Five Steps to Take Before Purchasing Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Technology
This is the second blog of a five-part series on CLM Adoption in the Age of AI. Read the first blog here. Before you begin the process of evaluating genAI-enabled CLM systems it is important to fully understand your own environment. This includes conducting an internal assessment of your own AI and contracts process maturity. The goal isn’t to choose the “best” or most advanced CLM tool on the market, it’s to choose the solution and vendor that best addresses your specific challenges, integrates easily with your environment, and shares a similar appetite for innovation. Here are five steps to take to prepare internally before you evaluate CLM systems. 1. Map out your workflow and processes Documenting current contract management processes will give you a better understanding of how the CLM solution will function within your existing environment. Where are the inefficiencies? Are there opportunities to streamline or automate steps? For example, if you have bottlenecks in approval workflows, prioritize solutions with advanced automation or escalation capabilities. Also, consider your metrics and what you are currently and should be measuring. 2. Get your data house in order AI is only as powerful as the data it is built on. Without robust, organized, and comprehensive data inputs, you’ll be limited in what you can achieve. For the vast majority of organizations, data is often duplicated, incomplete, and lacking meaningful reference tags or taxonomies to support search. Having AI-ready data is the only way to drive a real return on investment (ROI) from any tool or process you implement. Putting in the effort or engaging services to organize your contract repository and ensure data accuracy will set you up for success as you continue your legal digital transformation journey. 3. Assess your AI readiness In addition to data readiness, there are other factors that contribute to genAI adoption readiness. Not all businesses have the same level of AI maturity. Important considerations include whether you have the right human resources available or the ability to train employees to maintain and enhance your AI tools over time. Solutions come in varying forms of complexity, and taking on more than you can handle won’t get you the results you need. Lacking resources to fully “own” and maintain the AI tools doesn’t mean that you need to postpone adoption of gen AI. Just be sure to invest in services from your vendor or another trusted third-party who can train and update the AI for you until you decide if in-house resource expertise and ownership is feasible or even required. Additionally, different organizations have different cultures when approaching AI adoption. For example, do the lawyers on your team require AI with “explainability” for its outputs, or is the team comfortable with more of a black box solution? Does the team need the AI to be fine-tuned to make redline edits or are clause location and analysis tools sufficient? Organizations that are truly ready to adopt AI have also considered any workforce impacts to adopting CLM tools. It is key to understand the roles that people play in the current contracts workflow and be prepared to address any training, upskilling or other impacts of AI adoption. 4. Define specific use cases Another best practice step to take before making your CLM technology purchase is to identify clear and specific target use cases. You have to know which tasks you want the tool to perform. Examples include: Contract creation: Develop first drafts with AI-suggested content based on a library of relevant topics and clauses. Redline review and contract clause analysis: Perform reviews based on playbook options and preferred or historical positions. Bulk extraction: identify key content for repository search tagging, risk analysis, or compliance actions. Technology adoption should flow from your specific needs. Instead of getting distracted by shiny tools or market trends, focus on identifying use cases grounded in your organization and department’s requirements. The best use cases have clear goals. Whether you’re looking to streamline contract review or automate aspects of data management, every use case should come from understanding your defined business objectives. 5. Anticipate your reporting needs Reporting is a critical element of any CLM solution. Therefore, it’s essential to understand what information matters most to your department and satisfies broader organizational interests. Consider which insights are most critical, such as basic workflow metrics like volumes, turnaround times (TAT), approval and escalation counts, etc. Or, your team may require advanced content analysis, such as most negotiated terms, frequency of deviations from standard agreements, the ability to classify risks, etc. Be sure you understand what data points your selected CLM tool captures, what is surfaced by out-of-the-box reports, and what can be exported to more sophisticated data visualization tools like MS Power BI, that you might be able to leverage from your broader IT environment. Lastly, determine if you need to understand legacy portfolio of agreements, or if the focus should be solely on