In the past year, corporate legal leaders largely rose to the challenge of navigating a “new normal” characterized by extreme volatility — and the dust may not settle in 2023.  

What traits are critical to managing a legal department in this environment? 

First and foremost, preparation and flexibility — whether that means using technology to soften the impact of increased workloads or taking extra time to foster the relationship between a legal team and the company it supports.

“Now is the time for right-sourcing — getting the work done the right way, by the right people, at the right cost,” says Trista Engel, Paragon’s CEO. “Spending each dollar in its most productive way.”

Read on to discover four takeaways from the past year, as well as suggestions on how best to prepare for 2023.

Recession or Not, You Should Embrace Uncertainty

Are we experiencing a recession? Has a recession already come and gone? The answer seems to depend on whom you ask. 

One thing is clear, however: In-house legal teams have navigated a precarious end to the year, with layoffs already hitting legal departments in the tech sector. 

GCs have shown they can handle increased workloads with fewer resources, however. And there’s still time to adapt and prepare for a potential recession. 

Corporate legal departments should begin by optimizing their budgets, and figuring out how to streamline processes via automation while reevaluating those processes that still require human oversight. 

Getting a clear picture on how work is divided up among members of the legal department is a critical step.

If the reevaluation process seems daunting, consider bringing in an outside consultant with expertise in legal operations. 

When outside help isn’t in the cards, employees who joined the team recently might be able to provide insights with a fresh perspective.

Flexible counsel, who typically bring widespread experience to an embedded role within your team, also can help ensure your team is following best practices in your industry. 

You Must Stay Flexible 

In an era of uncertainty, flexibility should be a priority for any GC looking to keep their team afloat and functional. 

Maybe you face a one-time legal project you know you should get done but your team doesn’t have the bandwidth? For example, do you need to set up privacy compliance, draft or update an employee handbook, or research and implement a contract management system? 

Might small legal issues pile up during the day, and you find outside counsel doesn’t get back to you quickly enough? 

Outsourcing is one way legal departments can bolster their ranks and grow their business while addressing these types of challenges. In fact, 93% of legal or compliance departments have outsourced work in the past three years, according to a Wolters Kluwer survey of 100 legal executives.

The flexible counsel model often offers the perfect arrangement for adapting the size of a legal department to fit the needs of the moment. 

These attorneys can tackle anything from document review to contract drafting and legal research — typically at a fraction of the costs associated with outside counsel, and without the commitment of a direct hire. 

When looking to work with flexible counsel, GCs should develop a specific, clear understanding of the needs the attorneys will be asked to address. 

The process and budget reevaluations suggested above are a great place to start. 

Make ‘Robust Communication’ Your Mantra

As GCs continue to navigate turbulence into 2023, proving the legal department’s worth as an investment should be a top priority to ensure intradepartmental stability. 

Proactive, robust communication is the integral first-step in achieving this goal. 

A recent webinar sponsored by LinkSquares and Above the Law dove into these types of emerging challenges for legal teams.

Titled “How the Legal Team Can Grow The Business and Get the Credit They Deserve,” the panel dug into specific ways law departments can support company goals while building their internal brand.

Ashlyn Donohue, LinkSquares’ Legal Director, particularly noted the importance of a “listening tour” as well as constant communication, in which the legal department seeks to understand the goals of the company leaders and keep up with them as they evolve. 

“Our partners move quickly, and things might pivot and change,” she says. 

“So you want to be proactive in building and fostering those partnerships, and trying to make sure the strategy you have for your team in place is really going to help further what they’re looking to do.”

Providing this type of best-in-class service also means keeping your best-in-class team intact.

For young lawyers, work-life balance is repeatedly demonstrated as the key concern for finding and leaving a job. 

Of course, corporate law departments are facing ever-increasing workloads themselves, to the point that “do more with less” has become an industry cliche in recent years. As a result, they may not always be the solution for private practice lawyers seeking better work-life balance.  

But this doesn’t mean these lawyers’ aspirations should be dismissed. 

In addition to seeking work-life balance, many associates also say they’re looking for a workplace where they feel heard and respected by more senior team members, according to a recent Above the Law survey of more than 500 associates.  

