Legal Tech Investments Fall Short Without Digital Readiness

Legal Departments Struggle with Technology ROI

Gartner research reveals that 77% of legal departments fail to achieve full benefits from technology investments. The study identifies digital readiness as the critical factor for success, with only 23% of departments meeting high readiness standards.

The Digital Readiness Imperative

Effective technology implementation requires nine prerequisites across three domains:

• Data readiness: Ensuring information accessibility, quality, and maintenance
• Process readiness: Standardizing, documenting, and consistently following procedures
• People readiness: Training, resource allocation, and role clarification

Three Critical Actions for General Counsel

Gartner Senior Principal Maesea McCalpin recommends:

1. Address employee concerns through listening sessions and clear expectations
2. Anticipate implementation obstacles by engaging stakeholders early
3. Clarify data responsibilities through assigned ownership and performance metrics

These actions help legal departments overcome workflow challenges and maximize technology value.