What is Legal Project Management
Treating Cases as Projects. Applying Methodology and Legal Technology to manage them
Written by Knowledge Team, posted on November 20, 2018.
Legal Project Management are best practices, methodology and SOP aided with Legal Technology for effective Practice Management in Modern Law Firms. Objective resource tracking and reporting during the lifecycle of the Case
What is Legal Project Management
In brief, Legal project management is the way of approaching legal matters with a more proactive approach than that of the traditional methods. It involves more thoroughly defining the project at the outset, planning it, executing/actively managing it and evaluating/closing the matter at the end. It does involve the application of specific methodologies, tools and approaches that have not historically been used by lawyers.
Project management is used in almost every industry, and law firms that incorporate these principles are experiencing tremendous success, not only for their clients but also for their own profit.
Legal Project Management – A proactive process for defining, planning, executing and evaluating matters/projects.
Legal Project Management – for all types of firms
LPM applies to all types of legal matters — large and small, with large firms and small firms or solos. In today’s legal market, small matters, whether handled by a small or large firm, must be handled very efficiently. That is difficult to do if the lawyers and their clients are not on the same page about expectations and objectives, the scope of the work and the plan to complete the work. Legal Project Management can ensure that the matter is handled to the client’s satisfaction and that the law firm does not have significant write-offs. In many large law firms today, write-offs that are attributable to a lack of project management are typically costing more than $10 million per year.
What it takes to be a great Legal Project Manager
To become a great legal project manager is the need of the hour for most of the ambitious lawyers. Acquiring the below skillsets can make you one
Possessing complete knowledge of the projects : “Practice makes a man perfect!”. As per the adage, the one who has practiced law firmly and possesses a strong foundation in the concepts of law and has familiarized with a variety of project management methods and techniques has upper hand to become a great legal project manager. After all, experience counts.
Command over the Language : Legal project managers need to have strong communication skills and must possess a good command over their language. This is because, project managers are the direct point of contact for not only their own team members but also for the clients. They may also be the ones contacted in case of any clarifications or grievances of the clients and hence legal project managers act as the face of their respective law firms.
Planning and execution : Legal project managers have to spend twice as much time on planning. A fairly detailed plan of each case and proper utilization of resources including planning of giving the right task to the right resource, giving importance to priority tasks, etc and applying successful project management techniques in the law practices can fetch one a name of a good project manager. On the whole, a good legal project manager needs to set out the “who, what, where, when, and how” of any project.
A Techy Project Manager is liked by all : Well-honed IT skills have become absolutely necessary in all sectors today and legal sector is no exception to it. Most law firms have already started automating heir law practices and hence legal project managers need to familiarize themselves with the legal software and provide an overall rich experience to their clients through the use of technology in their law firm.
Innovation and adapting to changes : A good legal project manager should always be updated of the latest trends in the law market and must be ready to change to a better good. He/She must strive to replace the old conventional law practices with new ones and show uniqueness and innovation to attract clients and satisfy modern attorneys.
With Legal Project Management, it’s time for a change
Managing a matter as a lawyer is as old as the profession itself. What’s different now are the tools available to manage your matter more efficiently and even achieve higher profits. Properly planning a matter ahead of time will also allow you to move towards charging fixed fees or Alternative Fee Arrangements, both are highly desirable thing for many clients which ultimately will strengthen your relationship.
Let’s look at the profitable benefits of Legal Project Management.
Legal Project Management – a boon!
- With LPM, attorneys can offer flat fees while at the same time ensuring profitability.
- It streamlines the process of completing a matter. Your practice works smarter to efficiently handle cases, instead of wasting time and resources on unnecessary tasks.
- LPM creates more accurate budgeting forecasts.
- More experience with legal project management will be a greater learning to lawyers and the firm will be able to meet deadlines quickly.
- Knowing which resource to be allocated for which matter/project.
- Client-Attorney relationship can be established and hence is a good opportunity for the firm to grow.
Legal Project Management – the road to higher profits
Legal Project Management has succeeded in delivering many effective and well-structured projects. Consistent results, reduced costs, on-time and on-budget projects, higher profits and better client relationships are the benefits that you can reap from Legal Project Management