategic
guidance
and
cost-effective
solutions.
Brian
Hupp
was
a
founding
leadership
team
member
of
the
Corporate
Legal
Operations
Consortium
(CLOC)
and
served
for
many
years
on
the
CLOC
Board
of
Directors.
After
more
than
25
years
in
the
legal
industry,
Brian
has
developed
an
expertise
in
building
corporate
legal
operations
functions
from
the
ground
up
and
has
built
a
reputation
for
collaboration
with
legal
technology
partners
to
turn
nascent
technologies
into
essential,
cutting-edge
components
of
the
legal
operations
arsenal.