In-house legal teams are under pressure like never before. Budgets are tight. Headcount is frozen. Business partners expect faster turnaround. And leadership wants Legal to deliver all of this while \u201cdoing more with less.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, where do many teams look for relief? Legal tech. Generative AI. Automation. But here\u2019s the catch: most legal tech rollouts stall. Not because the tools don\u2019t work, but because the people implementing them are underwater, and the systems they\u2019re trying to fix weren\u2019t designed for clarity in the first place.<\/p>\n
As Maryam Salehijam explained in a recent episode of \u201cNotes to My (Legal) Self,\u201d \u201cYou really cannot talk about AI and legal technology to an in-house legal team that\u2019s already burning out.\u201d She\u2019s right. And one of the biggest sources of that burnout? Contracting.<\/p>\n
Watch the full interview here: <\/p>\n The Real Blocker Isn\u2019t The Tech \u2014 It\u2019s The Contracts<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever tried to implement CLM, launch a new playbook, or standardize templates, you know this firsthand. Contracts aren\u2019t just legal documents. They\u2019re systems. And most of those systems are messy, over-customized, and inconsistent. You can\u2019t fix that with software alone.<\/p>\n In fact, trying to automate a broken contract process is like paving over a pothole-ridden road. It looks good at first, but it doesn\u2019t hold up. \u201cStart small,\u201d Maryam advised in the interview. \u201cMost legal teams don\u2019t even have the basic operational functions optimized.\u201d Before adding tech, you have to understand what\u2019s broken and whether your people even have the bandwidth to address it.<\/p>\n The Case For An Alliance: ALSPs, Legal Ops, And Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s where things get interesting. Maryam doesn\u2019t just advocate for legal technology. She champions the power of ALSPs (alternative legal service providers) as a strategic bridge. Not just to reduce cost, but to enable progress. \u201cALSPs and legal tech should be best friends,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can come in, take over the work that\u2019s keeping lawyers really busy, so they can learn to use the tools and really optimize themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n This is a perspective we don\u2019t hear enough. Tech is not the hero; alignment is. When ALSPs provide capacity, legal ops lead process design, and legal tech powers automation, that\u2019s when change takes root.<\/p>\n But this kind of collaboration doesn\u2019t happen by accident. It starts with intentional planning and brutally honest scoping. Who is doing what? Where does human judgment still matter? How will success be measured? Without that clarity, change efforts collapse under their own weight.<\/p>\n What In-House Teams Can Do Right Now<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re staring down a contract transformation or trying to recover from one that\u2019s gone sideways, there\u2019s a better path forward.<\/p>\n Start with your team\u2019s current capacity. Who is doing contract work today? What kind of work is it? Is it negotiable? Is it repetitive? Is it aligned to risk? From there, look at where the work is getting stuck. Is it a legal review? Redlines? Business confusion? Each of these pain points suggests a different solution and a different role for tech, ops, or external support.<\/p>\n Then, talk to your ALSPs. Not when you\u2019re in panic mode, but before. \u201cHave coffee chats,\u201d Maryam suggested. \u201cSay, I have no needs, I just want to learn.\u201d These conversations build trust, surface new solutions, and help legal leaders see what\u2019s working for others.<\/p>\n Lastly, set your team up for quick wins. If your contracts are full of inconsistencies, don\u2019t roll out a contract AI tool on Day One. Start by simplifying templates. Clarify fallback positions. Create a process that works for humans, not just for software. As Maryam put it, \u201cThink big. Start small.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/p>\n Legal teams don\u2019t fail because they resist change. They fail because the support they get is fragmented. Tech wants adoption. ALSPs want projects. Ops wants scalability. But the contracting process needs all three: aligned, honest, and focused on outcomes.<\/p>\n The good news? That alliance is already forming. And legal departments that embrace it are discovering something powerful: clarity is a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n Contracting doesn\u2019t have to be the bottleneck. With the right partners, it becomes a catalyst.