Tech-enabled flexibility: How technology is increasingly facilitating flexible lawyering 

The rise of flexible lawyering, particularly through Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs), has created a new category of legal professionals – highly skilled lawyers who embed within client teams on an interim or project basis. While they often perform similar work to in-house counsel, their experience is fundamentally different. Unlike permanent employees, flexible lawyers must quickly adapt to new environments, tools, and expectations—often with limited institutional knowledge or long-term integration. This is where the technologies incorporated by In-house legal teams plays a uniquely critical role.

1. Rapid familiarisation with legal and business contexts

Unlike in-house counsel who benefit from long-term exposure to a company’s operations, flexible lawyers need to get up to speed quickly. Legal tech platforms that centralize internal policies, contract templates, and regulatory guidance help bridge this gap. AI-powered search tools and document repositories allow secondees to access relevant materials instantly, reducing onboarding time and enabling them to contribute meaningfully from day one.

2. Workflow integration without deep embedding

In-house lawyers often rely on informal knowledge and long-standing relationships to navigate workflows. Flexible lawyers, by contrast, depend on structured systems. Legal project management tools (like HighQ or Asana) and automated task trackers help them stay aligned with team priorities, deadlines, and deliverables—without needing to be deeply embedded in the company’s internal culture or hierarchy.

3. Easing industry transition

Flexible lawyers frequently move between clients, industries, and jurisdictions. Technology, specifically AI, can significantly reduce time associated with familiarising with industry-specific terminology, trends, companies and service lines – reducing the time it takes for lawyers to understand the commercial dynamics of a new, or nascent, industry sector.

4. Independent yet supported

Unlike in-house counsel who have direct access to internal support teams, flexible lawyers often work more independently with technology helping to connect dispersed teams. Virtual helpdesks, real-time messaging platforms, and remote access to legal operations teams ensure that flexible lawyers can get the support they need—whether it’s technical troubleshooting, legal guidance, or administrative help—without relying on the client’s internal resources.

5. Performance visibility without micromanagement

In-house roles often come with regular performance reviews and informal feedback loops. For flexible lawyers, technology enables visibility without micromanagement. Dashboards and analytics tools track progress, client satisfaction, and task completion—giving both the lawyer and the ALSP insight into performance. This supports continuous improvement and ensures quality without the need for constant oversight.

Conclusion: A distinctly tech-supported model

While flexible lawyers and in-house counsel may perform similar legal functions, the way they operate—and the support they require—is fundamentally different. Technologies – legally specific or otherwise – help to bridge that gap, allowing quick and effective onboarding, and high levels of interaction from Day 1.

Technology is not just a convenience for flexible lawyers; it’s a critical enabler. It allows them to work independently yet effectively, to adapt quickly without sacrificing quality, and to deliver consistent value across a wide range of assignments.

As in-house legal teams – and their processes – continue to evolve, the integration of smart, supportive technology will be key to unlocking the full potential and use of flexible lawyering.

About us

TR Plus is a portfolio brand of Taylor Root, created to diversify the flexible support we offer legal teams. TR Plus delivers progressive legal services in compliance, risk, privacy, investigations, regulatory and legal tech consulting.

If you would like to discuss how flexible lawyering could support your goals and enhance the performance of your legal team, please reach out to Oliver Mould or a member of the TR Plus team.