Contract Management and the Challenge of Legal Innovation: An Exploratory Case Study

The aim of this article is to understand the influence of legal innovation in the field of Contract Management. This exploratory research is based on a study of five cases from the legal departments of major French companies. Our proposal aims to identify the characteristics of legal innovation and the challenges of an innovative approach to Contract Management. We demonstrate that the formalisation of a Contractual Policy and the integration of technological tools significantly influence the performance of Contract Management and, beyond that, that of the Legal Department. The results obtained contribute to enriching the exploration of the concept of legal innovation and to deepening knowledge of Contract Management, an area still little explored in academic work. Finally, this article offers legal directors an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the issues involved in digitalising Contract management.