Legal Departments are so often buried in work that it’s hard, if not impossible, to pause and contemplate strategic projects. (In a FindLaw Corporate Counsel Center survey, more than 40 percent said they were too busy “fighting fires” to achieve long-term goals.)

However, without a strategic plan, your legal department is unlikely to get out from under Sisyphean busywork to accomplish meaningful improvements or demonstrate its value—or find operational adjustments that enhance not only your service delivery, but your quality of life.