Designing Solutions for Today’s In-House Teams
Observations from the 2024 ACC CLO Survey from the Breakpoint Strategy Team
By Scott Chaplin & Sean Gallagher, Co-Founders Breakpoint Strategy
One of the advantages of long careers with in-house legal departments across different sized companies and industries is that over the years, we’ve had a front-row seat to not only the evolving demands and challenges facing legal department lawyers but also the roles that creativity and innovation play when crafting solutions that drive performance and long-term value for internal customers.
The 2024 ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey, published by the Association of Corporate Counsel, provides valuable data points from the in-house legal community describing these demands and challenges and also validates first hand the mission of Breakpoint Strategy – namely, that all legal functions, no matter the size or industry, need to create solutions that increase efficiency and decrease costs.
The findings from the ACC survey make it clear that today’s legal teams are under immense pressure to do more with less. As an example, 42% of CLOs reported receiving a cost-cutting mandate over the past year, even as 58% have grappled with law firm rate hikes. Not surprisingly, at the same time, 59% say their workload has increased.
These challenges are not solely about managing budgets. The survey also highlights the need for legal departments to become more strategic and efficient business partners. 40% of the CLOs surveyed ranked “operational efficiency” as their top strategic initiative.
This evolving role of the modern in-house legal function is precisely why Breakpoint Strategy was born. We recognize that simply managing technical legal skills is no longer enough. Instead, legal teams need a strategic partner to help optimize their talent, their team, and their operations in order to maximize productivity, reduce costs, and elevate strategic impact.
For example, when Breakpoint assists our clients with staffing needs, we go far beyond traditional recruitment strategies. Not only do we assess candidates’ leadership capabilities, communication skills, and business acumen – attributes that are crucial for today’s in-house counsel – but we also include as part of every recruiting assignment a post-hire integration process to ensure that the successful candidate on-boards productively and efficiently.
Similarly, to help our customers drive efficiency, we conduct comprehensive assessments to identify process improvements, optimize technology investments, and consolidate outside providers and negotiate better pricing. This allows the team to focus on their core legal work while we handle the critical non-legal business functions of a legal department.
Breakpoint is able to provide a more strategic and innovative approach to the operational challenges of legal departments not only because it was founded and run by former Chief Legal Officers that are also former Chief People Officers, but also because the Breakpoint team includes experts in other key areas, including Legal Ops, Finance, Leadership, and Organizational Development.
This unique perspective allows us to truly understand the challenges facing modern in-house teams. We’re different by design. We know firsthand the intense pressure to do more with less, the need to develop talent beyond just legal expertise, and the importance of running the legal function as a strategic business partner.
The findings from the 2024 ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey make it clear that the in-house community is navigating a period of immense change and pressure and these trends are continuing. We’re encouraged that the solutions we’ve designed at Breakpoint Strategy are helping legal leaders not just survive, but thrive, in this new landscape.
By optimizing talent, enhancing team performance, and driving operational efficiency, we empower in-house lawyers to focus on their core legal work while we handle the critical business challenges. It’s an honor to support this incredible community, and we look forward to continuing to partner with legal departments to address their most pressing needs.
Want to chat about how we can help you drive efficiency, performance and meet and exceed the needs of this evolving landscape? We’d love the opportunity to learn more about your challenges and opportunities. Start the conversation by reaching out through our contact page.