current and future contracts. By anticipating your reporting requirements, you will be better positioned to choose a CLM tool that delivers meaningful insights. This is the second blog of a five-part series on CLM Adoption in the Age of AI. Read the first blog here. If you are interested in learning more about how you can effectively evaluate, adopt, and optimize CLM technology in 2025, especially given the new dimension genAI creates for this class of legal tech, then download our eBook, “A Legal Department’s Guide to CLM Adoption in the Age of AI.” In this guide, we aim to provide some new parameters for how businesses evaluate, adopt, and optimize their CLM tools, especially given the expanded use of generative AI. From the latest advancements to practical implementation strategies, we will share insights to help you make the best decisions when it comes to your CLM technology strategy today – and unlock the power of your legal data. Download it today. This 8-page guide covers: Understanding Generative AI (genAI) in CLM Solutions Internal Considerations for CLM Technology CLM Vendor
Navigating the Multilingual Maze: Document Review in Cross-Border Litigation and Regulatory Investigations
As cross-border litigation and regulatory investigations become increasingly common, document review professionals and providers are frequently tasked with reviewing documents spanning multiple languages. The Challenge Global organizations are generating data across continents and communication platforms. Cross-border litigation is on the rise, and regulators are increasingly taking an international rather than domestic view. As a result, disputes and investigations frequently involve the collection, review and production of data generated in multiple jurisdictions and languages. Without the right tools and workflows this can add a further layer of cost, time and complexity to the eDiscovery process. The prospect of multilingual disclosure can be daunting, but with the availability of language detection tools and machine translation, it is becoming more manageable. However, while these tools offer speed and scalability, human validation remains critical to ensure accuracy, context, and legal defensibility. The Role of Technology in Multi-language Review Modern translation and language identification technologies have evolved significantly thanks to advancements in AI and natural language processing, including eDiscovery technology tools. Many offer functionality that can detect primary and secondary languages across data sets, and the percentages of each language by document. Machine translation is now capable of delivering clear and coherent translations that provide valuable insight into document content. It is particularly effective for early-stage / early case assessment (ECA) review, allowing teams to quickly assess relevance, prioritise documents, and streamline triage workflows. Read Here Human Validation Still Matters Even with recent advancements and improvements, automated language detection and translation is not a substitute for human interpretation and review, especially in high-risk scenarios like litigation, regulatory review or privilege assessments. Translation tools can misinterpret legal terminology, cultural nuances, or industry-specific jargon and inaccurate translations may lead to missed issues or misclassification of documents, all of which can have serious consequences. Human reviewers, fluent in the relevant languages, play a critical role in validating automated machine output, especially for key documents or those marked as potentially privileged or highly relevant. They ensure that the nuances of language, tone, and context are correctly understood and that any ambiguities are resolved. Best Practice: A Hybrid Approach The most effective approach to multilingual review in eDiscovery combines the speed and efficiency that technology can deliver with human oversight. Here are a few best practices: Language Identification: Use technology to identify the languages present in the dataset early on to inform staffing decisions and workflow design. Strategic Translation: Avoid translating everything by using machine translation for low-risk documents and prioritise human translation or review for documents more likely to be relevant and those central to case strategy. Leverage Bilingual Reviewers: Where possible, assign native or fluent speakers to key parts of the review to add context and accuracy to document coding decisions. Document Workflows Clearly: Ensure that your review methodology, including the role of technology and human validation, is documented to support defensibility if challenged. Monitor and calibrate: Track the effectiveness of your workflows and adjust as needed as continuous feedback between AI output and human reviewers improves results over time. Advancements in technology have transformed multilingual document review, making it faster and more manageable. However, the value of human insight remains essential. By adopting a hybrid approach that leverages the strengths of both, legal teams can ensure accuracy, defensibility, and efficiency in even the most complex multilingual matters. Learn more about how our experts can help with your multilingual document review needs.
