For many in-house legal teams, investment in legal operations still feels like discretionary spend rather than a strategic necessity. General Counsel are often convinced of the value yet struggle to secure funding, competing with revenue-facing functions.
The difference between approval and rejection usually comes down to how the business case is built. Data alone is not enough, nor is passion for better ways of working. What lands is a clear narrative that links operational maturity to business outcomes.
This article explores how to frame a compelling business case for legal operations by combining metrics, storytelling and alignment with wider corporate strategy.
Start with the Business Problem, not the Solution
A common misstep is to lead with the tool or role being requested. A matter management platform, a legal operations manager, or spend analytics software. Finance and executive teams do not buy solutions, they buy business outcomes.
The strongest business case for legal ops starts by articulating the business pain the legal team is absorbing. This might include delayed matter turnaround impacting revenue recognition, unmanaged external spend creating budget volatility, or limited visibility into legal risk exposure. These are enterprise problems, not legal complaints.
Framing legal operations strategy as a response to these issues positions the legal function as a partner in performance, rather than a cost centre asking for efficiency toys.
Establish a Baseline using Credible Metrics
To demonstrate legal department ROI, you need a credible starting point. Many teams underestimate how much data they already hold. Matter volumes, external spend by firm, and internal resourcing ratios often exist across finance systems, email trails, or spreadsheets.
The goal is not perfect data. It is directional insight. For example, showing that contract review times have increased by 20 per cent year-on-year while sales headcount has doubled tells a powerful story. So does demonstrating that a small group of firms accounts for the majority of spend, without clear performance metrics attached.
These metrics for in-house legal teams create the baseline against which improvement can be measured, but they also signal operational maturity. A legal team that can quantify its workload and cost drivers is already speaking the business’s language.
Articulate ROI in Business Terms
Legal ROI is rarely about direct revenue generation. That does not mean it is intangible. The key is to translate operational improvements into outcomes that the business already values.
Reduced cycle time can be framed as faster time to revenue and improved spend management links directly to margin protection. Better matter triage and self-service reduce dependency on scarce senior lawyers, lowering burnout risk and improving retention.
Where possible, quantify these impacts. If a new intake process reduces low-value work, what does that free up in lawyer hours? If external spend forecasting improves and cost blow-outs are reduced, what could that look like in terms of cost avoidance?
This is where the business case legal ops conversation shifts from efficiency to value creation.
Use Maturity Models to Show Progress, not Perfection
Executives understand maturity curves. Framing legal operations investment as a step along a maturity journey helps manage expectations and build confidence.
A simple maturity model might move from reactive and manual, to standardised and data-informed, to proactive and optimised. The business case should clearly position the legal team today, describe the risks of staying there, and outline the benefits of moving to the next stage.
Importantly, this avoids promising an overnight transformation. It demonstrates realism and strategic intent. Investment is presented as enabling progress, not delivering a silver bullet.
Combine Data with Narrative
Numbers alone rarely persuade, they need context and narrative. This is where the General Counsel plays a critical role as storyteller.
Link operational challenges to real-world examples, such as a missed deal due to contract delays or an unexpected overspend that required last-minute budget reallocation.
These stories humanise the metrics and make the impact tangible. They also reinforce that legal operations are about risk management and business enablement.
Align with Enterprise Priorities
Every successful legal operations business case reflects the organisation’s priorities, whether they be digital transformation, cost discipline, scalability, or risk resilience. Legal ops should be explicitly positioned as supporting these goals.
If the business is focused on growth, emphasise how operational improvements enable legal to scale without linear increases in headcount. If cost control is paramount, focus on spend visibility and demand management. If governance is under scrutiny, highlight improved reporting and audit readiness.
This alignment reassures decision-makers that the legal team’s strategy is it is embedded within the business.
Demonstrate Credibility and Ownership
Finally, investment follows confidence. A clear implementation plan, realistic timelines, and named ownership matter. Showing that the in-house legal team has the capability, or has identified the right partners, to deliver the change reduces perceived risk.
This includes defining how success will be measured after the investment. Agreeing upfront on metrics for legal teams that will evidence impact builds trust and accountability.
Making the Case Stick
To secure investment in legal operations, base requests on data, highlight ROI in business terms, and align with strategic goals to demonstrate value beyond cost.
This is an opportunity to establish that legal operations is essential as a driver for improved performance, resilience, and growth.