Law Department Consulting

Our Law Department Consulting team combines PwC consulting methodologies, business analytics and in-depth knowledge of the delivery of legal services to provide you with a structured approach to identifying, quantifying and sequencing improvement opportunities in your function. Working side by side with you and drawing on our market insights, we provide objective, evidence-based analysis and solutions that work.

We understand that whilst having a framework is important, there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ and each client will have their unique dynamics. In some cases a wholesale review will be appropriate, whilst other circumstances may call for a much more targeted and specific analysis. We are always flexible and will propose a right-size solution to match your requirements which may include:

  • Analysis of “As Is” and Opportunity Identification
    A forensic look at total cost of ownership broken down by its constituent parts and defining greatest opportunities for improvement
  • Development of Business Case
    Proving the return on investment of identified improvement opportunities in “real dollar” terms
  • Design of Target Operating Model
    Mapping out a holistic model including location strategy, team strategy, use of service delivery centres, business partnering, outsourcing, delivering model (including process mapping) and use of technology
  • Team Constitution
    Reporting lines, roles, remuneration, career development and job satisfaction
  • Demand and Stakeholder Management
    Defining appropriate hand-offs, dependencies and SLAs with stakeholders, setting up a legal “front door” with triage system, designing data rules to produce required management information, designing materials for self-service (templates, playbooks, guidance)
  • Sourcing Strategy
    Operating law firm panels, alternative providers, pricing models, procurement tools and value drivers
  • LegalTech Strategy
    Assessment of your existing technology landscape, business case development, vendor assessment, roadmap design and implementation support
  • Change Management
    Programme management, roadmap and communications to achieve lasting change

How do we do it?

We have leveraged our tried and tested “Fit For Growth”™ methodology, used with many FTSE 250 and Fortune 50 companies to successfully transform functions like Finance and HR, to forensically analyse the particular challenges of a legal function. At a high level, the Fit For Growth methodology applies ten levers:

We work with you to bring these levers to life in your particular context. Often, the first step is to hold a tailored workshop run by our experts with your team to map the course and identify areas of greatest focus.

Case Study

What was the challenge?

The Legal Function of our client, a FTSE 100 broadcaster, was under intense pressure to reduce cost by 33% in line with broader, company-wide initiatives. Savings to date in the UK had been achieved through headcount reduction and vacancy elimination accompanied by increased standardisation, automation and business self service. Our role was to validate the extent to which this programme could be expanded to achieve targeted cost savings as well as to build out a robust roadmap and business case for change to achieve this goal.

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What did we do?

Working with the senior leadership team we conducted a holistic top down assessment of the client's legal function operations and roadmap to assess whether its savings target could be achieved across the global Legal Function. In doing so we reviewed the operating model dimensions to understand the baseline costs against which savings were to be measured and quantified the savings that could be achieved through identified and costed improvement or transformation opportunities. This enabled us to help the client map out its future target operating model.

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How did we do it?

Our first step was a baseline validation to gain an understanding of the client's current “as-is” state to enable opportunities to be assessed from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. We then identified and sized savings opportunities from the baseline data and analysis conducted. Working with the client we then prioritised the opportunities identified to enable the client's operating model roadmap to be recalibrated so that identified savings targets were achievable without compromising on service delivery quality.

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What were the outcomes?

By undertaking this project we were able to provide the Legal Function with "options" for change to take to its senior management around cost reduction and avoidance. This resulted in the client's board deciding not to enforce its full cost take out target on the Legal Function based on its better understanding of the value that the Legal Function was providing.

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