The Hidden Costs of In-House Creative Teams
Creativity is not a luxury in financial services marketing; it’s a business necessity. Whether you’re rebranding, launching something new, or trying to connect with clients in a meaningful way, strong creative work makes all the difference. But building that capability in-house? It often comes with more headaches than expected, like hidden costs, slower timelines, and stretched teams. That’s why more firms are turning to outsourcing partners, not just to save money, but to move faster and make a bigger impact. Deloitte’s 2024 Global Outsourcing Survey found that 96% of organizations surveyed leverage third-party outsourcing for their talent needs. Here is a closer look at the real costs of maintaining an in-house creative team and how outsourcing can help solve for these challenges. 1. Recruiting: A Long, Costly Hunt for Talent Finding experienced designers, copywriters, video editors, and creative strategists with financial services expertise can be tough. The best creatives are in high demand, and the recruiting process can drag out for months. Add in recruiter fees, advertising costs, signing bonuses, and the internal time spent reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates, and suddenly, building that dream team is a six-figure investment before your new hire even starts. Outsourcing Advantage: An established creative services provider already has the talent in place. With a seasoned external partner, you bypass recruiting headaches and gain instant access to a full bench of creative professionals with experience in the nuances of financial services as well as working with leading martech platforms and creative software. 2. Training: Teaching Your Industry Once you land top creative talent, onboarding them to the unique nuances of your firm (regulatory requirements, compliance considerations, brand voice, etc.) takes time and resources. In the financial services industry where trust, accuracy, and precision are paramount, creative mistakes can be costly. Outsourcing Advantage: A specialized creative partner understands the financial sector’s specific demands from day one. Their teams are trained to create compliant, effective content without the lengthy ramp-up time, meaning faster project turnarounds and fewer risks. 3. Turnover: The Unpredictable Budget Killer Creative professionals are not immune to job-hopping, and when a designer or strategist walks out the door, they can take institutional knowledge and momentum with them. Each departure means more recruiting, more training, and often, project delays that hit your bottom line. Outsourcing Advantage: External providers manage their own staffing needs, ensuring your projects continue seamlessly no matter what’s happening internally. They will also have an ongoing recruiting process to support attrition and fluctuations in work. You get all the stability without the HR burden. 4. Tools & Technology: An Expensive Arms Race Professional creative tools, like Adobe Creative Cloud, project management systems, UX/UI design platforms, and stock imagery libraries aren’t cheap, especially when you start stacking up enterprise licenses. There’s also the need to stay on top of the latest technology trends (AI-generated content, personalization tools, video production advancements to name a few). Keeping your in-house team fully equipped means a continuous cycle of licensing fees, upgrades and training. Outsourcing Advantage: Sophisticated outsourcers invest heavily in the latest tools and technology, so you don’t have to. By outsourcing, you instantly benefit from cutting-edge technology (and experience using it), without the capital expense or ongoing maintenance. Why Financial Firms are Rethinking In-house Models When you add up the hidden costs of recruitment, training, turnover, and technology, maintaining an in-house creative team can cost significantly more than working with an outsourcing partner. A specialized creative services provider brings talent, quality, global delivery and agility all in one package, significantly reducing the in-house burden. For financial services companies, this translates to more time for strategic thinking, more time for nurturing client relationships and more time focusing on business development. Learn more about how our creative teams and presentation specialists can help you do more.
