The cloud has changed the way IT is conducted, but it also has changed how we do business. The metaphor of the cloud can be applied to human resources, too. If a business takes on work but doesn't have the internal resources to handle it, then it can tap a pool of independent contractors just like software developers tap the cloud.

This is true for legal departments, too. The resources in a legal department may not match what a company has. The legal department may lack internal expertise for a project. It may have a dearth of the necessary resources for the matter that the legal department is being presented with, whether it's litigation, an influx of new cases or a new acquisition.

Whatever the case, it's always important to have a few additional resources in your toolkit rather than go the expensive route of calling in. These days, there are a range of options in the marketplace for how a legal department can resource its various needs. Here are a few to consider:

1. Alternative legal service providers.

The days of Big Law ruling the industry are over. Alternative legal service providers offer expertise at a fraction of what Big Law charges. According to Thomson Reuters, at least 51 percent of law firms and 60 percent of corporate legal departments now use ALSPs for at least one type of service. Cost is a primary reason, but ALSPs also can offer a range of expertise that legal departments don't have in-house.

2. Legal Process Outsourcing.

Law departments often call on LPOs to handle routine low-level work like claims intake or due diligence. If you turn your nose up at using an LPO, consider that the Big Law outfit you hire might use one as well. Better to engage the LPO directly so you're not getting upcharged by your firm. Or if they are doing it, make sure you have transparency in that relationship.

3. Secondments.

In a secondment arrangement, someone is a loaned out for a period of time to cover a need. For example, someone in your department is going on maternity leave and you need coverage for six months. Secondments can be cost-effective and beneficial for this type of short-term need. In some cases you can actually hire the person after that secondment term ends, which can be a win-win for all parties involved.

4. Have a broader perspective.

A lot of times when people think of needs for their departments they might think of only the need for lawyers but there are a lot of other potential department players who should be considered in your legal resourcing requirements. Those may be administrative professionals, legal operations professionals, paralegals or legal specialists as well as of course attorneys. This perspective might help you think of resourcing in a different way.

5. Automation.

These are the days of the robo-lawyer. Best to use such tools to your advantage. First consider if there are any automated solutions that can replace the need for human capital. Also ask yourself if there is some work that can be completely offloaded to a tech solution. Usually there is. There are great solutions out there that can be used to handle due diligence, for instance. There are a number of automated solutions that can be set up to identify keywords and phrases to trigger contracting due diligence review. The same is true for discovery. There are automated solutions that obviate the need for human intervention.

6. Look at solutions where you can do more with less.

Maybe instead of going outside your department you can use what you have. Such capability might be latent in your organization. Move people around and try people in different roles. Layer on some technology that allows for easy knowledge sharing so people aren't reinventing the wheel and doing things more than once.

7. Consider how your legal resourcing can help support diversity initiatives.

There's a lot that can be done on the diversity front via a thoughtful legal resourcing plan. You can push for diversity through your ASLPs or your selection of secondments. There are a lot of opportunities to make selections that support diversity and bring people into a department who might not otherwise have access to that role.

Legal resourcing is an opportunity disguised as a burden. Many legal departments have been forever changed by embracing just one of the above solutions, whether it's pulling in a secondment full time or discovering resources they didn't know they had. It helps then to see legal resourcing challenges as a catalyst for change and rise to the occasion.

Monica Zent is an entrepreneur, investor, businesswoman and legal adviser to global brands, over a period that spans decades. Her most recent venture is founder & CEO of Foxwordy Inc.,, a digital collaboration platform for the legal industry. She also is founder of ZentLaw, an alternative law firm. Zent is an investor in real estate and startups and dedicates her time and talent to various charitable causes. She is a diversity and inclusion advocate, inspiring all people to pursue their dreams. When she's not running companies, Zent runs distance as an endurance athlete. She is on Twitter: @MonicaZent