How legal ops can help legal teams show value
AI has raised the pressure on in-house legal teams, and few other C-suite executives see what legal contributes. Our new report looks at how legal ops can help general counsel demonstrate value. The gap between how legal sees its value and how the C-suite sees it is one every in-house legal team will recognise.
Key takeaways
- More than four in five general counsel (86%) say legal contributes significantly to company goals. Among other C-suite executives, less than one in five (17%) agree.
- Nearly half of corporate legal respondents (45%) say the individual is accountable when AI-assisted work goes wrong. Just over a third (37%) say responsibility is shared, while a minority (10%) say the organisation is.
- A majority of corporate legal professionals (71%) say it’s essential or very important that their law firms use AI to improve quality.
Thomson Reuters Institute’s 2026 Legal Department Operations Report reveals more than half of corporate legal respondents (56%) use AI multiple times a day. Among these AI users, nearly three in five (58%) report financial pressure tied to AI, and more than two in five (43%) already see consequences or expect them within 12 months. The report shows how in-house teams can prove to the business what AI is delivering.
Demonstrating the value of legal
Many other C-suite executives don’t yet see the value legal adds, with many saying legal contributes little or nothing to company goals. General counsel are increasingly expected to speak the language of business, and the report recommends that legal ops talk less about the work it does and more about the outcomes it delivers for the business.
Legal ops teams are well placed to improve perceptions of legal with data, though some teams are very small. One legal ops leader describes a team of 3.5 people supporting more than 200 lawyers in 28 countries. For lean teams, the report’s starting point is to pick the three metrics that matter most to your general counsel and the C-suite and report them consistently.
Responsibility for AI-assisted work is just as unsettled. When it goes wrong, people don’t agree on who is responsible, and the most common answer is the individual.
Legal needs a position on the tools people use
More than one in four corporate legal professionals (27%) have used AI tools their organisation hasn’t authorised, at least occasionally. Across all professionals surveyed, it’s about one in three (34%). One legal ops leader says you need “a good answer for why you are, or why you’re not using the latest tool.” The report also warns against overcorrecting. Restrict AI too hard and legal risks being seen as the “Department of No.” The report advises having a clear point of view on AI governance ready before it becomes a crisis.
In-house teams expect more from their legal advisers
Some corporate legal leaders who make purchasing decisions are reconsidering some firm relationships over AI value. Within five years, more than two in three (68%) would consider changing law firm advisers that don’t show clear AI value.
You may not know yet what your firms are doing, and you wouldn’t be alone. About two thirds of corporate legal respondents couldn’t say whether their law firms were using AI. The report’s advice is to ask your law firms directly how they use AI on your matters and build that expectation into your terms of engagement now.
What you’ll get in the report
The report sets out five moves legal ops leaders can start with, even on a small team, and shows how AI pressure on legal compares with other corporate functions. It also covers which roles in-house teams expect to grow or shrink, and the questions to ask outside counsel and your own team about shadow AI governance.
If you’re preparing for a budget conversation, the report outlines how legal ops can help close the 86% versus 17% gap. Complete the form on this page to download your copy.