Results like these demonstrate that establishing policies to encourage feedback — and to demonstrate that management is responsive to any concerns — is also a critical component of keeping a productive team intact.

You Really Do Need to Revisit Your Tech Stack

Investment in legal technology now could pay huge dividends down the road — especially if the current trend of asking corporate legal teams to do more with fewer resources continues into the coming year.

Technology solutions ranging from AI-assisted document analysis to e-discovery software and cloud-based document management all have the potential to reduce the amount of time attorneys spend on administrative tasks or busy work.

This frees up their time to focus on the essential parts of the job that call for human creativity and input.

Still hesitant about legal tech or unsure of where to start? 

Take a look at Above the Law’s Non-Event for a no-nonsense dive into how legal technology has the power to change your department from the ground up.

Aimed at “perplexed lawyers who hate trade shows,” the Non-Event has robust sections on legal operations topics including contract lifecycle management and spend management tech. 

The pages also feature the Non-Eventcast — a tongue in cheek podcast featuring leaders in these fields — as well as the Legal Tech-to-English Dictionary, which manages to be both informative and entertaining in discussing tech topics.

We’ve all heard of “work-life” balance, but what does that mean? In short, work-life balance means making sure you devote as much energy and attention to both your personal and professional lives. In doing so, you ensure both grow, rather than sacrificing one for the other.

Sure, striking this work-life balance can seem unattainable, especially if you’re adding it to an already robust to-do list teeming with Zoom meetings, but work-life balance can be easier by following these tips and techniques.

Set a Schedule

One of the most basic tools in maintaining work-life balance is a schedule. 

It doesn’t have to be the same every week or even every day, but you should have an idea each morning what lies ahead, how you’ll tackle it, and how long you’ll spend on each task. This will help you easily divide your work and life duties without sacrificing one or the other. 

For example, only do work-work between certain hours, while reserving the remaining for your family, hobbies, and/or friends. 

Dedicate Your Workspace

You may have learned this during the pandemic, but it’s worth repeating: when working from home or splitting time in offices, create a “work zone” reserved for work and work alone. This becomes a spatial barrier between “home” and “life.”

If you live in a small home or apartment and can’t create a dedicated space, perhaps an existing space, like a kitchen table, can have certain “work hours.”

Play to Your Strengths

Speaking of time, we know about morning people and night owls. The same principle can be applied toward doing work. Some of us are sharper in the morning, others get rolling in the afternoon. 

The key is to know when you’re best at what task and accomplish it then. For example, if you’re better at writing in the morning, schedule all of your writing then; if you crash post-lunch, avoid setting meetings at that time and instead do your email reading. 

Set Goals

One way to keep yourself on task – and make sure time’s balanced – is to set goals. They can be small – for example, read two briefs after lunch – or more long-term: Take on five new clients in six months. Just remember to keep the goals realistic – if you’re in the mail room and want to be CEO, well, that will take more than a week – and to create benchmarks that keep you on track. 

Whatever the goal and timeline, keeping it in mind will make sure you complete your tasks without rushing at the end, or giving up precious personal time.

Limit Emails

Technology enables endless communication. And that needs to stop. If you or your team are constantly checking and replying to emails, you can never “turn off” and enjoy their home lives, which leads to burnout. 

That’s why some workplaces and even entire countries are limiting email hours: Employees are encouraged not to send or reply to emails during certain times. This ensures that employees are more focused during “email hours,” rather than splitting their attention. 

If you’re an employee, ask your managers to give this tactic a try, and if you’re a manager, set a good example by limiting “off hours” emails. If you take the lead, your team will follow – and be happier and more productive as a result.  

Take Breaks

Yes, it’s tempting to keep at a certain task until it’s “perfect,” but be sure other duties aren’t falling by the wayside. If they are, pause that one task to work on something else. This break will reduce stress about falling behind while also letting your subconscious mind work out a new, better way forward on that other task. 

Even a short walk around the block can go a long way in terms of clearing the head. Another great break activity: cleaning or doing dishes – try that and you’ll find this old idiom’s right on the money: “Busy hands, quiet mind.”  

