Disorganized doesn’t begin to describe it.
It’s, it’s, it’s…chaos.
The file cabinet is filled with files—lots of files.
There are redwell folders stacked near the file cabinet, and there are files on desks of the lawyers throughout the suite.
We were talking about implementing a system of tracking the cases, making sure the work is getting done, and keeping things from falling through the cracks.
That’s when it becomes apparent that no one—no one—in the office knows which cases are active and which cases are closed.
There is no master list.
Files get opened willy-nilly.
There’s no list of current clients, and there’s only a minimal system for designating a matter as closed. They tell me that “shipping the file off to the document storage facility means it’s closed.”
Why You Need a System
It all starts with a list.
The list is the key to a number of things:
- Monitoring the status of the files,
- Conducting case status meetings with your team,
- Determining the client’s satisfaction with the progress of the case,
- Assessing the client’s satisfaction with the firm at the conclusion of the matter,
- Implementing a performance-based compensation system,
- Thanking the referral source,
- Cross-selling other services to the client, and
- Following up with the client for further services.
The list is at the center of the management of your firm. Without a functional list, you’re lost.
How many firms use the presence of a file folder as a proxy for maintaining a comprehensive list of clients? Lots of firms.
If you’re chatting with someone like me and I ask you how many open files you’ve got, you should be able to tell me. You should know when a new matter starts and when it’s finished. There should be bright lines that define the status of your matters.
Some firms use sophisticated software for tracking matters (we use Salesforce). Others use a legal pad or index cards. The system doesn’t matter.
What matters is knowing. You need to know what matters you’re managing for your clients and what matters are finished. You need clarity about your responsibility.
It all starts with a list. What’s the state of yours?
