Metric of the Week (#13): Budget Allocation Across Practice Areas (BAPA)
- jamiemendoza7
- Feb 24
- 2 min read
February 25, 2025
Every legal department has limited resources, but where does the money actually go? Budget Allocation Across Practice Areas (BAPA) tracks how a legal department distributes its budget across different practice areas, such as litigation, contracts, privacy, compliance, etc.
Getting this balance right is key. Too much in one area and you risk inefficiencies; too little and you may be unprepared for legal challenges. Tracking BAPA helps legal leaders align spending with business priorities and spot shifts in legal demand before they become problems.
Not every dollar is spent equally. Some practice areas require more resources, while others might be prone to surprise costs. If budget forecasting isn’t accurate, BAPA can become reactive rather than strategic.
Trend Analysis
Legal spending isn’t static. A growing budget for regulatory compliance might signal increasing scrutiny, while a shrinking privacy budget could mean future risk exposure. Looking at historical BAPA trends can reveal how priorities shift—and whether the budget is keeping up.
If you’re interested in exploring this metric further, along with other KPIs, check out my book, Legal Operations KPIs available on Amazon in English, Spanish or Portuguese. or as an eBook on Google Play in (English / Spanish / Portuguese). It covers over 80 metrics and KPIs with practical insights to help you get the most out of your legal department.
Visit LegalOpsKPIs.com for more information, exclusive resources such as expert interviews, a chart library, Excel templates, and to connect with a global community of professionals committed to advancing Legal Operations through data-driven insights.
See this article in Linked here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/metric-week-13-budget-allocation-across-practice-areas-mori-kabiri
InfiniGlobe is a full-service consulting and software company. We have 20+ years of industry experience working with top corporate legal departments and law firms. Contact us at info@infiniglobe.com or at (833) LGL-TECH.