--- title: "Steps to Success: Legal Team of One" description: We’ve created a playbook to help one-person legal departments thrive and become indispensable partners in the business. image: https://blog.linksquares.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_268797294.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.linksquares.com/successful-legal-team-of-one#main-content) [LinkSquares](https://blog.linksquares.com/) Open Mobile Menu [LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/) Close Mobile Menu [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) [Products](https://linksquares.com/products/) --- [The LinkSquares Cloud One platform for all your in-house legal needs](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) --- Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Cross-product capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started today --- [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/) [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) Resources Content [LinkSquares+ Content curated for in-house leaders](https://linksquares.com/plus/) [The Library](https://linksquares.com/library/) In the studio [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library/) Community & Events [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events/) Learning [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) [Events](https://linksquares.com/events/) [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us/) [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers/) [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-press) [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Contract Lifecycle Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Legal Project Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? 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[Learn more](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Unified Capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started quickly [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) [Agentic AI Smarter contracting with a multi-agent approach](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? 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With their specialized knowledge and skillset, attorneys add value to a company that others simply cannot. Being successful in this role and showing your worth takes determination, organization, and an ability to build the right relationships. We’ve created a playbook to help one-person legal departments thrive and become indispensable partners in the business. ## **Be Proactive** Whether you’re new to your position as an in-house attorney or switching up your approach, an excellent way to demonstrate your value is to uncover definable problems and help solve them. Our own CLO, Tim Parilla, recommends “Drilling past anything vague to define addressable issues and identify what you can solve. Easy, early wins earn credibility and support longer-term problem-solving.” Also, it’s not uncommon for Legal to get a reputation for being isolated from the rest of the company. Go out of your way to make yourself visible to leadership and your peers. Ask questions, listen to them, and help where you can. Do that, and before long, management will view you as a trusted resource for future problem-solving. [![Key Metrics for Legal Teams ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6934676/45e475b1-01ed-4c79-b8a1-ef604173e9e9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6934676/45e475b1-01ed-4c79-b8a1-ef604173e9e9) ## **Focus on the Basics** If you’re starting a new position in a start-up or small company, there is probably a lot of housekeeping to be done in your department.  “Many things provide value, but not everything offers value at the same level or within the same amount of time,” reminds Parilla. Remember that you can’t fix everything in one go and instead prioritize the most vital and fundamental tasks first. Look for high-impact, low-hour projects. Learn what existing software, tools, and applications are available, and gather insights into existing contracts to assess threats and discover opportunities. For example, if you determine that the contract drafting process is inefficient, find an automated solution to organize and speed things up. Alternatively, if you need to streamline deal closing by coordinating with sales, support, and finance teams, consider connecting a contract management tool to a customer relationship management (CRM) or accounting system. These process changes can deliver significant benefits quickly, giving you easy wins that make a tangible difference to your company. ## **Leverage Technology** For any in-house legal team, the proper contract lifecycle management (CLM) software is an invaluable support system. Before modern CLM solutions, tasks like drafting, finalizing, analyzing, and monitoring took days. Today’s artificial intelligence (AI) enables software to read and understand contracts while allowing legal teams to collaborate better. A good CLM eliminates the typical flurry of emails for sending contract drafts and approvals and will enable you to operate more efficiently and strategically. ## **Take Pride in Your Expertise** You’re filling a position that is critical to the health and growth of your business. Establish yourself as an essential business partner by defining success, prioritizing tasks, developing rapport, and evolving as a data-driven leader. The above will help you get off on the right foot. Enjoy these tips? [Check out our new eBook](https://go.linksquares.com/legal-team-of-one)with more resources and success tips for the modern legal leader. ## Subscribe to the LinkSquares Blog Stay up to date on best practices for GCs and legal teams, current events, legal tech, and more. ## Related Articles ### [Christina Sullivan Feb 14, 2023 6 min read Breaking Down Silos: The Power of Legal and Procurement Alignment If you're part of a legal or procurement team, chances are you've seen it firsthand: the time-consuming and inefficient process ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/breaking-down-silos-the-power-of-legal-and-procurement-alignment) ### [Christina Sullivan Aug 22, 2023 5 min read The Legal Ops Manager’s Guide to the First 90 Days Whether you've just been appointed as a Legal Operations Manager or you're well-versed in the legal industry, the first 90 days ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/the-legal-ops-managers-guide-to-the-first-90-days) ### [Alyssa Verzino Mar 02, 2023 10 min read The Inexact Science of Titles for the Legal Department There are many ways to structure a legal department. As the saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/the-inexact-science-of-titles-for-the-legal-department) - [Products](https://linksquares.com/products) - [LinkSquares Cloud](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) - [Prioritize](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) - [Finalize](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize) - [Sign](https://linksquares.com/products/sign) - [Analyze](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze) - [Full Suite](https://linksquares.com/products) - [Integrations](https://linksquares.com/integrations) - [Reporting](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) - [API](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) - [LinkAI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) - [Agentic