While in-house legal departments vary widely in size and depth across industries, one characteristic they all share is the need to align closely with the business as a trusted partner. With 52% of legal departments having increased their use of legal technology in the past year alone, it is particularly important to align with business objectives when it comes to the procurement and implementation of technology solutions. The actual value of these investments is realized when systems benefit not only the legal department, but also the business as a whole.

Consequently, technology investments in legal departments should not be viewed in isolation, but as capabilities that enable seamless workflows across the organization. Modern methodologies incorporate organizational assessments and design from the start, for this very purpose. Technology investments are best positioned for success when the right organizational structure is in place and partnerships are solidified—if not in practice yet, then certainly through future-state design. Furthermore, an effective organizational design provides an assessment centered around the people and business processes they support. A trusted partnership between the business and legal department lays the foundation for optimal performance for both the employees and the company. Any technology solution will be limited in its potential if, for example, the legal department is viewed as the cost center of "no," left to operate at a bare minimum. Technology alone may not be the issue—it rarely ever is. Working through organizational problems or concerns is essential, these cannot be ignored or left for after implementation. If you want to maximize the return on any technology investments, you have to put in the work.