Law Firm Checklist

1. Managing Your Time and Office
With Systems And TechTools:
Getting More Done With Less
Carolyn Elefant

2. Why Systems…
if you work alone?

3. Run on
Autopilot

4. Prevent
Mistakes

5. A total of 16.63 percent of malpractice claims [for
2008] resulted from the firm not knowing or not
properly responding to the court calendar:
•7.09 percent were for failure to know/ascertain
a deadline
•5.19 percent were for failure to calendar
properly
•4.35 percent were for failure to react to the
calendar
ABA Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims 2009

6. Facilitate
delegation

7. Avoid client
surprises

8. Compare apples
to apples

9. How does your
checklist of
incorporation
services stack
up?

10. Systems/business process
can build monetary value for
a practice

12. Achieve balance
and less stress

13. What Kinds of
Systems?

14. Categories
Substantive
 Procedural
 Marketing

15. Tools & Tips for
Setting Up Systems

16. Step 1: Define Purpose
Step 2: Who’s the User?
Read-do
(before)
vs.
Do-Confirm
(after)
Step 3: Simplify but
sufficient detail
Step 4: One page!
Step 5: Coordinate with
calendar
Step 6: Give to clients (if
relevant)
Step 7: Re-evaluate

17. Step
Performance Date
Client Call to Office
Ask how client found the office
If interested, set meeting w/in X date
If just asking price, send email w/FAQ
Client Intake
Conflicts Check
If no conflict, send Client Retainer
If retainer not returned, call client
If no retainer by X date, send declination letter
If yes signed retainer, did payment clear?
If no, notice to client (and declination letter)
If yes, enter client in data base, prepare draft document
Client Review (one round)
Finalize documents
Is bill paid? (If no, begin process forpayment. If yes, send final
materials)
If unbundled (e.g., client files) send documents, instruction letter, end of
engagement letter and client survey
If full service, file documents, then send filed copies, end of engagement
letter and client survey
Send requests for testimonial
Start newsletter or holiday cards
Client Intake Process (Table)

18. What systems
do you have for
handling paper
or email
communication
s that come
through the
door….

21. Rocket Matter
Checklist
Tools
Printable Checklist
ToodleDo
Outlook To Do
List
Clio
Phone Apps
TaDa List

22. Flowcharts &
Mindmaps

23. Flowchart & Mindmap Tools
Mindmeister.com
MindJet.com
Flowchart.com
(beta)

24. Forms
Facilitates gathering
of routine information
needed to evaluate
or handle case
Staff can complete
forms
Client DIY* (ethics
caveats for initial
intake)

25. Templates
Form letters and
documents that can
be customized for
individual matters
Create templates for
each stage of a
matter
Word processing v.
Hotdocs or
automation

26. Template Tools

27. Collaborative Tools
Zoho Projects (zoho.com)Box.net
Google Docs
BaseCamp
(basecamphq.com)

28. Knowledge Management
Tools
Google
Wiki
Evernote

29. Time Your Turn to Put A
System in Place

31. Thank You!
Contact:
Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant
elefant@myshingle.com
202-297-6100