Making Legal Tech Work: A People-First Approach to Adoption
There’s a wave of anticipation when an in-house legal team decides to invest in new technology. The promise of smoother workflows, fewer missed deadlines and less time spent on repetitive administrative tasks sparks excitement. For legal functions managing increasing workloads, tighter compliance requirements and constant requests from the business, technology represents an opportunity to bring greater clarity, control and efficiency.
Yet excitement alone isn’t enough to deliver results. The true aim of any technology investment is to ensure it is used consistently and effectively. It’s not just about installing software, it’s about embedding new ways of working into daily routines. The ultimate goal is to allow better decision-making, run more efficient legal teams and support the business needs.
Reaching this goal requires some changes. Established processes may need to be updated and daily habits adjusted. When these changes are approached with a clear focus on people, adoption is far more likely to be effective and sustainable.
Here’s how in-house teams can make adoption stick:
1. Start with the Why
Adoption begins with clarity. Start by explaining why the change matters for the business. For example:
Missed or auto-renewed contracts create unnecessary risk
Lack of visibility across active agreements
Time wasted on low-value, repetitive administrative tasks
Framing the change around real business challenges helps people see the impact of their work and understand the purpose behind the new technology.
2. Engage Everyone
Success depends on involving all teams. Communicate clearly what you are trying to achieve and tailor the message for each audience:
Legal teams: Less administrative work, better visibility and improved risk management.
Business users: Faster turnaround times for requests, fewer bottlenecks and easier access to information.
Leadership: Clear insights, stronger oversight and measurable operational value.
When people understand both the business rationale and how it affects their role, engagement and motivation increase from day one.
3. Make It Part of the Workflow
Change sticks when it feels natural. Embed the tool into daily processes and integrate it with platforms the team already uses, such as Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook and SharePoint. Technology should adapt to people, not the other way around. Consider how users interact with contracts, dashboards and reminders and design the system so it supports these behaviours rather than forcing new ones.
4. Start Small, Measure and Iterate
A gradual approach often builds confidence. Begin with a single contract type or process, standardise naming conventions and define metadata. Early structure builds good habits and helps people feel confident in using the system.
Measure adoption from the start, looking at how people engage with key features like dashboards and reminders. Collect feedback, listen actively and adjust processes. Iterating based on real-world usage ensures the system evolves to support people effectively, not just organisational processes.
5. Listen and Respond to Feedback
Adoption is stronger when people feel heard. Actively listen to feedback from legal teams, business users and leadership and act on it wherever possible. When concerns or suggestions are addressed, adoption improves, workflows become more effective and the system better meets real needs.
6. Reinforce Habits and Recognise Progress
Build adoption through consistent habits: assign ownership, use reminders, and check dashboards regularly. Reinforce with coaching and team check-ins, and celebrate wins like faster approvals or avoided renewals to keep momentum strong.
The Outcome
When legal teams combine technology with a structured, people-first approach, adoption becomes a strategic advantage rather than a disruption. Teams gain clarity, reduce risk, save time and focus on work that truly matters.
If you are exploring ways to improve matter and contract management without adding complexity, book a demo of Cubed by Law Squared. See how working within Microsoft 365 can help your team reduce administrative effort, gain visibility and build adoption naturally.