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[Video] Wait, Legal Is A Growth Lever!?
Legal Is a Value Creation Lever, Not Just a Cost Center
GTX Legal Founder & Senior Managing Attorney Zach Griffin explains why treating legal like a business driver instead of a line item to minimize can improve enterprise value. He uses a simple but effective analogy: if a company invests in everything except the legal and contracting function, it is like trying to get fit while ignoring diet.
In this video episode, Zach draws on his experience at Jones Day and with private equity portfolio companies to show how faster, better contract review can directly affect revenue timing, deal velocity, and quarterly performance.
Key Topics
Legal as a value lever, not just overhead — Zach argues that companies often misunderstand legal because they view it only as a cost center.
The fitness and nutrition analogy — A business can invest in growth, operations, and systems, but still undercut itself if it ignores legal.
Why PE firms may overlook legal improvements — He suggests many private equity operators come from business, finance, or consulting backgrounds, so legal value creation is not always intuitive.
Contracting sits at the center of every transaction — Every sale or purchase of goods and services depends on a contract, so the contracting process should be efficient.
Diligence issues often go unaddressed post-close — Zach describes how contract problems identified during diligence are often set aside after acquisition and resurface later at exit.
Real-world example of slow contract review — One client had customer agreements reviewed by the CFO, and initial review could take
three to four weeks
Faster review improved business outcomes — After engaging GTX Legal, turnaround dropped to two to three business days, an estimated 85 percent improvement
Speed affects revenue recognition and quarterly goals — Faster contracting helps revenue close sooner instead of slipping into later quarters.
Delay creates competitive risk — Slow review gives competitors time to win the deal.
Better legal operations reduce revenue leakage — Improving cycle time supports customer satisfaction, preserves deals, and helps the business hit targets more consistently.
Timestamps
00:00 — Morning run and the core thesis: legal should not be treated as a nuisance cost
01:06 — Jones Day diligence work on customer and vendor contracts
02:02 — Why post-close legal issues often never get fixed
03:01 — Why business operators may not see legal as a growth lever
04:27 — Example of a company relying on the CFO for contract review
05:23 — Three- to four-week review cycles slow sales and create friction
06:53 — Slow contracting gives competitors time to take the deal
07:31 — Reframing the same client example with a faster review process
08:22 — How delayed contracts push revenue into later quarters
09:22 — Two- to three-day turnaround and the 85 percent improvement
10:21 — Legal improvements that directly raise enterprise value
10:49 — Closing thoughts and teaser for the rest of the series
Watch full video here.
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