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How Generative AI Turbocharges Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Technology
This is the first blog of a five-part series on CLM Adoption in the Age of AI. Contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology is critical to today’s legal operations. Already well established as tools to drive efficiency, many CLM solutions now deliver even greater value by incorporating generative AI capabilities. The CLM Tech Boom Contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology was originally designed to address the efficiency challenges associated with manual contract management. By automating various stages of the process, CLM tools helped to eliminate administrative bottlenecks, drive accuracy, and optimize processes for speed. The move to cloud-based platforms over the last decade spurred a significant era of innovation. Existing CLM tools evolved, and new ones emerged, incorporating functionality like AI and analytics, compliance tracking, and integration with other backend systems like CRM and ERP. Cloud spurred adoption as well, making CLM technology more widely accessible, cost effective, and scalable. Today 62% of organizations have a CLM solution in place, according to the 2025 CLOC State of the Industry Report. Now, with advancements in generative AI (genAI), CLM technology is quickly evolving once again. The continuing search for ways to save time and costs make genAI-enabled CLM technology attractive: some companies have seen up to 50%+ productivity gain on the contract migration phase alone using CLM tools with AI. Today’s providers are going beyond efficiency and promising AI-powered insights that accelerate business growth. Businesses are anxious to put this new technology into action. Just over half (54%) of the CLOC report respondents plan to implement AI within the next one to two years. However, stakeholders are doing their due diligence when it comes to software vendors. McKinsey predicts that one of the biggest impacts of generative AI will be the acceleration of vendor switching, up 5-10 percentage points. Generative AI’s Impact on CLM Solutions Generative AI significantly changes how businesses approach CLM technology. There are no best practices – yet. With this dynamic technology, innovation is a moving target. This makes choosing CLM solutions providers – and deciding which functionality to implement – more difficult. As a whole, generative AI is just beginning to integrate across the contracting lifecycle, from pre- to post-execution. Your potential CLM provider may be providing only one or two generative AI-enabled capabilities today. Look for vendors with a well thought-out roadmap that shows future innovation. Here are some examples of where generative AI increasingly has the potential to streamline and create greater accuracy for key phases of CLM: Metadata abstraction Instead of manually entering key information (like payment terms, deadlines, or parties involved), generative AI automatically extracts these data points from uploaded contracts and populates them within the system. Review and redlining Traditional CLM platforms rely on pre-configured clause libraries for drafting and reviewing. Generative AI eliminates this dependency by analyzing legacy contracts, creating a repository of fallback clauses, and suggesting replacements or edits during the review process. Clause libraries Generative AI can build a clause library dynamically in real time. When drafting or reviewing contracts, users can pick clauses and fallback options directly informed by historical patterns. Language support Generative AI solutions now support processing contracts in up to six or seven languages. This helps global organizations efficiently manage multilingual agreements without the burden of translation efforts. Search and query Some advanced CLM platforms are embedding AI-powered search capabilities through integration with platforms like ChatGPT. Users can query systems for specific contract-related information, and the AI pulls relevant clauses, obligations, or details instantly. If you are interested in learning more about how you can effectively evaluate, adopt, and optimize CLM technology in 2025, especially given the new dimension genAI creates for this class of legal tech, then download our eBook, “A Legal Department’s Guide to CLM Adoption in the Age of AI.” In this guide, we aim to provide some new parameters for how businesses evaluate, adopt, and optimize their CLM tools, especially given the expanded use of generative AI. From the latest advancements to practical implementation strategies, we will share insights to help you make the best decisions when it comes to your CLM technology strategy today – and unlock the power of your legal data. Download it today. This 8-page guide covers: Understanding Generative AI (genAI) in CLM Solutions Internal Considerations for CLM Technology CLM Vendor Selection Considerations Getting the Most Out of your CLM Solution Gaining Momentum: Tech as a Service Download the guide
Why Outsourcing Creative Services Makes Sense: A Strategic Approach to Accelerate Global Sales
