As OCS has grown across the Australia/ New Zealand region, the volume and complexity of legal contracts have increased across sectors including aviation, healthcare, education and construction. Over two years, contract volumes rose to around four times previous levels, without an increase in legal headcount.
The legal function responded to the increased volume by introducing AI tools into daily workflow, targeting areas with the highest volume and risk. These tools support first-pass contract review, identifying liability exposure, non-standard clauses and inconsistencies across large, multi-document agreements.
They’re also used to compare specifications, prepare draft advice and support claims and dispute work. This has improved turnaround times and increased the speed at which operational and commercial teams can access legal input during tenders and mobilisation.
The approach remains controlled. All outputs are reviewed by legal counsel, and AI is used to support judgement, not replace it.
This has allowed the function to absorb increased demand, reduce reliance on external legal support and maintain consistent risk assessment across Australia and Aotearoa.
It reflects a disciplined approach to growth, speed and efficiency without compromising accuracy or accountability.
