The legal industry is about to see another year come and go, with a brand new one hovering just off the horizon. But what the 365-day marathon that comprises 2023 will hold for legal departments, law firms and the attorneys populating those organizations is a clean slate.

Still, the present—or at least the recent past—may be able to offer at least a few clues as to what that future may look like. Many corporate legal departments spent the last year watching external legal spend continue to grow even as provider counts consolidate. As a result, the stage could be set for a 2023 that continues to find organizations relying more heavily upon the legal operations function, AI-powered solutions and other advanced technologies to produce new efficiencies and contain costs.