Strategic sales teams know that speed and consistency aren’t just nice to have – they are essential. But when creative resources are stretched thin or siloed in marketing, sales enablement efforts can stall. The result? Missed opportunities, inconsistent messaging, and reps spending more time formatting slides than closing deals. While outsourcing creative work has traditionally been associated with marketing departments, more and more global companies are realizing it’s a strategic advantage for sales as well. By tapping into external creative support, sales teams can move faster, stay on brand, and focus on what they do best – selling Why Do Sales Teams Need Creative Help? Sales teams face a unique set of challenges: They need to deliver high-quality, personalized materials at scale and under tight timelines. Sales enablement teams are expected to provide reps with content that is not only brand-compliant but also tailored to specific markets and buyer personas. They are under pressure to increase operational efficiency without compromising quality. Internal creative teams are often focused on marketing priorities and don’t have the agility to keep up with the pace with the of sales. The result? Sales teams spend valuable time building decks, crafting one-pagers, and customizing pitch books. Or worse, they go to market with inconsistent, off-brand, or ineffective materials. Outsourcing Creative: A Smarter Way to Support Sales Bringing in outside creative support for sales content isn’t just a workaround, it’s a strategic solution that offers some critical advantages: 1. Scalability: Expand creative capacity when it’s needed most – for product launches, regional sales events, or a quarterly blitz. 2. Speed: Get polished, brand standardized materials into the hands of sales reps faster, minimizing bottlenecks. 3. Consistency: Ensure every asset across all regions is aligned with global brand messaging and standards. 4. Productivity: Free up time for sales teams to focus on selling, not designing. Where Creative Outsourcing Brings the Most Value Custom pitch books and presentations Regional/local product one-sheets and battlecards Client proposals and RFP submissions Case studies and customer stories for specific markets Onboarding and training content for new sales hires Digital sales tools like interactive PDFs, videos and microsites The Business Impact: Why It Matters Organizations that integrate outside creative support into their sales enablement and operations strategy can see real, measurable benefits: Higher Win Rates: Professional, well-designed materials build brand credibility and trust. Shorter Sales Cycles: Teams spend less time creating content and more time closing deals. Stronger Brand Presence: A consistent, polished brand experience across all markets strengthens global positioning. Cost Efficiency: Avoid the fixed, high cost of in-house creative teams and scale support at pace with demand. For sales teams at global firms, the need for fast, flexible, and effective sales content is only growing. Outsourcing creative services isn’t just a tactical move; it’s a strategic investment in speed, consistency, efficiency, and growth. Learn more about how our creative services can help your sales teams do more.
Beyond Cost Savings: Rethinking Legal Document Processing for the Modern Law Firm
Law firms face mounting demands to produce exceptional work product more efficiently and cost-effectively. A critical yet often underappreciated factor in meeting these expectations is how your firm handles legal document processing. Should you maintain an in-house word processing team, or is it time to consider outsourcing? Each model has distinct advantages and challenges. Choosing the right approach can enhance your firm’s efficiency, quality of work, and bottom line. The Case for In-House Legal Word Processing For many firms, tradition leans heavily toward keeping word processing teams in-house. Here’s why: 1. Immediate Access and Control Having an internal team allows for real-time communication, instant revisions, and seamless integration into firm workflows. Attorneys and staff often appreciate the personal relationships and responsiveness of an in-house team. 2. Institutional Knowledge Long-tenured in-house professionals understand your firm’s preferred formats, client preferences, partner quirks, and practice-specific nuances. This institutional memory can be a major asset. 3. Cultural Alignment An internal team is more likely to embody your firm’s culture, service standards, and professionalism, contributing to consistent internal and external brand experiences. Challenges: Maintaining a fully staffed, around-the-clock word processing team can be costly and complex. Recruiting, training, technology upgrades, and managing peak workloads require significant administrative effort and budget allocation. Read Here The Case for Outsourced Legal Document Processing As firms look for ways to control costs without sacrificing quality, outsourcing has become an increasingly attractive option. 1. Cost Efficiency Outsourcing eliminates many overhead costs associated with salaries, benefits, management, and equipment. Firms can scale up or down based on demand, paying only for the services they require. 