Collaboration might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of lawyers, but many are discovering the words of poet Mattie Stepanek, that “Unity is strength … when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”

Even if they don't think of themselves as collaborators, lawyers usually are when it comes to drafting contracts. Contracts often require a lot of back and forth. For attorneys, contract management is one of their key collaboration points.

You might think that contract lifecycle management solutions (CLMs) would provide a means for such attorneys to collaborate. But, in practice, that's not the case. In my experience, most of the collaboration occurs via email. That's because most CLMs are all about the actual contracts—keeping, storing and retrieving them—rather than the contracting process.

That's a missed opportunity. CLMs should be more than just a repository for contracts; they should also provide a means for attorneys and business teams to collaboratively negotiate contracts.

Here's why:

1. Any business' contracting process should be collaborative. If you have a CLM that doesn't offer a collaboration solution, then you need to seek another CLM or talk to your CLM provider about adding a collaboration solution. Contract management isn't a zero-sum game like litigation. Research from Harvard Law Distinguished Fellow Dr. Heidi Gardner has found that average revenue per client rises among firms that have a high degree of collaboration. That's because firms charge more for work that requires cross-disciplinary expertise. It should be a collaborative process, not a combative process. In general, lawyers are being asked to do more work in less time than in the past. On the positive side, social media and collaborative tools offer more resources than ever to pool their resources.
2. Email overload. Email is a woefully inefficient form of communication. The average worker already spends 28 percent of their workday on email, and workers tend to be more long-winded in emails than in everyday speech. There is also a lot of fluidity within the contracting process that email doesn't handle well. For instance, there are moments in which it makes sense to bring in a new person to the conversation but they don't need to stay on after that. That's awkward in email but easier in chat or in a social platform.
3. Avoid reinventing the wheel. Much of the contracting process is about synthesizing rather than creating something from scratch. In theory, the strength of a CLM platform is its ability to tap into institutional knowledge that will save work and enhance operational efficiency. A collaboration platform also lets you tap into knowledge outside your company—something that's more difficult via email as well.
4. It drives greater bonds. Studies have shown that one of the best ways to improve morale at your company, or to have a high morale to begin with, is to recognize your employees' contributions. A collaboration platform is an excellent way to achieve this goal. By including employees in the process, managers are implicitly and explicitly ensuring that their employees' contributions are being noted and valued. Collaboration through an enterprise social platform can be a lot of fun and forge stronger bonds between colleagues. These benefits should be obvious to any legal department, but the reality is that collaboration is lacking in most CLMs.

That's changing, however, and it's often emerging lawyers who are realizing the benefits of collaboration. In fact, an American Bar Association survey from 2017 found that 57 percent of lawyers under the age of 40 accessed documents and case-related information stored online.

It is clear that the market is requiring a better, more collaborative solution. Smart CLMs should be listening.

Monica Zent is an entrepreneur, investor, businesswoman and legal adviser to leading global brands. Her most recent venture is founder & CEO of Foxwordy Inc., the digital collaboration platform for the legal industry. She is also founder of ZentLaw, one of the nation's top alternative law firms. She is a diversity and inclusion advocate, inspiring all people to pursue their dreams.