On-demand webinar: Why CLM implementations fail – and how to get it right

Contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology has the potential to transform how legal teams manage contracts, but in practice, many implementations take longer than expected, stall midway or fail to deliver the value teams were hoping for.

In this webinar, delivered in partnership with Lexology, we explore why that happens, and what legal teams can do differently to set their CLM projects up for success.

Watch the full on-demand session above, where Kallan Piconi, Summize US Implementation Team Lead, General Counsel Susan Davis and Contracts Manager Carrie Voskuil, both from Foth Companies, share practical lessons from their real CLM journey.

Why do CLM implementations struggle?

One of the key themes from the session is that technology alone isn’t the solution.

While CLM platforms can streamline and structure contract processes, they can’t fix underlying issues like unclear workflows, disorganized data or inconsistent ways of working. If these aren’t addressed upfront, even the best technology can struggle to deliver impact.

Kallan highlighted three common causes of failure:

• Assuming the technology will solve everything without prior preparation

• Lack of clear ownership and accountability on the business side

• Treating rollout and adoption as an afterthought

Together, these factors can slow down projects, reduce engagement and limit long-term success.

The session also highlighted just how varied organizations’ starting points are – polling during the webinar showed audiences almost evenly split, from those exploring a CLM for the first time to teams already using a system but not fully satisfied.

This reinforced the point that whether you’re selecting your first solution or rethinking an existing one, the same fundamentals around preparation and adoption still apply.

What does preparation really look like?

Successful implementations start well before the technology is introduced.

In the session, Susan and Carrie broke down exactly what was needed before they began on their implementation journey:

1. Workflow clarity – understanding who owns each stage of the contract process, how approvals work and where bottlenecks exist is essential before configuring a CLM system.

2. Data and template readiness – many teams underestimate the effort required to organize contracts, standardize templates and define key clauses, but getting this right early makes implementation significantly smoother.

3. Clear ownership – having a defined project owner and involving the right stakeholders helps keep projects on track and ensures decisions are made efficiently.

Should legal teams change how they’re thinking about CLM?

Another important takeaway is the need to reset expectations. CLM isn’t an instant fix or a “set and forget” solution. It requires input, iteration and ongoing refinement. As discussed in the webinar, AI and automation are only as effective as the processes and data behind them. Legal teams that see the most success are those that treat CLM as a business transformation project, not just a technology rollout.

“Technology alone isn’t the answer. Without the right processes in place, CLM implementations will struggle to deliver value.”
– Kallan Piconi, Summize US Implementation Team Lead

How do you drive adoption across the business?

Even a well-implemented CLM system won’t succeed without adoption. In the session, Kallan, Susan and Carrie explored practical ways to bring the wider business on board, including:

• Communicating early and building awareness before launch

• Tailoring training to different user groups

• Running pilot periods with engaged, high-impact users

• Clearly showing how CLM benefits non-legal teams, such as sales

When asked what support would be most valuable during a rollout, over half of attendees said a structured pilot plan, far outweighing traninign materials or videos. This reflects a shift – legal teams aren’t just looking for information, they want practical, hands-on ways to test, refine and embed processes before a full rollout.

The key is making the system feel like a tool that helps the business, not just a new process imposed by legal.

How do you choose the right CLM partner?

Finally, the webinar covers what to look for when selecting a CLM vendor. Beyond features, the discussion emphasizes the importance of:

• Ease of use and integration with existing tools

• Support during implementation and beyond

• Flexibility to adapt to your organization’s needs

• Clear pricing structures aligned to how your team will use the system

For many teams, the quality of the partnership is just as important as the technology itself. If you’re looking for more information on selecting the right CLM vendor, take a look at our full Buyer’s Guide to CLM, which goes into more detail about both features and vendor qualities to keep an eye out for in your discovery process.

If you’re further along in your journey and actively looking for a CLM provider, take a look at Summize customer stories to see exactly how we’ve helped legal teams like yours transform their contracting processes.