How increasing workloads trap legal teams - and how to break free

Almost half of legal teams cite their workload as their biggest challenge, according to the Consilio Global Survey Report. The relentless pace of legal work leaves little room for making strategic improvements or adopting new technologies. Overwhelming work volumes often force legal teams into a reactive mindset where they prioritize their immediate needs over transformative projects, such as implementing new technologies or processes that could streamline work.

This persistent cycle of short-term fixes strains resources, leads to burnout, and perpetuates inefficiencies—problems that compound over time. As a result, legal teams fall behind their competitors who invest in innovation, leaving them unprepared for industry shifts and technological advancements. Teams become locked into outdated processes, missing opportunities for growth. And their engagement and productivity decline too.

In short, legal teams today face a paradox: a seemingly insurmountable volume of work prevents innovation that could lighten their load. Breaking free from this gridlock isn’t just aspirational—it’s achievable. By identifying areas for incremental improvement and applying targeted solutions, legal teams can reclaim their capacity for growth and innovation.

While the volume of work can seem insurmountable, small operational changes can have a significant impact. The key lies in identifying areas for incremental improvement and applying targeted solutions.

Follow this five-step process to start breaking free of crushing legal workloads.

1. Audit work processes and staff workloads

Begin by auditing your current processes. Focus on areas that will yield the highest return on efficiency. Insights from Consilio’s Global Survey Report can help you identify “low-hanging fruit”—the tasks that consume disproportionate amounts of time but yield minimal value.

Then map your workflows, looking for gridlock and areas where teams are wasting time and resources. Attacking these inefficiencies can quickly free up bandwidth and build momentum for larger-scale changes.

2. Start with small operational reinventions

Large-scale changes can feel daunting, but smaller, incremental improvements pave the way for broader innovation. Look for processes that you can simplify or automate with little effort.

Common examples of low-hanging fruit include streamlining approval processes, reducing unnecessary meetings, and refining document intake workflows. Freeing up even small amounts of capacity can allow your team to reallocate more of their valuable time to strategic initiatives.

One of the biggest opportunities for improvement is contract management. Many legal teams struggle with inefficient contract review and approval processes that consume valuable time. By introducing structured contract intake processes, automation for routine contract reviews, or playbooks for standard agreements, teams can significantly reduce administrative burdens and free up capacity for higher-value work.

3. Look for ways to use AI and automation

AI-driven tools and automation help legal teams shift focus from administrative work to higher-value tasks. AI can quickly sift through vast amounts of data, flagging key information and minimizing the need for manual intervention in eDiscovery and contract management.

For example, nearly a third of survey respondents (32%) cited document review quality and efficiency as major data-related challenges. AI-driven eDiscovery platforms streamline data identification and review, reducing manual effort and accelerating case timelines. And for contract management, automation platforms reduce negotiation time, enhance accuracy, and improve scalability, creating room for more strategic projects.

The key takeaway? AI and automation shouldn’t be viewed as all-or-nothing solutions. Instead, legal teams should start small by automating specific, repetitive tasks that will have the most immediate impact. As teams refine these efficiencies and free up capacity, they can explore larger, more transformative AI-driven opportunities to maximize innovation.

4. Find opportunities to employ flex talent

Flexible staffing models can help legal teams manage workload surges, prevent burnout, and maintain operational efficiency. Legal teams should consider bringing in contract lawyers or temporary legal staff during peak periods or to cover temporary absences or periods when headcount is frozen. Alleviating the workload ensures that core teams remain focused on strategic priorities.

Flex talent can also help legal teams fill skills gaps or handle a niche specialty. These new hires can inject fresh perspectives and expertise into the legal team. They can also help accelerate the adoption of new technology, as they alleviate the burden while teams build internal capacity so they can gradually reduce their reliance on external support.

5. Partner with experts

Innovation doesn’t need to happen in isolation. Partnering with technology providers and legal consultants offers valuable insights and accelerates the implementation of new solutions. Legal teams can gain tailored insights, access to best practices, and hands-on support to accelerate the implementation of new solutions. These partnerships can streamline the adoption of cutting-edge tools and provide guidance on how to optimize workflows and integrate AI or automation effectively.

Relying on experts also reduces the burden on internal teams, allowing them to focus on their core work while external specialists handle the complexities of implementation. Engaging with outside professionals fosters ongoing knowledge sharing, training opportunities, and proactive problem-solving, ensuring that legal teams remain adaptable and ahead of industry trends.

Beyond technology adoption, external experts can develop customized strategies to tackle workload challenges and process inefficiencies—ensuring innovation enhances efficiency without disrupting business continuity. Partnering with the right experts turns transformation from a daunting task into a seamless, high-impact strategy.

Start building a foundation for transformation

Addressing workload challenges is foundational to driving innovation. By starting with small wins, legal teams can begin positioning themselves for long-term success and reclaim their capacity, boost employee engagement and morale, and remain responsive to industry shifts and competitive in the market.

The key to breaking free from the workload trap is action. Start today by exploring practical strategies and expert insights in the Consilio Global Survey Report.