Don’t Be ‘Perfect’

“Perfect” was in quotation marks above. That’s because there’s no such thing as “perfection” – a lesson we should all remember as we tackle our to-do lists. 

Yes, we should all do our best work, but we also can’t beat ourselves up if something goes wrong or we err in some way. Nobody’s perfect and there’s always another opportunity around the corner – a reminder that works just as well in personal lives, too.

Just Say No

This tip works just as well at work as it does off the clock: Don’t be afraid to say no to a project or activity if you don’t have time or energy. It’s okay to graciously decline. You can even be honest and say, “I wouldn’t be at my best and would rather engage when I can truly shine.”

Taking personal time for yourself will make your social and work interactions that much more valuable, productive, and enjoyable. 

Get Moving

If you’ve read any other article on work-life balance, you know exercise is an essential tool in maintaining work-life equilibrium. That’s because exercise both keeps your physical body healthy and can also encourage healthier responses to stress, meaning we can accomplish more without losing our cool or our minds. 

Everybody wins!

Get Meditating

Different than physical exercise but with some of the same results, meditation and other mindfulness techniques are shown to reduce existing stress, help people manage new stresses that arise, lower blood pressure, increase mental acuity, and generally elevate moods. 

And, best of all, meditation can happen anywhere: Even just 5 minutes in a quiet corner can go a long way in helping maintain equilibrium. 

Just Eat It

Any wellness list worth its salt will remind you that eating well maintains a healthy mind and body – and this wellness list is no different. 

Maintaining a work-life balance requires well balanced meals – and bonus points if you’re able to make it yourself: home cooking (ideally) includes less additives and the actual action can reduce stress and build confidence, which increase positive thinking and results. 

Plus, as a bonus, cooking at home’s often more affordable than ordering in or eating out. And don’t worry if your first few attempts fall flat – as with all hobbies or activities, practice makes “perfect” better.

Connect With Friends

Friendships can fall through the cracks during our hectic day-to-days, but it’s those friendships that can also get us through the day. Studies show that maintaining healthy, mutually respectful friendships boosts mood, health, and builds healthy stress responses. 

We humans are social animals, after all, so get out there and follow your instincts!

Listen to the Music

Studies show that listening to music can stimulate creativity, lower blood pressure, improve mood and memory. 

So whether you rock, rap, croon, or just jam, turn it on, turn it up, and feel the beat for better work-life balance. 

Be Honest, Don’t Worry

If you’re struggling to keep up or need more time on a project, tell the truth. There’s no shame in letting your team know you’re overwhelmed – plus, it’s better to take the extra time and do the work well than do it fast and miss the mark. 

And this lesson applies to personal lives, as well. Honesty really is the best policy.

Be Kind to Yourself

At the risk of repeating ourselves, work-life balance requires being kind to others and to ourselves. While we should all strive to do our best at work and off the clock, sometimes we fail to meet our goals, argue with a friend, or just have a no good, very bad day – and that’s okay. 

Just remember that we’re all human – and never be afraid to apologize when you’re in the wrong. It will feel good for you and feel good for the person hearing the words.

Sleep Tight

Study after study shows sleep is the number one ingredient to success. In addition to reducing risk of heart attack, reducing stress and increasing immunity, sleeping gives our minds and bodies to rest and recharge, letting ideas mature and muscles relax, meaning we’re ready to tackle tomorrow, rather than slogging through and missing the mark.

If you’re still having trouble maintaining work-life balance, there’s no shame in asking for a sabbatical or time off to regroup. Your managers or employers should understand that this brief “pause” will make you a better teammate – and person – in the long run.

About Paragon

Paragon is a premier legal services firm providing interim in-house counsel to leading corporate legal departments.

Paragon attorneys have deep experience in a wide range of practice areas — including privacy, employment, and intellectual property — and are ready to help your legal team tackle its next challenge. 

Whether you’re looking for specific expertise, the flexibility to move attorneys between teams, or assistance during a hiring freeze or tight budget period, Paragon has you covered.

Contact us to learn more about Paragon and our attorneys.