Legal departments are under constant pressure to do more with less. Efficiency has long been the goal, but as recent research by Axiom highlights, the smallest, most efficient team isn’t necessarily the most optimal one.
In the push for digital maturity, many legal teams have reduced headcount while leveraging legal technology and alternative service providers. The result? Increased productivity—but also higher stress, heavier workloads, and greater flight risk among legal professionals.
So, what does an optimally resourced legal team actually look like?
The Productivity-Stress Paradox
According to Axiom’s research, digitally mature legal teams report the highest productivity levels. They are tech-savvy, strategic, and lean, with AI handling low-value tasks so lawyers can focus on complex, high-impact work. But this efficiency comes at a cost: 73% of lawyers in digitally mature teams are actively seeking new jobs, citing high stress, long hours, and lack of growth opportunities as key reasons.
By contrast, digitally immature teams—often larger and less tech-enabled—report lower productivity but also the lowest levels of stress and attrition. Their challenge is different: They feel under-resourced despite having more team members, largely due to inefficiencies in workflow and expertise gaps.
Legal Tech Isn’t a Replacement for People
While legal technology is a game-changer, it doesn’t eliminate the need for skilled professionals. The research found that across all digital maturity levels, legal departments are increasing investment in talent—whether full-time employees (FTEs), alternative legal service providers (ALSPs), or external counsel.
The key takeaway? Technology should enhance—not replace—human expertise. The most effective teams balance digital tools with the right mix of people, ensuring lawyers are not overburdened with high-stress, high-value tasks without sufficient support.
Rethinking Efficiency: What Legal Leaders Should Consider
If efficiency results in an unsustainable workload, then it isn’t really efficiency—it’s burnout in disguise. Legal leaders should consider the following when assessing their team’s resourcing strategy:
- Size isn’t everything – A lean team may be productive, but if it’s too small to sustain workloads long-term, turnover and burnout will undermine performance.
- Balance technology with human capital – Automating repetitive tasks is a smart move, but high-value work still requires skilled legal professionals.
- Invest in flexibility – ALSPs and external counsel can provide scalable support, helping teams manage fluctuating workloads without permanent headcount increases.
- Prioritise well-being – A culture that supports professional growth and manageable workloads is critical to retaining top talent.
The Path to a Sustainable, High-Performing Legal Team
The future of in-house legal is not about having the smallest team—it’s about having the right team. Efficiency should support a rewarding, sustainable work environment that aligns with business objectives without overloading legal professionals.
For legal leaders, the challenge is clear: optimisation isn’t just about doing more with less—it’s about ensuring your team is resourced for success.
Lawcadia is a legal technology company with a cloud-based platform that in-house legal teams and their law firms use to manage intake, matters, engagements, RFPs, and spend. It enables users to be more efficient, control processes and spend, and have visibility across the legal function.
An award-winning, easy to implement, intuitive and affordable end-to-end legal operations platform, Lawcadia incorporates no-code workflow automation and logic-based processes with a collaborative and secure interface.
Clients include corporate and government legal teams and over 150 law firms.
Founded in 2015, Lawcadia is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia with clients in Asia-Pacific, UK and the US.
