Key Takeaway: Successful legal operations require strong change management, including the ability to improvise when plans unravel. Legal operations professionals will build these skills with Epiq and Second City Works — the B2B arm of the world-famous sketch comedy and improv institution born in Chicago — during the CLOC 2026 Keynote Session on Wednesday, May 13, in Chicago.

Legal operations work requires improvisation, with systems, stakeholders, and spreadsheets in the mix. One minute, you’re aligning Procurement, Security, and Legal on a tight provider deadline. The next, you’re managing conflicting priorities between IT, Finance, and your general counsel to roll out a new e-billing system.

Whether you recognize it or not, improvisational skills are already shaping how you bring clarity, influence teams, and drive progress when plans change. Let’s look at five key abilities that make this possible in legal ops every day.

Active “Yes-and” Listening

In a contract lifecycle management (CLM) rollout meeting, Sales says, “We can’t add more clicks; this will slow deals,” while Security insists on new questionnaires. “Yes-and” listening helps you acknowledge the pressure. You can point out that “yes, speed matters” and build a shared path forward: “and if we automate low-risk templates and route only exceptions for review, we can protect the business without adding friction.” By listening closely and responding intentionally, legal operations transform ideas into innovative solutions and measurable business results. 

“Improv puts you in a state of heightened awareness.”
 — Tina Fey

Thinking on Your Feet Under Pressure

Picture this: you’re presenting an outside counsel panel proposal when Finance asks, “What happens if litigation spikes next quarter? Are we locked into these rates?” You may not have time to pull every historical matter immediately. Thinking on your feet lets you stay composed, clarify the concern, and offer a structured answer: a blended-rate approach, guardrails for staffing, and a defined exception process tied to matter complexity. Legal ops leaders are often the “live translator” between legal risk and business constraints.

Reframing and Story Construction

When rolling out a legal spend management system, legal ops faces the question, “Why invest in this when our current process works?” Rather than highlighting software features, legal ops reframes the conversation: “This tool lets us track invoice approvals and pinpoint delays, shifting spend data into clear actions.” By sharing these metrics, the legal department can show how to most effectively manage legal work across internal and external resources to drive stakeholder value. It’s not just about flawless execution and change management; it’s about driving measurable outcomes that support organizational growth.

“The principles of improv have made me more collaborative, more creative, and more resilient.” 
 — Amy Poehler

Emotional Intelligence

Legal operations rolls out a new IP portfolio system, but an in-house lawyer who is used to legacy practices and spreadsheets pushes back, fearing loss of familiar routines. Legal ops recognizes their attachment, listens with empathy, and demonstrates how the new system streamlines global filings and improves visibility into portfolio status for faster decision-making. By addressing concerns and offering hands-on guidance, legal ops uses emotional intelligence to ease the shift and modernize the legal function. 

Embracing Uncertainty Without Losing Authority

A senior leader asks, “Can we commit to a 20% legal spend reduction this year?” when business priorities are still moving. Rather than guessing, you can lead with a confident operating model: “Here’s our baseline, the levers we can pull (panel optimization, guidelines, intake triage, automation), the assumptions we need to validate, and the checkpoints we’ll use to adjust.” This skill matters because legal ops credibility comes from disciplined ambiguity: being clear about what’s known, what’s unknown, and what happens next.

“Improv trains you to stay flexible, because the scene is never what you expect.” 
 — Steve Carell

Second City is one of the most venerable improv institutions in the world. Its alumni include alumni include Steve Carell, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Murray, Amy Poehler, and Martin Short, as well as professionals trained in the art and discipline of collaborative, in-the-moment communication. 

At CLOC Global Institute 2026 in Chicago, Epiq is partnering with Second City to present the keynote session, Yes, And: How the Rules of Improv Unlock Innovation and Collaboration in Legal Operations. This interactive experience will showcase presence, creativity, and sharp listening as practical improv skills to help legal ops professionals perform in high-stakes settings.

Learn more about Epiq at the CLOC Global Institute.



David Cambria, Managing Director, Epiq Advisory
David has spent his career driving innovation for law firms and corporate legal functions to drive transformation, improve strategic decision-making, client engagement, operational efficiency, and revenue growth. 

He is an award-winning, published author and speaker. David established one of the first AI Centers of Excellence at a global law firm, advises an AI legal technology company, and consults both corporate legal departments and Am Law 100 firms. He also co-founded and leads several legal operations organizations, including the ACC’s Legal Operations Section and CLOC.