By Rachel Webb-Wiles
What makes a successful in-house legal team? In this article, Rachel Webb Wiles explores the six key areas which are central to building a high impact, effective legal team.
Establishing Purpose and Direction
In-house legal teams thrive when they are deeply integrated into the fabric of their organisations, with a clear sense of purpose and direction. Understanding their role within the wider business is crucial for aligning their efforts with organisational success. By establishing and consistently reinforcing core values – whether it be client service excellence, integrity, or fostering positive interactions – legal team leaders can guide their teams towards a purpose-driven approach. These core values become the bedrock of the team’s behaviour and interactions, shaping how they contribute to the company’s goals.
Legal team leaders should remember to frequently communicate the team’s core values, making them a central part of both team meetings and interactions with the broader business.
Maximising Influence
The influence of an in-house legal team is amplified when its priorities are in sync with the organisation’s goals. Legal leaders, with their comprehensive view of the company’s objectives, can effectively align their team’s efforts with strategic priorities. This alignment involves evaluating which tasks and meetings are essential and which can be deprioritised, so that teams can focus on initiatives that genuinely support the business’ commercial objectives.
Time management becomes critical here. By streamlining their workload, legal teams can dedicate uninterrupted time to high-impact tasks. This might mean saying no to meetings where their input isn’t crucial or reallocating resources to projects that promise a higher return on investment. By prioritising effectively, in-house legal teams can position themselves as indispensable partners in the organisation’s success.
Driving Value and Efficiency
The perception of in-house legal teams as cost centres is outdated. Effective teams demonstrate their value by providing insights and strategic advice that transcend traditional legal tasks. By leveraging their intimate knowledge of the organisation, they can proactively identify and mitigate risks, ensuring a stable and successful path forward for the business.
Incorporating technology and automation for routine, low-risk tasks allows legal teams to focus on more complex and strategic initiatives. Empowering the business to self-serve where possible (with the right legal support and guidance) not only enhances efficiency, but also frees up the legal team to tackle high-stakes challenges.
Communicating the value of these efforts through data – particularly by using metrics that align with the business’s objectives – can demonstrate to senior leaders the indispensable role of the in-house legal function.
Enhancing Technical Skills and Knowledge Sharing
A high-performing in-house legal team is characterised by a rich diversity of skills and expertise. By assigning tasks that align with each team member’s strengths and encouraging continuous learning, the team can maintain a robust legal knowledge base. Regularly scheduled learning sessions and workshops can bring new insights and skills into the team, fostering an environment of growth and adaptability.
Taking steps to share this expertise across the organisation ensures that legal understanding is not siloed. Encouraging non-legal staff to engage with legal issues cultivates a culture of shared responsibility and awareness of risks. This broader organisational understanding not only protects the business but also empowers all employees to make informed decisions.
Fostering a Culture of Collaboration and Creativity
The most successful in-house legal teams are those that cultivate a culture of collaboration and creativity. By fostering an environment where team members feel safe to share ideas without fear of judgment, legal teams can harness the collective intelligence and creativity of their members. Encouraging open dialogue and valuing each team member’s input ensures that all voices are heard and respected.
Collaborative teams also build strong relationships with other departments, positioning themselves as trusted partners rather than isolated units. This cross-departmental collaboration enhances the team’s ability to provide comprehensive legal support and align their efforts with the needs of the entire organisation.
Building Strong Partnerships
Integration within the organisation is vital for in-house legal teams seeking to make a significant impact. By establishing strong partnerships with various departments, legal teams can better understand the challenges and objectives facing different parts of the business. This insight allows them to tailor their advice and support to meet specific needs, enhancing their relevance and influence.
A proactive approach, where legal teams reach out to collaborate on projects and initiatives, can further solidify these partnerships. Regular check-ins and joint planning sessions can ensure that the legal team is always in tune with the pulse of the organisation, ready to provide valuable input that drives overall success.
By taking time to explore and build on each of these six areas, in-house legal functions can evolve into high-impact teams that not only meet the legal requirements of their organisations, but also play a crucial role in shaping their strategic direction and success.
Book an Appointment
All our lawyers at TLD are senior GCs. They also have experience mentoring GCs who are new to the job to help them establish the right foundations for success.
Working with you in-house, they can help drive change and support you to create influential, collaborative, creative, efficient legal teams.
If you’d like to speak with someone at TLD to see how that could work within your business, get in touch on info@thelegaldirector.co.uk or 020 3056 8538.
