Legal teams know they need better tools. So why do many legal tech projects fall flat?

It’s no secret that the legal industry is changing. In-house legal departments are under pressure to do more with less. Law firms are expected to deliver faster, more consistent work. Everyone wants more transparency, more efficiency — and fewer errors, whether generated by humans or AI.

Legal tech promises to help.

But adopting new technology can be difficult, especially for teams already moving at full speed. Too often, promising tools are paid for but go underutilized or even completely unused. Broken or slow processes don't change. Frustration builds. And lawyers quietly go back to what they know (even if it doesn’t work all that well).

Here are five common reasons legal tech projects fail — and how to make sure yours doesn’t.

1. Forcing Lawyers to Leave Word

If a new tool requires users to abandon Microsoft Word, adoption is likely to fail. Word is still a lawyer’s preferred place for legal drafting.

The fix:
Look for tools that integrate directly with Word, rather than replace it. The best solutions augment familiar workflows instead of disrupting them.

2. Prioritizing Features Over Fit

It’s tempting to focus on flashy features. But the best legal tech fits your process, not just your wish list. A tool can be powerful on paper, but still fail if it doesn’t align with how your team actually works from day to day.

The fix:
Start by mapping out your current workflows and friction points. Then find tech that solves those problems — not someone else’s.

3. Skipping the Rollout Plan

Even great tools fail without a plan. Legal tech adoption isn’t just a technical task; it’s a change management process. Without support and training, even the most intuitive software can feel like a burden.

The fix:
Appoint an internal champion. Communicate clearly about what the new tool does and why it matters. Offer quick wins early in the rollout — like automating a common pain point — to build buy-in.

4. Underestimating the Importance of Precedent and Templates

A tool is only as good as the content it supports. Many teams invest in legal tech, then realize their templates are outdated, or their clause library isn’t searchable.

The fix:
Audit your templates, playbooks, and clause banks before rollout. The right tech can make them more usable, but only if they’re accessible, up-to-date, and aligned with your team’s real needs and processes.

5. Choosing Tools That Are Hard to Scale

Some legal tech works well for a small team, but doesn’t scale across separate departments or offices for a large organization. Others create new silos by locking work into separate systems.

The fix:
Choose tools that:

• Work across separate practice areas and teams — facilitating collaboration, rather than impeding it
  
  
• Integrate with your existing document management system(s) and cloud storage
  
  
• Support access control, versioning, and collaboration at scale

Want to Avoid These Mistakes? Start Here.

We’ve worked with law firms and in-house legal teams across a range of industries and regions — and we’ve seen what works.

That’s why we put together a practical guide on designing efficient legal workflows. It walks you through:

• How to diagnose friction in your drafting and review process
• How to choose tools that fit your team
• How to ensure actual adoption

Download the guide here: Designing Efficient Legal Workflows

And if you’re looking for tech that enhances your contract review process, book a demo of BoostDraft today!