The commercial cost of slow legal decisions

A matter does not need to become a dispute before legal delay becomes expensive. The cost may be a missed launch, idle equipment, a supplier holding back, a customer losing confidence or an executive making the decision without advice.

Measure the consequence, not only the queue

Legal teams often measure open matters and turnaround time. Those are useful, but they do not reveal which delay matters most. A low-value agreement linked to an immediate operational interruption may deserve attention before a larger contract with no near-term dependency.

Triage should consider value, urgency, reversibility, regulatory exposure, strategic importance and whether delay is already changing the negotiating position.

Most bottlenecks are not solved by working faster

Recurring delay often points to a system problem:

• unclear instructions;
• no agreed risk position;
• too many approvals;
• templates that do not match the transaction;
• every issue being treated as bespoke;
• external counsel being briefed without a disciplined question.

The answer may be a short intake form, a playbook, delegated authority, standard fallbacks or a weekly decision forum. Senior legal judgment matters because the system must preserve escalation for the issues that genuinely require it.

A clear “no” can be commercially useful

Speed does not mean approving everything. A prompt refusal with reasons and a viable alternative is often more valuable than prolonged ambiguity. The business can renegotiate, redesign or walk away while options remain open.

The objective is not a legal department that responds instantly. It is a legal function that distinguishes quickly between what is routine, what is important and what may materially change the business’s position.

General information only. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on without considering the facts and applicable law.