AI](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) - [Services](https://linksquares.com/services/) - [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions) - [Crisis Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/crisis-management/) - [Contract Review](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-review/) - [Contract Storage](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-storage/) - [Data Privacy & Compliance](https://linksquares.com/solutions/data-privacy-compliance/) - [Deal Acceleration](https://linksquares.com/solutions/deal-acceleration/) - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/fundraising-and-ma/) - [Vendor Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/vendor-management/) - Departments - [Legal](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-legal/) - [Procurement](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-procurement/) - [Sales](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-sales/) - [Resources](https://linksquares.com/library) - [LinkSquares+](https://linksquares.com/plus) - [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) - [Cockpit Counsel](https://linksquares.com/cockpit-counsel-series) - [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers) - [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library) - [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events) - [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) - [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) - [The Library](https://linksquares.com/resources) - Company - [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://linksquares.com/contact-us/) - [Onboarding](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) - [Partner Program](https://linksquares.com/partners) - [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) - [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-events) - [Recognition](https://linksquares.com/recognition/) - [Support](mailto:support@linksquares.com) - [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) #### LINKSQUARES, INC. 60 State St. Suite 1200 Boston, MA 02109 [617-681-8552](tel:617-681-8552) [salesinfo@linksquares.com](mailto:salesinfo@linksquares.com) © 2026 LinkSquares, Inc. - [SaaS Terms of Service](https://linksquares.com/saas-terms-of-service/) - [Privacy](https://linksquares.com/privacy-policy/) - [Security](https://linksquares.com/security/) - [Status](https://linksquares.statuspage.io/) - [Your Privacy Choices](https://go.linksquares.com/linksquares-do-not-sell-or-share-personal-data) - ![aicpa soc 2](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/soc2_66933e61%20copy.png?width=100&height=100&name=soc2_66933e61%20copy.png) - ![barr certification](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Frame%201921.png?width=129&height=57&name=Frame%201921.png) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "Boston", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "02109", "streetAddress" : "60 State Street" }, "knowsLanguage" : "en", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/successful-legal-team-of-one" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "We’ve created a playbook to help one-person legal departments thrive and become indispensable partners in the business.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "LinkSquares Team" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-29T19:38:54Z", "datePublished" : "2022-01-25T16:53:13Z", "headline" : "Steps to Success: Legal Team of One", "image" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/6934676/AdobeStock_268797294.jpeg", "inLanguage" : "en", "keywords" : "[In-house Best Practices]", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "Steps to Success: Legal Team of One", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares" }, "text" : "Experienced General Counsels (GCs) know the struggles of flying solo in a high-growth company. With their specialized knowledge and skillset, attorneys add value to a company that others simply cannot. Being successful in this role and showing your worth takes determination, organization, and an ability to build the right relationships. We’ve created a playbook to help one-person legal departments thrive and become indispensable partners in the business. Be Proactive Whether you’re new to your position as an in-house attorney or switching up your approach, an excellent way to demonstrate your value is to uncover definable problems and help solve them. Our own CLO, Tim Parilla, recommends “Drilling past anything vague to define addressable issues and identify what you can solve. Easy, early wins earn credibility and support longer-term problem-solving.” Also, it’s not uncommon for Legal to get a reputation for being isolated from the rest of the company. Go out of your way to make yourself visible to leadership and your peers. Ask questions, listen to them, and help where you can. Do that, and before long, management will view you as a trusted resource for future problem-solving. Focus on the Basics If you’re starting a new position in a start-up or small company, there is probably a lot of housekeeping to be done in your department. “Many things provide value, but not everything offers value at the same level or within the same amount of time,” reminds Parilla. Remember that you can’t fix everything in one go and instead prioritize the most vital and fundamental tasks first. Look for high-impact, low-hour projects. Learn what existing software, tools, and applications are available, and gather insights into existing contracts to assess threats and discover opportunities. For example, if you determine that the contract drafting process is inefficient, find an automated solution to organize and speed things up. Alternatively, if you need to streamline deal closing by coordinating with sales, support, and finance teams, consider connecting a contract management tool to a customer relationship management (CRM) or accounting system. These process changes can deliver significant benefits quickly, giving you easy wins that make a tangible difference to your company. Leverage Technology For any in-house legal team, the proper contract lifecycle management (CLM) software is an invaluable support system. Before modern CLM solutions, tasks like drafting, finalizing, analyzing, and monitoring took days. Today’s artificial intelligence (AI) enables software to read and understand contracts while allowing legal teams to collaborate better. A good CLM eliminates the typical flurry of emails for sending contract drafts and approvals and will enable you to operate more efficiently and strategically. Take Pride in Your Expertise You’re filling a position that is critical to the health and growth of your business. Establish yourself as an essential business partner by defining success, prioritizing tasks, developing rapport, and evolving as a data-driven leader. The above will help you get off on the right foot. Enjoy these tips? Check out our new eBook with more resources and success tips for the modern legal leader.", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/successful-legal-team-of-one", "wordCount" : "615" } ```