2. Access to Specialized Expertise Top-tier outsourcing partners invest heavily in training and technology, offering a level of expertise and operational excellence that rivals (and often exceeds) many in-house setups. 3. 24/7 Availability Outsourced providers often operate around the clock, supporting urgent requests, last-minute edits, and clients in multiple time zones without burdening internal staff. Challenges: Success with outsourcing hinges on the provider’s quality, security, and ability to integrate into your workflows. Poor communication, lack of familiarity with firm-specific preferences, and concerns about confidentiality can create friction if not carefully managed. Key Questions to Ask Before Deciding Before making a shift or reaffirming your current model, consider: Volume and Complexity: Does your firm produce enough volume to justify a full in-house team? Are the documents highly specialized? Technology: Is your current technology enabling optimal performance, or would an outsourcing partner offer better tools and automation? Quality Control: How will you ensure work product quality, accuracy, and consistency, regardless of the model? Risk Management: What are the confidentiality, data security, and compliance implications of outsourcing? Flexibility Needs: How important is scalability during litigation surges, deal closings, or other peak times? Hybrid Solutions: The Best of Both Worlds? Some firms find that a hybrid model, maintaining a small core in-house team while outsourcing overflow or off-hours work, offers a strategic balance. This approach preserves institutional knowledge and culture while improving scalability and cost efficiency. The decision between in-house and outsourced legal document processing isn’t just about cost, it’s about aligning your operational strategy with your firm’s growth plans, culture, and client expectations. Whether you double down on your internal team, explore outsourcing, or craft a hybrid approach, the key is to proactively assess your needs, vet your options carefully, and remain flexible as demands evolve. The firms that optimize their document processing operations today will be the ones better positioned to thrive tomorrow. To explore how outsourced legal document processing could support your firm’s goals, learn more about Integreon’s services.
Integreon Announces Strategic Collaboration with PwC EMEA Member Firms to Empower Legal Teams
London, UK – May 14, 2025 – Integreon today announced a new strategic collaboration with PwC. This collaboration is the latest commitment in Integreon’s and PwC’s investment in Legal Managed Services across the EMEA region. By combining PwC’s legal generative AI technology investments and deep domain legal and industry expertise with Integreon’s extensive global talent pool, the firms can work as one team, ensuring the highest quality and efficiency of services underpinned by the most advanced legal technologies. “Through our collaboration with Integreon, we are able to deliver significant benefits and drive real impact for clients by delivering high-quality, Legal Managed Services at scale,” said Frederic Mirza Khanian, PwC Global Legal Business Solutions Leader. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to serve the evolving needs of our clients.” “Facing a strategic or operational challenge demands a flexible and high-quality solution. A strategic business partner can ‘take the problem away’ by managing and optimising your high-volume tasks, ensuring excellence in every aspect of the solution, from technology and legal expertise to process excellence. That is what our collaboration with Integreon offers to the client,” said Patricia Manca Diaz, PwC EMEA Legal Managed Services Leader. Subroto Mukerji, Integreon CEO, added: “PwC’s collaboration with Integreon underscores our commitment to enabling our EMEA clients to harness the benefits of generative AI. Technology-driven solutions are central to our approach, and we are thrilled to join this collaboration to help shape the future of legal services.” About Integreon Integreon is the trusted, global provider of legal, creative and business outsourced solutions to corporations and law firms seeking to expand their capabilities and transform their performance. The company’s 3,500+ professionals provide expert support across a range of managed services—from creative design, content delivery and administrative support to legal and compliance. With global delivery centers on three continents, Integreon delivers round-the-clock service in 50+ languages and is deeply committed to client success, consistently delivering innovative, tech-enabled solutions that improve agility and efficiency to drive business performance. Integreon is owned by EagleTree Capital, a leading New York-based middle-market private equity firm with over $5 billion of assets under management. For more information about Integreon’s range of services, email [email protected], visit www.integreon.com, and follow Integreon at LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. About PwC PwC’s purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 155 countries with over 284,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory, and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting www.pwc.com.