Images
For
years,
complex
legal
work
such
as
bet-the-company
litigation,
M&A,
and
regulatory
investigations
was
considered
too
unpredictable
to
scope,
price,
or
manage
outside
of
hourly
billing.
There
were
too
many
variables,
too
many
unknowns,
and
too
much
risk.
But
that
thinking
is
changing.
Predictability
isn’t
just
something
finance
wants
anymore;
it’s
the
baseline.
CFOs
require
it.
Boards
expect
it.
And
Legal
Ops
teams
are
showing
that
even
the
most
complex
matters
can
be
scoped,
structured,
and
aligned
with
business
goals
without
sacrificing
quality
or
outcomes.
So
what’s
behind
the
shift?
First,
legal
isn’t
operating
in
a
vacuum
anymore.
Every
other
function,
including
HR,
IT,
supply
chain,
and
marketing,
is
held
to
standards
for
forecasting
and
accountability.
Legal
no
longer
gets
a
pass.
Legal
Ops
is
stepping
up
with
better
vendor
management,
more
robust
data,
and
smarter
use
of
alternative
fee
models.
And
AI
is
finally
starting
to
deliver
real
efficiency
in
areas
that
used
to
be
considered
off-limits
to
automation.
Pricing
models
need
to
reflect
that.
The
departments
making
the
most
progress
aren’t
trying
to
turn
every
matter
into
a
flat
fee.
They’re
scoping
more
tightly,
breaking
matters
into
phases,
and
applying
a
mix
of
fixed
fees,
phased
pricing,
and
outcome-based
incentives.
Take
litigation:
Some
teams
use
fixed
fees
for
individual
motions
or
depositions,
phased
pricing
for
trial
prep,
and
a
success
fee
tied
to
the
result.
M&A
work
can
follow
a
similar
structure:
fixed
fees
for
documentation,
term
sheets,
and
negotiations,
with
incentives
tied
to
closing.
These
aren’t
just
cost-control
strategies.
They
create
transparency,
trust,
and
accountability
on
both
sides
of
the
table.
Legal
teams
gain
more
control
over
budgets
and
reduce
administrative
burden.
Law
firms
gain
clarity
on
scope
and
expectations.
Both
benefit
when
incentives
are
aligned.
Of
course,
not
every
matter
fits
neatly
into
a
model.
But
that
doesn’t
mean
legal
departments
shouldn’t
push
for
structure.
They
should
be
asking
better
questions:
•
How
is
this
work
scoped,
and
is
it
detailed
enough
to
reduce
ambiguity?
•
Where
can
we
fix
fees,
and
where
does
flexibility
make
sense?
•
How
are
efficiencies,
including
AI,
reflected
in
your
pricing?
•
What
incentives
are
built
in
for
successful
outcomes?
These
conversations
don’t
need
to
be
adversarial.
In
fact,
firms
that
are
open
to
them
often
become
the
strongest
partners.
Here’s
what
legal
departments
are
asking
today:
•
What
assumptions
are
baked
into
this
scope,
and
how
will
changes
be
handled?
•
What
have
you
done
with
similar
matters
to
manage
costs
and
improve
predictability?
•
Where
have
you
used
fixed
fees
or
other
structures
before,
and
what
worked?
•
How
are
your
internal
teams
thinking
about
AI
in
this
kind
of
work,
and
how
is
that
reflected
in
pricing?
•
How
are
incentives
aligned
between
your
team
and
ours?
The
goal
isn’t
to
squeeze
firms
on
price.
The
goal
is
to
build
accountability
and
transparency
into
the
process
from
the
start.
Legal
teams
that
do
that
are
seeing
better
results:
more
accurate
forecasts,
fewer
surprises,
and
stronger
relationships.
Because
high-stakes
legal
work
doesn’t
just
demand
expertise.
It
demands
clarity,
structure,
and
alignment.
That’s
what
leads
to
better
outcomes
and
stronger
partnerships.
Stephanie
Corey is
the
co-founder
and
CEO
of
UpLevel
Ops.
She
also
serves
as
the
Global
Chair
of LINK
x
L
Suite—a
premier
community
of
General
Counsel
and
Legal
Operations
leaders
united
to
transform
the
legal
industry
through
collaboration,
innovation,
and
strategic
insight. Stephanie co-founded LINK
(Legal
Innovators
Network),
a
legal
ops
organization
exclusively
for
experienced
in-house
professionals,
and
previously
founded
the Corporate
Legal
Operations
Consortium
(CLOC),
where
she
served
as
an
executive
board
member.
She
is
a
recognized
leader
in
legal
operations
and
a
frequent
advisor
to
corporate
legal
departments
on
scaling
operational
excellence. Please
feel
free
to
connect
with
her
on
LinkedIn.