Legal Team
Successfully maximising matter and spend management systems in legal departments isn't about the initial implementation—it's about strategic long-term commitment. The key ingredients? Strong leadership buy-in, a cross-functional team, and a culture of continuous improvement inspired by Toyota's kaizen philosophy. By transforming billing guidelines into automated tools, ensuring data quality through robust internal policies, and staying current with industry trends, legal departments can turn their tech investments from underutilized tools into powerful operational assets. The secret sauce isn't in the technology itself, but in the sustained effort to evolve and refine its use over time.
Source: Thomson Reuters
Legal departments worldwide share a common challenge: despite investing in premium matter and spend management systems, many find themselves barely scratching the surface of their technology's potential. Much like an aspiring musician who purchases a top-tier instrument but never progresses beyond basic scales, these powerful tools often sit underutilized, delivering only a fraction of their intended value.
Building the Strategic Foundation
Success begins with assembling the right team and embracing continuous improvement. At its core must be a decision-maker from legal leadership whose visible commitment signals the project's importance. As industry research emphasizes, "If the rest of the legal department isn't made to believe this project is a priority for their boss, the chances of a systemic change in legal department operations decrease significantly." Drawing inspiration from Toyota's famous "kaizen" philosophy, successful legal departments treat implementation not as a destination, but as the starting point of an evolving journey that includes voices from major practice areas, finance stakeholders, and IT specialists.
From Policy to Practice
Modern legal departments are transforming their billing guidelines from static documents into dynamic strategic tools, while implementing robust Internal Policies and Procedures (IPP) that ensure data quality and consistency. Today's systems can automate enforcement, leading to significant cost savings through features like automatic reduction of non-compliant charges and systematic late invoice handling. The age-old axiom "rubbish in, rubbish out" proves especially relevant here – consistent data entry and management form the foundation of reliable reporting that General Counsel can confidently present to CEOs and boards.
Sustaining Success
Staying ahead requires more than maintaining current processes. Forward-thinking legal departments actively track new system releases, participate in industry webinars, and regularly assess professional services offerings that could accelerate their improvement. As the research notes, "Even the most sophisticated legal department can improve because the landscape is always changing." Through this combination of strategic planning and consistent refinement, legal departments can transform their matter and spend management systems from basic utilities into powerful drivers of operational excellence.
Read more: Thomson Reuters