Like Nostradamus, Legal Ops Professionals Predicted the Downturn
Respondents to the 2019 Law Department Operations Survey were already preparing for a recession. What do they see coming down the pike now?
As is often the case, in-house legal operations professionals have a clearer vision into the future than the rest of us. For example, the respondents to the 2019 Law Department Operations Survey, our 12th annual, were already worried about an economic downturn, even though the survey took place months before the start of the pandemic.
When asked about their greatest current challenges, they named departmental resources, such as funding for personnel/technology and staff retention, as their fourth- greatest current challenge. Yet when asked about the top three challenges they expect to face over the next three years, respondents ranked departmental resources as their second biggest concern.
TOP CHALLENGES:
As we now know, their prediction came true. Which means the big questions today are:
- To what extent are resources really drying up?
- What strategies are in place to remain effective with smaller budgets?
- How can LDO professionals ensure they remain effective and valuable?
As one that delivers cost savings and efficiency, legal ops is a profession that should be thriving through a downturn, but many have concerns. Respondents in 2019 were already concerned about their own need to document the ROI of their own position.
What are the answers to those big questions? Are legal ops professionals demonstrating enough value to keep their jobs and their standing through tough times? What else do LDOs predict about the future?
All will be answered in the 13th Annual Law Department Operations Survey. If you’re an in-house legal ops professional, all you have to do is take the survey, and we will deliver the answers, along with 300+ additional data points, back to you at no charge.
Please follow this link and take the survey today.
