How can matter management systems average an ROI of 36% of outside counsel spend?

Written by Rees Morrison | 08 November 2009

“Average reported savings from using matter management systems were 36.8% of outside legal spending.” Incredible, and not to be believed.

The claim comes from the 2008 ACC/Serengeti Managing Outside Counsel Survey, which obtained survey responses from hundreds of ACC-member law departments. I have twice before challenged similar claims drawn from this survey, and won’t repeat my criticisms here (See my post of Aug. 5, 2005: average savings on matter management systems from survey of more than 250 law departments in 2002 was 16%; and April 13, 2007: from same survey in 2006, “average reported savings from using matter management systems was 11% of outside legal spending.”). Little of this do I believe can be substantiated.