<\/p>\n Watch the full interview with Maryam Salehijam here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Olga V. Mack<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is the CEO of\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>TermScout<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, an AI-powered contract certification platform that accelerates revenue and eliminates friction by certifying contracts as fair, balanced, and market-ready. A serial CEO and legal tech executive, she previously led a company through a successful acquisition by LexisNexis. Olga is also a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Fellow at CodeX, The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and the Generative AI Editor at law.MIT. She is a visionary executive reshaping how we law\u2014how legal systems are built, experienced, and trusted. Olga\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>teaches at Berkeley Law<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, lectures widely, and advises companies of all sizes, as well as boards and institutions. An award-winning general counsel turned builder, she also leads early-stage ventures including\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Virtual Gabby (Better Parenting Plan)<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Product Law Hub<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>ESI Flow<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Notes to My (Legal) Self<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, each rethinking the practice and business of law through technology, data, and human-centered design. She has authored\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The Rise of Product Lawyers<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Legal Operations in the Age of AI and Data<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Blockchain Value<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Get on Board<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, with\u00a0Visual IQ for Lawyers\u00a0(ABA) forthcoming. Olga is a 6x TEDx speaker and has been recognized as a Silicon Valley Woman of Influence and an ABA Woman in Legal Tech. Her work reimagines people\u2019s relationship with law\u2014making it more accessible, inclusive, data-driven, and aligned with how the world actually works. She is also the host of the Notes to My (Legal) Self podcast (streaming on\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Spotify<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Apple Podcasts<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>YouTube<\/em><\/strong><\/a>), and her insights regularly appear in Forbes, Bloomberg Law, Newsweek, VentureBeat, ACC Docket, and Above the Law. She earned her B.A. and J.D. from UC Berkeley. Follow her on\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>LinkedIn<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and X @olgavmack.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The post Maryam Salehijam On Why Contracting Is The Hidden Bottleneck And How ALSPs, Legal Ops, And Tech Can Actually Fix It<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n In-house legal teams are under pressure like never before. Budgets are tight. Headcount is frozen. Business partners expect faster turnaround. And leadership wants Legal to deliver all of this while \u201cdoing more with less.\u201d<\/p>\n So, where do many teams look for relief? Legal tech. Generative AI. Automation. But here\u2019s the catch: most legal tech rollouts stall. Not because the tools don\u2019t work, but because the people implementing them are underwater, and the systems they\u2019re trying to fix weren\u2019t designed for clarity in the first place.<\/p>\n As Maryam Salehijam explained in a recent episode of \u201cNotes to My (Legal) Self,\u201d \u201cYou really cannot talk about AI and legal technology to an in-house legal team that\u2019s already burning out.\u201d She\u2019s right. And one of the biggest sources of that burnout? Contracting.<\/p>\n Watch the full interview here: <\/p>\n The Real Blocker Isn\u2019t The Tech \u2014 It\u2019s The Contracts<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever tried to implement CLM, launch a new playbook, or standardize templates, you know this firsthand. Contracts aren\u2019t just legal documents. They\u2019re systems. And most of those systems are messy, over-customized, and inconsistent. You can\u2019t fix that with software alone.<\/p>\n In fact, trying to automate a broken contract process is like paving over a pothole-ridden road. It looks good at first, but it doesn\u2019t hold up. \u201cStart small,\u201d Maryam advised in the interview. \u201cMost legal teams don\u2019t even have the basic operational functions optimized.\u201d Before adding tech, you have to understand what\u2019s broken and whether your people even have the bandwidth to address it.<\/p>\n The Case For An Alliance: ALSPs, Legal Ops, And Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s where things get interesting. Maryam doesn\u2019t just advocate for legal technology. She champions the power of ALSPs (alternative legal service providers) as a strategic bridge. Not just to reduce cost, but to enable progress. \u201cALSPs and legal tech should be best friends,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can come in, take over the work that\u2019s keeping lawyers really busy, so they can learn to use the tools and really optimize themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n This is a perspective we don\u2019t hear enough. Tech is not the hero; alignment is. When ALSPs provide capacity, legal ops lead process design, and legal tech powers automation, that\u2019s when change takes root.<\/p>\n But this kind of collaboration doesn\u2019t happen by accident. It starts with intentional planning and brutally honest scoping. Who is doing what? Where does human judgment still matter? How will success be measured? Without that clarity, change efforts collapse under their own weight.