Legal Operations Communication Is the Real Work of In-House Counsel

Have you ever launched a new legal process or tool and wondered why no one actually followed it? That frustration sits at the heart of legal operations communication. In-house counsel are often encouraged to fix problems with better systems or smarter technology, but the real challenge usually shows up much earlier. If the message does not land, the solution never has a chance. Before legal operations can succeed, legal operations communication has to work.

That insight came through clearly in a recent conversation with legal operations consultant Jeffery Kruse. Like many in-house lawyers, he did not plan a career in legal operations. He stumbled into it by noticing inefficiencies and being told to fix them. What surprised him most was not how hard change was, but how often legal teams assumed clarity that did not exist.

Watch the full conversation with Jeffery Kruse here:  

Most legal teams believe they explain things well. From the inside, a process feels logical and complete. From the outside, it often feels confusing or overwhelming. Legal operations communication breaks down when legal teams speak in legal terms instead of business language. The intent may be efficiency, but the experience for the business feels like friction.

Jeffery shared early failures where he described improvements through a legal lens and left meetings without approval. Finance and operations leaders did not reject the idea. They simply did not understand it. That moment reshaped how he thought about legal operations. Communication was not a soft skill. It was the work.

Simplicity is the first pillar of strong legal operations communication. Simple does not mean shallow. It means choosing plain language and resisting the urge to over explain. When legal teams rely on long memos, dense slide decks, or follow-up FAQs, they signal that the message itself may not be clear.

Effective communication respects the audience’s time and attention. Business teams want to know what is changing, why it matters to them, and what action is required. When legal teams deliver that clearly, adoption improves without enforcement.

Ease is often misjudged because lawyers assess clarity from their own perspective. Legal operations communication only works when ease is measured by the audience receiving it. Jeff emphasized testing messages with trusted business partners before rolling them out broadly. If those partners struggle to explain the message back, it needs work.

Ease also requires humility. Feedback may reveal that something carefully crafted does not land. Legal leaders who separate their ego from the message create space for improvement. That mindset turns communication into a shared effort instead of a one way announcement.

Communication becomes effective when it leads to action. In legal operations, that action might be adoption of a new process, use of a tool, or a change in behavior. Measuring effectiveness means watching what people do, not just what they say.

Jeffery also highlighted the importance of planning communication the same way teams plan projects. Legal operations communication works best when it is intentional, repeated, and reinforced over time. When legal teams treat communication as a core operational function, not an afterthought, results follow.

Strong legal operations communication reshapes how the legal department is perceived. In-house counsel who communicate clearly earn trust faster and face less resistance. Over time, that trust becomes leadership capital.

The real takeaway is simple. Legal operations do not fail because teams lack tools. They fail when messages miss the mark. For in-house counsel, mastering legal operations communication is one of the most practical ways to improve outcomes, strengthen leadership, and make change stick.

Watch the full conversation here:  Notes to My (Legal) Self: Season 11, Episode 4 (ft.Jeffery Kruse)

At Notes to My (Legal) Self®, we’re dedicated to helping in-house legal professionals develop the skills, insights, and strategies needed to thrive in today’s evolving legal landscape. From leadership development to legal operations optimization and emerging technology, we provide the tools to help you stay ahead.

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