The legal operations space has expanded rapidly over the past few years, in some organizations growing to encompass everything from contract and knowledge management to budgeting and office administration. But with a looming economic downturn, businesses are looking for ways to optimize their operations and squeeze out incremental value anywhere they can, and legal ops is no exception.
In this webinar, Ironclad’s Chief Community Officer, Mary O’Carroll, joins Netflix’s Director of Legal Ops and Technology, Jenn McCarron, in her Los Angeles studio to chat value demonstration, law careers, leather jackets, and more.
Key Takeaways
- Use strong storytelling to tip the scales. When getting buy-in for a project, especially from leadership, using a personalized, data-filled narrative structure to sell your vision can be the difference between success and failure. Don’t be afraid to call out mistakes and learnings from previous projects, either. They’re often the most compelling part of the story.
- Start small. The mental obstacles to starting a massive project like implementing a contract lifecycle management tool can feel insurmountable. Build momentum by clearing out the easiest tasks first, demonstrate incremental value on a small scale, and expand from there. No team wants to miss out on proven success, especially when it might mean a bigger budget, more headcount, or more revenue.
- Use the 80/20 rule. By making the processes you spend 80% of your time on more efficient, you give yourself the time and opportunity to solve complex, strategic problems. Solving those problems then earns trust and provides a faster and more visible path to career growth.
- Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. The key to demonstrating the value of legal ops and your role within it lies in how you prioritize work and articulate value. Focus on a handful of measurable, revenue-driving tasks with clear metrics and do them really well; that internal wiki, no matter how many times you hear it’s needed, can wait.
- Step into others’ shoes. No matter who you’re speaking to–a potential mentor you’re reaching out to on LinkedIn, a job candidate you’re interviewing, a project stakeholder you’re getting buy-in from–always clearly spell out what’s in it for them.
Interested in connecting with other legal ops leaders and learning new skills? Join the Ironclad Community to get access to forums, job postings, in-person networking events, and more!
Ironclad is not a law firm, and this post does not constitute or contain legal advice. To evaluate the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability of the ideas and guidance reflected here, or the applicability of these materials to your business, you should consult with a licensed attorney. Use of and access to any of the resources contained within Ironclad’s site do not create an attorney-client relationship between the user and Ironclad.