<\/p>\n What In-House Teams Can Do Right Now<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re staring down a contract transformation or trying to recover from one that\u2019s gone sideways, there\u2019s a better path forward.<\/p>\n Start with your team\u2019s current capacity. Who is doing contract work today? What kind of work is it? Is it negotiable? Is it repetitive? Is it aligned to risk? From there, look at where the work is getting stuck. Is it a legal review? Redlines? Business confusion? Each of these pain points suggests a different solution and a different role for tech, ops, or external support.<\/p>\n Then, talk to your ALSPs. Not when you\u2019re in panic mode, but before. \u201cHave coffee chats,\u201d Maryam suggested. \u201cSay, I have no needs, I just want to learn.\u201d These conversations build trust, surface new solutions, and help legal leaders see what\u2019s working for others.<\/p>\n Lastly, set your team up for quick wins. If your contracts are full of inconsistencies, don\u2019t roll out a contract AI tool on Day One. Start by simplifying templates. Clarify fallback positions. Create a process that works for humans, not just for software. As Maryam put it, \u201cThink big. Start small.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/p>\n Legal teams don\u2019t fail because they resist change. They fail because the support they get is fragmented. Tech wants adoption. ALSPs want projects. Ops wants scalability. But the contracting process needs all three: aligned, honest, and focused on outcomes.<\/p>\n The good news? That alliance is already forming. And legal departments that embrace it are discovering something powerful: clarity is a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n Contracting doesn\u2019t have to be the bottleneck. With the right partners, it becomes a catalyst.<\/p>\n Watch the full interview with Maryam Salehijam here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Olga V. Mack<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is the CEO of\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>TermScout<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, an AI-powered contract certification platform that accelerates revenue and eliminates friction by certifying contracts as fair, balanced, and market-ready. A serial CEO and legal tech executive, she previously led a company through a successful acquisition by LexisNexis. Olga is also a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Fellow at CodeX, The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and the Generative AI Editor at law.MIT. She is a visionary executive reshaping how we law\u2014how legal systems are built, experienced, and trusted. Olga\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>teaches at Berkeley Law<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, lectures widely, and advises companies of all sizes, as well as boards and institutions. An award-winning general counsel turned builder, she also leads early-stage ventures including\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Virtual Gabby (Better Parenting Plan)<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Product Law Hub<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>ESI Flow<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Notes to My (Legal) Self<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, each rethinking the practice and business of law through technology, data, and human-centered design. She has authored\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The Rise of Product Lawyers<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Legal Operations in the Age of AI and Data<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Blockchain Value<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Get on Board<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, with\u00a0Visual IQ for Lawyers\u00a0(ABA) forthcoming. Olga is a 6x TEDx speaker and has been recognized as a Silicon Valley Woman of Influence and an ABA Woman in Legal Tech. Her work reimagines people\u2019s relationship with law\u2014making it more accessible, inclusive, data-driven, and aligned with how the world actually works. She is also the host of the Notes to My (Legal) Self podcast (streaming on\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Spotify<\/em><\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Apple Podcasts<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>YouTube<\/em><\/strong><\/a>), and her insights regularly appear in Forbes, Bloomberg Law, Newsweek, VentureBeat, ACC Docket, and Above the Law. She earned her B.A. and J.D. from UC Berkeley. Follow her on\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>LinkedIn<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and X @olgavmack.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The post Maryam Salehijam On Why Contracting Is The Hidden Bottleneck And How ALSPs, Legal Ops, And Tech Can Actually Fix It<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In-house legal teams are under pressure like never before. Budgets are tight. Headcount is frozen. Business partners expect faster turnaround. And leadership wants Legal to deliver all of this while \u201cdoing more with less.\u201d So, where do many teams look for relief? Legal tech. Generative AI. Automation. But here\u2019s the catch: most legal tech rollouts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130182\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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