Change is one of the few constants in modern business. Whether it’s new technology, shifting workflows, or reimagining the way teams collaborate, change management in legal operations can make or break a transformation.
At our October Third Thursday session, we explored this theme with two seasoned leaders:
- Kim Wolfe, Senior Managing Director, SVP, Chief Administrative Officer for Legal, Global Head of Contracts, State Street Corporation (formerly Wells Fargo)
- Anthony Curzio, Business Systems Consultant, MassMutual Financial Group
Together, they shared lessons learned on how organizations can drive both implementation and adoption. Our speakers shared practical advice on how to guide teams through change management in legal operations.
Click the video player above to view. Third Thursday recordings are only available to Onit customers.
MassMutual’s Continuous Transformation Journey
Tony Curzio walked us through MassMutual’s long-term transformation journey, which began in 2015 with a Lean Transformation initiative. The company’s goal was to understand its “voice of the customer” and build a culture of continuous improvement.
The Focus
Rather than starting with technology, MassMutual focused on:
- Mindset and behavior: Encouraging teams to think and act differently
- Process efficiency: Streamlining how work gets done
- Performance practices: Embedding accountability and measurement
- Organizational skills: Building capabilities that sustain change
Technology was intentionally left out of the early stages. “We wanted to understand our processes and people first,” Tony explained. Once the foundation was solid, new tools could be introduced thoughtfully.
The Roadmap to Change
MassMutual built a clear roadmap to help guide transformation:
- Provide clear direction so stakeholders know what’s coming and why
- Win hearts and minds to motivate and energize teams
- Shape the path by helping people understand how to operate in the new world
Guiding Principles
Their approach was grounded in five principles:
- Simple: Keep communication concise
- Iterative: Deliver updates gradually and repeatedly
- Targeted: Tailor messages to each audience
- Lean: Create short, digestible content
- Consistent: Maintain a unified look, feel, and language
Training for Real Change
To make change stick, MassMutual emphasized:
- Transparent planning and communication
- Identifying everyone impacted including indirect users
- Creating awareness that pulls people in rather than pushes information out
- Facilitating “just-in-time” learning
- Measuring progress and evolving along the way
Wells Fargo’s Perspective: Turning Decisions into Engagement
Kim Wolfe shared a story from her time at Wells Fargo as their Managing Director and Head of Legal Business Solutions. Her team faced a critical decision point: their legacy platform was nearing renewal, but their version was so outdated it would soon lose support.
Rather than rushing to upgrade, they paused to ask a key question: “How and why are people using this technology?”
Their Approach
- Identify champions within each legal team to ensure everyone had a voice
- Use a “drip” approach to communication—sharing updates early and often
- Practice empathy by putting themselves in the users’ shoes
As Kim noted, what makes sense to the administrator can feel redundant or confusing to an end user. Empathy bridges that gap and builds trust during transition.
The Gist of It
Both Kim and Tony highlighted that navigating change management in legal operations is about more than technology or process. It’s about people and helping them move through uncertainty with clarity, support, and consistency.
Looking Ahead to November 20
For this month’s Third Thursday, Harbor will show an exclusive preview of the Harbor Law Department Survey, the industry’s leading benchmarking study for legal departments:
- 65% of participants from the Fortune 500
- 400+ metrics
- 20+ years of data
- 200 companies participating annually
This survey offers unmatched insights into how leading law departments operate. The results are not yet public, making this a rare opportunity to gain an early look at the data shaping the industry.
We invite you to join us on November 20 to see how your organization compares and to learn from the best in the business. Email [email protected] for the invite.
