From Cost Center to Value Engine: How Legal Departments Can Generate Measurable Business Impact, Association of Corporate Counsel’s ACC Docket

In a recent article for the Association of Corporate Counsel’s ACC Docket, New Era Co-Founder and General Counsel Shane Mulrooney outlines a clear shift underway in corporate legal departments: the move from cost center to measurable business driver.

As legal teams face increasing workloads alongside tightening budgets, expectations are evolving. Today’s legal leaders are not only tasked with managing risk but also with demonstrating tangible contributions to revenue, efficiency, and enterprise value.

Shane’s article explores how forward-thinking legal departments are meeting this moment by building systems that translate legal work into outcomes executives can quantify. Rather than relying on reactive or case-by-case efforts, the most effective teams are designing operational frameworks that deliver results across the business.

As Shane notes, the goal is not to move away from risk management, but to evolve beyond it. Legal departments that build these systems are no longer asked to justify their spend. They become active contributors to growth.

Read the full article in ACC Docket here to explore the complete framework and practical takeaways..