Legal Team Support Tools are the operational backbone of a modern legal department. They are the systems, platforms, and resources that enable lawyers to deliver legal services efficiently, consistently, and at scale. These tools are not just about technology - they include low-tech solutions like checklists, FAQs, and guidance notes that remove friction from everyday legal work.

At their core, support tools are designed to eliminate repetitive manual tasks, reduce error rates, and ensure that legal work is delivered in a structured and predictable manner. Whether it's routing legal requests through an intake system, automating routine contracts, or enabling matter tracking, these tools allow legal teams to focus on high-value legal thinking.

Critically, support tools must be usable and accessible. A sophisticated platform that no one uses is worse than a simple checklist that prevents mistakes. Legal operations must balance innovation with practicality, ensuring that tools are aligned with workflows and actually used. These tools also form the foundation for future automation and transformation - without them, legal teams remain reactive and fragmented.

The scope of Legal Team Support Tools typically includes:

◼️Legal Intake Systems – Structured channels for receiving and triaging legal requests.

◼️Matter Management Platforms – Systems to track, manage, and report on legal work.

◼️Document Automation Tools – Platforms that generate standardised contracts and documents.

◼️E-Billing & Spend Management – Tools to manage external counsel costs and budgets.

◼️Knowledge Bases & FAQs – Searchable repositories of legal guidance and answers.

◼️Checklists & Templates – Low-tech resources that standardise common tasks.

◼️Collaboration Platforms – Tools like Teams or Slack that support cross-functional work.

◼️Training & Onboarding Resources – Materials that help new team members ramp up quickly.

In GLS legal ops, the Legal Team Support Tools is considered a "Repeater" resource within legal operations.

A Repeater Resource: Supports multiple legal functions, ensuring that structured legal requests improve contracting, dispute resolution, compliance, and advisory services.

A well-structured Legal Team Support Tools enhances legal team productivity, reduces wasted time, and improves service delivery across the organization.

The best practice features of the GLP are as follows:

◼️Workflow Integration – Tools must align with how legal work is actually done.

◼️User-Centric Design – Interfaces should be intuitive and require minimal training.

◼️Low-Tech Complements – Checklists, templates, and FAQs should be embedded in workflows.

◼️Automation of Repetitive Tasks – Routine work (e.g., NDAs) should be automated.

◼️Centralised Access – A single point of access for all tools and resources.

◼️Analytics & Reporting – Tools should generate data to support performance tracking.

◼️Feedback Loops – Regular updates based on user experience and evolving needs.

◼️Security & Compliance – Tools must meet legal and IT security standards.

The Legal Team Support Tools deliver the following value to the Business:

◼️Faster Legal Support – Reduced turnaround times through streamlined workflows.

◼️Improved Consistency – Standardised outputs reduce risk and improve quality.

◼️Lower Legal Spend – Internal efficiency reduces reliance on external counsel.

◼️Scalable Legal Services – Tools enable support across jurisdictions and business units.

◼️Enhanced Responsiveness – Legal can meet business needs more quickly and reliably.

Legal teams benefit from reduced administrative burden, improved collaboration, and better visibility into their work. Support tools enable lawyers to focus on strategic tasks, reduce burnout, and deliver higher-quality outcomes. They also support onboarding, training, and continuous improvement.

The Legal Team Support Tools are essential for:

◼️Legal departments of all sizes

◼️Legal operations teams

◼️General Counsel and Heads of Legal

◼️Legal tech and innovation leads

◼️Compliance and risk management teams

A legal team operating without Legal Team Support Tools will face a wide range of inefficiencies including:

◼️High Manual Workload – Lawyers spend time on tasks that could be automated.

◼️Inconsistent Outputs – Lack of templates and guidance leads to variable quality.

◼️Poor Stakeholder Experience – Business units face delays and unclear processes.

◼️Limited Scalability – Legal cannot support growth without increasing headcount.

◼️Increased Risk – Errors and omissions due to lack of standardisation.

This station is heavily tech-leveraged. It includes both high-tech platforms and low-tech resources. Integration, usability, and scalability are key considerations. Legal ops must ensure tools align with broader IT and security protocols.