Is CLM Dead? Rebuilding Legal Infrastructure in the Agentic AI Era With Simon McCarthy

On this episode of The Vertical SaaS Podcast, host Gavin Savage sits down with Simon McCarthy, VP of Enterprise Transformation at ContractPod AI, to unpack what’s broken in Contract Lifecycle Management and what’s coming next.With over 150 CLM implementations under his belt, Simon shares a brutally honest take on why most platforms fail, the myths around CLM as a “legal” tool, and how AI is reshaping the contract stack. From post-signature ROI to the rise of agentic contracting, he offers sharp insights into where legal tech is headed and how operators can actually get it right.We explore:Why half of CLM projects fail and how to avoid becoming a cautionary taleThe true cost of doing nothing in contract managementWhat makes vertical SaaS fragile in the era of AIWhether “intelligent contracting” is just rebranding or something deeperThe line between tools and platforms, and how AI could redraw itWhether you’re scaling a legaltech product or rethinking your enterprise contract stack, this one’s packed with hard truths, practical wisdom, and a hopeful look forward.Key Takeaways:Simon has led 150+ CLM rollouts across major enterprisesChange management, not tech, is the CLM killerCLM is a cross-functional platform, not just for legalBad implementations can cost millions in sunk valueAI + agentic tools are transforming the CLM stackReal value lies after the signature, in tracking, obligations, and outcomesAdoption hinges on integration and user behavior, not featuresThe future is modular, intelligent, and AI-native Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.