Unlocking business potential: The future of legal operations

Staying ahead of emerging trends has become a necessity in the legal world. The field has taken a more strategic, technology-driven, and data-focused direction. Today, legal operations play a critical role in helping legal departments deliver greater value. 

Several key trends are shaping the future of legal operations. Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration and the use of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms lead the way. Discover the latest trends needed to face the future. 

The shift from support to strategic legal enabler

In the past, legal operations performed supportive functions within an organization. Now, legal departments have shifted focus toward strategic goals. They analyze risks, find efficient ways to handle work, and make decisions that contribute to business objectives. 

Aligning metrics with business objectives is imperative for thriving in a dynamic industry. Legal departments can prove their value by shifting from cost centers to strategic drivers.

Top 6 legal operations trends in 2025

Legal departments face increasing pressure to do more with less. Rising costs, complex regulations, and growing workloads demand innovative solutions. Legal operations offer a path forward. These trends enable legal teams to solve key challenges.

1. Reliance on Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)

In the future of legal, CLM platforms will become universal. Embedding AI enables faster, more efficient contract management. It offers a centralized and standardized single source of truth. CLM helps professionals manage risk, reduce cost, add value, and enhance performance. 

According to Steve Harmon, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at Elevate, “The beauty of it is that legal operations teams can configure processes and workflows that optimize contract management for the business. And that makes more money for the company, that makes shareholders happy. And that’s probably why there’s been so much investment in contract lifecycle management tools in recent years.”

2. Adoption of generative AI

One of the most significant corporate law and technology trends is the increased adoption of AI in the legal sector. 

AI automates routine legal work, increasing efficiency and capacity without adding staff. The interest in AI-driven legal tech continues to grow. Legal departments aim to enhance document drafting, review, and research using generative AI.

A 2024 report by Axiom Law found that 100% of respondents planned to buy or implement AI and legal technology in the next two years. However, it’s not all smooth sailing. In the same survey, 99% of respondents identified barriers to adopting AI tools. AI’s growth could merge legal tech vendors, pushing law firms to create custom solutions for a competitive edge.

3. Increased use of legal tech

Legal tech is a catch-all term for technology that applies to the legal field. It covers everything from document management to contract analysis to client communication. The goal of legal tech trends is to streamline complex or time-consuming processes. They allow firms to optimize performance and offer better client service. 

Front-end tech assists clients looking for lawyers, legal information, or self-service case management. Back-end solutions involve internal legal operations, such as billing, e-discovery, and contract analysis. Examples of legal tech include:

• AI-driven legal research: AI makes legal research and analysis quicker and more accurate.
• Document management systems: Legal operations depend on volumes of documents. Centralized management systems enable efficient document storage, organization, and retrieval.
• Contract analysis: Technology scans contracts faster than humans to identify risks or clauses.
• E-discovery tools: This software works with Electronically Stored Information (ESI). It can analyze, gather, and process ESI for legal cases. 

4. Data-first decision-making

Data is transforming the way legal teams approach contracts. Instead of only setting terms, businesses now focus on understanding how those terms perform in reality. CLM systems provide the visibility and data needed to track contract performance.

Legal data is becoming more interconnected with other business data. Strategic insights from analytics and optimized contract terms improve business outcomes. 

Data empowers legal teams to contribute to the following:

• Revenue growth
• Cost reduction
• Risk management
   

5. Emphasis on efficiency and cost control

Rising cost consciousness reflects a business-wide push for maximum value and minimum expense. Legal departments are under pressure to prove their Return on Investment (ROI). The adoption of technology, process optimization, and alternative staffing models lowers costs.

6. Evolving roles and skills

The legal profession is moving toward soft skills and away from traditional career paths. Effective problem-solving relies on Emotional Intelligence (EQ), adaptability, and empathy. As Mike Haven, Global Head of Legal Operations at Meta, said, “There are so many skills that you need in this role that you’re never going to come into it with all of them already. You’ll come in with a couple of the skills, probably from those various angles. And you have to learn the rest on the job in a lot of cases.” 

Those who end up in a legal operations career may not take the lawyer route. Many legal ops professionals have non-legal backgrounds, such as business, finance, or technology. These backgrounds bring diverse perspectives, blending legal knowledge with business acumen. This varied experience enables them to bridge the gap between legal and strategy.

The role of CLM in the evolution of legal operations 

CLM plays a valuable role in the changing landscape of legal operations. A robust CLM platform enhances efficiency, reducing the time it takes to create, negotiate, and approve contracts. It also improves accuracy and reduces the risk of errors. 

Here’s a breakdown of the features that support legal operations as a strategic enabler: 

• Automation: CLM automates repetitive tasks like drafting, sending for review, and obtaining approvals. This tool eliminates manual steps, reducing delays and freeing up legal professionals’ time.
• Risk management: CLM platforms track key dates, obligations, and compliance to identify and mitigate risks.
• Centralized repository: A centralized, searchable contract repository enables quick information retrieval. Legal teams can spend less time searching for documents.
• Collaboration: Better collaboration streamlines negotiation and approval, minimizing delays
• Data analytics: Data becomes more important as legal operations continue to evolve. CLM provides data and analytics on contract performance, enabling optimized decision-making.
• Workflow management: A structured workflow streamlines contract creation, review, approval, and renewal.
• Version control: Version control inside a CLM platform ensures everyone uses the current contract, preventing errors.
• Standardization: Preapproved templates and clause libraries ensure consistency, preventing contract rewrites. Standardization speeds up drafting while minimizing errors.
• Tracking and reporting: Real-time contract status visibility allows legal teams to identify and resolve bottlenecks

For organizations that want to remain agile, CLM is a critical component of future-ready legal teams.

Preparing for the future of legal operations

For those willing to adapt, the changing legal climate offers many opportunities. 

The following steps can help teams stay ahead of emerging trends:

1. Embrace data analytics: Invest in data analytics to gain insights into firm performance, client needs, and process optimization. Track matter profitability, lawyer use, and client satisfaction to identify areas for improvement.
2. Invest in technology: Adopt new legal technologies. CLM, e-discovery, and AI tools automate tasks, improve efficiency, and enhance client service. Focus on user-friendly solutions that integrate with existing systems.
3. Develop legal operations expertise: Hire or train legal operations experts to improve processes, manage technology, and optimize resources. Consider professionals with non-traditional backgrounds like business administration, project management, or data analytics.
4. Focus on client experience: Enhance client satisfaction with improved communication and service delivery. Technology enables real-time client access to case information for better collaboration.
5. Foster a culture of innovation: Encourage innovation by embracing new technologies. Invest in training to develop new skills and innovative legal service delivery methods.

Through a proactive and tech-savvy approach, the future remains bright for legal operations. 

Future-proof your legal operations with Agiloft

Technology and adaptability are key to unlocking business potential in an evolving legal landscape. Agiloft builds innovative contract management solutions for the legal department of the future. Our advanced CLM platform streamlines contract creation, negotiation, and management with intelligent automation. 

Discover a human-centric AI platform that empowers your team to achieve new levels of efficiency. Face the future of legal operations with confidence.

Learn about how CLM and AI can skyrocket your legal team’s performance. Schedule a demo today.