Ep1 Legal Ops Starter Pack for Small Legal Teams with Katrina Gowans from CLOC
Ready to power your small legal team with Legal Ops?
This is the episode that puts together practical strategies and foundational insights into legal operations for small in-house legal teams…
We explore:
The basics of legal ops
Overcoming common mistakes
Starting projects with limited budgets
Building a business case for new initiatives.
“Legal operations is the business of law. It’s about taking the “how” off lawyers’ plates so they can focus on lawyering, while making processes smoother and more efficient.”
— Katrina Gowans, Co-Chair of CLOC Australia
In Episode 01 (Legal Ops Starter Pack for Small Legal Teams), we welcomed Katrina Gowans, Co-Chair of CLOC Australia, to discuss how small legal teams can implement legal ops effectively. We started by asking, “What is legal ops?” (01:19) and quickly tackled common mistakes small teams make when starting their legal ops journey (03:14).
By 07:49, we dove into how to implement knowledge management systems, with Katrina sharing her success using SharePoint in a global legal team. Change management strategies followed at 14:00, with tips on effectively communicating, training, and building trust in new systems.
The conversation concluded with actionable advice on crafting a business case (19:14), measuring success (23:23), and leveraging law firm partnerships (27:32). Katrina also provided insights into the thriving CLOC community in Australia and highlighted upcoming events, including the CLOC Summit in Sydney.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Let’s recap the secrets of productive contracts
1. WHAT IS LEGAL OPS?
The “how” of lawyering: managing processes, reporting, and working with law firms. Align team priorities with organisational goals.
2. COMMON MISTAKES
Don’t jump straight to tech. Focus on team priorities and processes first.
3. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Use tools like SharePoint to centralise templates and precedents. Make it easy to navigate and use.
4. CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Communicate early, train in small steps, and involve the team. Build trust in new systems.
4. BUILDING A BUSINESS CASE
Assume no budget. Identify pain points, show ROI, and include hidden costs like training and IT time.
4. MEASURING SUCCESS
Define success and track metrics (e.g., template usage or contract speed). Use simple tools like Excel to monitor trends.
4. LEVERAGE THE CLOC COMMUNITY
Join CLOC to access resources, templates, and peer support.
Apply TOP for your contract document and contract process
Write for readability | Obliterate, Optimise and Outsource your contract document for massive productivity gains. SLAPP your contract into shape. Use the SLAPP system’s five key document angles to confirm your contract document is at its productive peak – Structure, Looks, Automation, Plain language , Pictures.Be curious | Obliterate, Optimise and Outsource your contract process for an ongoing efficiency pay off. Don’t put lipstick on a process pig! Fix your contract processes.See Episode 05 (Triple O Productivity) all the way to Episode 10 (How to map a contract process)
Legal Light Bulb Moment:
"Just because an email lands in your inbox doesn’t mean it’s solely your problem. Legal issues are shared problems, don’t take on everything alone."
LINKS
CLOC Summit in Sydney (August 20)
[https://cloc.org/events/]
CLOC Academy (Legal Ops 101 and 201)
Practical training sessions for beginners and intermediate professionals.
Connect with Katrina Gowans
Katrina Gowans on LinkedIn
Connect with Verity White
Verity White on LinkedIn
Checklist Legal on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/checklistlegal]
Recommended AI-Related Podcasts:
Head to the The Checklist Boutique for access to the other templates and examples mentioned in the show.
