The legal industry is currently navigating a period of profound transformation, driven by technological advancement and a shift in cultural mindset. In the 32nd episode of the Legal Leaders Exchange podcast, host Jennifer McIver of ELM Solutions convened a strategic discussion with two prominent industry figures: Carlos Gámez, Strategic Program Director at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory, and Sinéad Kenny, Director of Customer Insights at Brightflag.
Their conversation provides a comprehensive review of the operational landscape over the last year and offers a structured outlook for the future. By understanding the defining trends of 2025 and projecting the trajectory for 2026, legal professionals can better position their organizations for sustainable growth and innovation.
What were the key legal operations trends that defined 2025?
The past year represented a maturation point for legal operations, characterized by a distinct move away from isolationism toward a more open, community-focused ecosystem. While efficiency and cost management remained important, the industry observed a fundamental change in how legal departments interact with their technology. The following trends highlight how 2025 became a pivotal year for establishing new standards in collaboration and strategic transparency.
Peer collaboration
The industry witnessed an increase in peer-to-peer collaboration among corporate legal departments. Legal teams embraced a spirit of cooperation, sharing best practices to solve common challenges at events such as innovation summits and community round tables, and fostering an environment where knowledge sharing became the norm
From data collection to data literacy
Legal teams increasingly treated data as a strategic asset rather than a byproduct of operations. The focus moved beyond simple data collection to data literacy — the ability to interpret and act upon information. Leaders used data as a compass to guide strategy, gaining the confidence to have difficult conversations based on objective facts rather than gut feelings.
Redefining value in partnerships
The relationship between corporate legal teams and law firms evolved significantly. Transparency became a key ingredient for successful partnerships, with clients and firms aligning on shared goals and defining value based on outcomes, not just hourly rates. Tools such as vendor scorecards and initiatives like law firm learning days helped bridge the gap, ensuring that value was defined not just by the billable hour, but by the quality of the business outcome and risk mitigation.
What can legal operations professionals expect for 2026?
The foundational work done in 2025 has set the stage for a year where technology and strategy converge to reshape the legal function. Our experts predict that the coming year will require proactive leadership and willingness to embrace advanced technological capabilities to stay ahead of the curve.
Acceleration of agentic AI
AI will likely play an increasingly autonomous role in legal operations. The rise of "agentic AI" — systems capable of taking independent action to execute workflows — will drive significant process improvements. Unlike passive tools that require constant human prompting, these advanced systems will allow legal departments to execute strategies at speed and scale.
Evolving skill sets and mindsets
The skills required for success in legal operations are undergoing a permanent shift. Traditional technical skills, such as advanced Excel manipulation, may become less relevant as AI interfaces allow for natural language prompting to achieve similar results. Success in 2026 will depend on a growth mindset and the adaptability to leverage these new tools.
Legal ops as strategic business leaders
Legal operations teams are poised to continue their transition from traditional administrative roles to becoming strategic leaders within the enterprise. The prediction for 2026 is that legal ops will not just facilitate legal work but will lead broader business transformation initiatives, setting the standard for how the enterprise manages risk and operational efficiency.
Preparing for the future
To navigate these changes effectively, legal operations leaders must focus on foundational readiness. By ensuring that data is structured and systems are integrated, legal teams will be well-positioned to capitalize on the agentic AI and strategic opportunities that 2026 will undoubtedly bring.
Listen to the full episode to hear the conversation: Collaboration, data, and AI: 2025 trends and 2026 predictions.
