The future of legal operations

Survey insights on unlocking the power of legal managed services

KPMG research reveals how managed services can be a transformative approach to legal needs, helping boost productivity, cut costs, unleash scalable, data-driven processes, and shift focus from routine to strategic efforts.

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Unlock efficiency and growth with legal managed services

From managing high-volume contract work to navigating complex regulations and rapid tech advancements, in-house legal teams are stretched beyond capacity. How can organizations transform the legal department from cost-center to business enabler?

The KPMG US Legal Services survey report examines challenges of today’s legal operations and the potential of managed services to unlock efficiency and growth.

Key insights include:

01
Contract management is a costly endeavor

96% of US organizations budget at least $51 million to fund contracts managed services support.

02
Legal is undervalued

Only 30% of non-legal US executives believe the legal team is viewed as a critical partner.

03
Data inconsistency is a roadblock

Only 22% of US organizations have a single source of truth with established governance to manage the contract inventory.

04
GenAI has high potential

70% of US executives say GenAI helps draft and review contracts more quickly.

Contracts are more than legal instruments—they’re operational assets that shape how organizations manage risk, revenue, and relationships. For CFOs, COOs, procurement leaders, and legal teams, improving contract management is a strategic lever for driving revenue and growth.

Tom Greenaway

Principal, KPMG Law US LLC

Survey highlights

Contract management challenges

Commercial contracts are often unmanageable in terms of volume and costs.

Commercial contracts work occupies an inordinate amount of legal team time and resources. Regulatory challenges (86%) and complex governance structures (60%) are the top contract management pain point for organizations.

What is your organization's budget for contracts management services support?

What are the top challenges experienced in managing contracts at your organization?

US legal teams are facing a perfect storm of rising contract volumes, increasing velocity, and limited internal bandwidth. Legal managed services providers offer scalable technology, added resources and capacity, and process excellence to help legal departments accelerate their operations both strategically and cost-effectively.

Jeff Catanzaro

Principal, Global Legal Business Services, KPMG US

Contract management approaches

Managed services can transform contract management and unlock strategic value.

There is room for improvement in how legal teams manage contract inventories, leverage data and technology, and support enterprise business goals. Legal managed services present an opportunity, delivering scalable resourcing and tech-enabled processes to unleash efficiency and insight.

What is the primary way non-legal executive leaders at your organization view the role of legal in contract management?

Survey methodology

In early 2025, Forbes Insights and KPMG US conducted a survey involving 50 US C-suite executives as part of a global study of 150 CxOs. The survey focused on contract management processes, challenges, opportunities, and the future of legal managed services. Respondents were Chief Legal Officers (52%), Chief Financial Officers (14%), Chief Operating Officers (8%), Chief Procurement Officers (6%), and Chief Technology Officers (20%), representing organizations from nine sectors, each with revenues of at least $500 million and annual contract management budgets of $26 million or more.

Download the KPMG US Legal Managed Services survey report

Explore related insights

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Q&A: Transforming legal operations with managed services

Q&A with Andy Giverin, Global Head of Legal Business Services and Partner with KPMG Law in the UK, and Jeff Catanzaro, Partner and US Head of KPMG Legal Managed Services

Read more

KPMG Law US LLC

KPMG Law US LLC, the first law firm owned by a Big Four firm to serve the US market, delivers integrated, technology-enabled legal solutions that combine legal expertise with operational scale and digital innovation. Building on the firm’s established Legal Business Services practice, the firm helps legal departments modernize through AI-powered tools, legal managed services, and legal operations consulting. As part of a global network of law firms operating in over 80 jurisdictions, KPMG Law US offers clients a unique blend of local insight and global reach to help US legal teams navigate complex regulatory environments, rising contract volumes, and digital transformation.
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Let's start the conversation

Contact us to transform your contract and legal operations into a strategic asset.

Image of Jeffrey Catanzaro
Jeffrey Catanzaro
Principal, Global Legal Business Services, KPMG US
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Image of Tom Greenaway
Tom Greenaway
Principal, KPMG Law US LLC, KPMG US
Read bio
Image of Jeffrey Catanzaro
Jeffrey Catanzaro
Principal, Global Legal Business Services, KPMG US
Read bio
Image of Tom Greenaway
Tom Greenaway
Principal, KPMG Law US LLC, KPMG US
Read bio

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