![Does IT understand the GOALS of Legal When Recommending Technology? Does IT understand the GOALS of Legal When Recommending Technology?](medias/org-1087/shared/key-kpis-for-running-a-successful-law-practice--2-.png)
Does IT understand the GOALS of Legal When Recommending Technology?
Published on :
07/03/2023
07
March
Mar
03
2023
When it comes to procurement, the IT department often has a lot of say in what technology is implemented at the organization.
After all, they’re typically involved in the implementation and certainly in the maintenance of a system. But when it comes to the legal department, there are very specific goals to track advice, circulate and maintain company policies, and collaboration with internal clients and outside counsel
This becomes even more important when we discuss record retention and legal hold.Legal and IT should work together closely when it comes to choosing technology that will support the mission of the Legal Department.
Making Sure Technology is Compliant
The legal team is responsible for ensuring that the company follows all applicable laws and regulations, including data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity laws. While IT certainly has the experience and understanding of what is possible in the technology universe, Legal is the single source of truth for corporate governance and Federal and State regulatory requirements. IT will spearhead the implementation of maintenance, but Legal understands their processes. By working together, these two departments can identify potential risks and ensure that the organization's technology and systems comply with all relevant laws, regulatory bodies, privacy requirements, and other standards regarding data management.
Mitigating Risk from All Angles
Speaking of risk, mitigating and managing risks is a high priority for both of these departments. It’s in both of their interests to identify and mitigate potential risks related to data breaches, cyber-attacks, or pending litigation. In addition, when a potential risk is identified, both departments should work together, rather than continue to operate in silos, to create and implement appropriate policies and procedures to mitigate the risk.One example of this is regarding data retention policies. Legal Hold is a big deal. While IT may have organized their department by technology type, identifying the custodians and tracking notifications for evidentiary purposes will fall on the shoulders of Legal. Mapping the ESI custodians during implementation is a key to a successful Legal Hold process. Legal must have a sound method to (a) circulate their record retention policy AND get the acknowledgement from the technology custodians that it is understood no auto-delete mechanisms will be deactivated (b), when a hold is placed, have a clear picture of the ESI mapping to ensure all custodians are notified, and (c) have a clear record of this communication. Without clear and constant communication between the two departments, risk could arise over data spoliation without either group realizing it until it’s too late.
Aligning with Business Objectives
More and more, legal departments are expected to align their efforts with the overall business objectives of the company and then report on the successes or shortcomings of those efforts. A key component of doing this is having access to data analytics that indicate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This type of reporting isn’t traditionally the role of the legal department, so developing a good relationship with IT can help provide the C-Suite with the information they’re looking for when it comes to departmental performance.
Conclusion
In the same way that translators help different cultures bridge the gap of understanding, Legal and IT departments need to understand the different cultures and needs of their departments. Even simple terminology which appears to have a clear meaning (e.g. “policy”) might mean different things to different departments. Having someone who can speak both tech and legal is very helpful for all stakeholders.They say communication is important for the success of any relationship, and the relationship between the Legal and IT departments is no different. Working together ensures that the organization complies with all relevant laws and regulations, mitigates and manages risks, and aligns the technology and systems with the organization's business objectives. Otherwise, you’ll continue to have technology procurement woes because one hand doesn’t understand what the other is doing.
About the author:
Legal Suite is the worldwide leader in digital transformation for lawyers. We have delivered our state-of-the-art software for lawyers and in-house general counsel to 65,000 users for over two decades. www.legal-suite.com
History
-
Contract Management- 3 Steps to be More Efficient
Published on : 09/08/2023 09 August Aug 08 2023BlogContract Management covers all stages of a contract's lifecycle. It begins...
-
Embrace a Manageable Workday With Automated Contract Management
Published on : 09/08/2023 09 August Aug 08 2023BlogA common adage, “Take care of the little things, and the big things will ta...
-
How Important is Contract Management and Contract Lifecycle Management
Published on : 09/08/2023 09 August Aug 08 2023BlogContract Management is the proactive, methodical management of a contract f...
-
Harnessing the Power of Intake Helps Legal Departments Minimize Risks & Maximize Efficiency
Published on : 19/07/2023 19 July Jul 07 2023WebinarsYou Can Now Watch The On-Demand Webinar Online In many companies, legal...
-
How does a trusted Intake Process help legal departments with receipt, routing, and request management?
Published on : 20/06/2023 20 June Jun 06 2023BlogArticlesIncorporating a trusted Intake Process for incoming requests, routing, and...
-
From Cost to Profit: How Technology Can Help Corporate Legal Departments Support the Larger Business
Published on : 19/04/2023 19 April Apr 04 2023BlogArticlesLegal departments are often seen as a necessary cost center in a company, a...
-
When IT convinces Legal to Buy A Software. But How Does it Work?
Published on : 13/03/2023 13 March Mar 03 2023BlogThe IT department is usually involved in the decision-making process regard...
-
Does IT understand the GOALS of Legal When Recommending Technology?
Published on : 07/03/2023 07 March Mar 03 2023BlogWhen it comes to procurement, the IT department often has a lot of say in w...
-
Septeo French Tech reference recorded 310 million euros revenues up to 30% compared to 2021 and joins top 10 software players in France
Published on : 24/02/2023 24 February Feb 02 2023Press Release2022 Key figures for Septeo's growth CA 310M€ up 30% between 2021 and...