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6 minute read

December News You Can Use

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

Lupl's News You Can Use
In this article

    It's that time of year again! ❄️

    As we cozy up to the holiday season and reflect on 2023, we couldn't be more excited for the future of legal tech! Our fall release has been embraced enthusiastically by users globally, simplifying how lawyers and legal professionals navigate their day-to-day. This success is a testament to our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our legal community.

    Editor's Note:

    Driven by the rapid adoption of LLMs and the evolving demands of clients, service providers are increasingly leveraging AI and cloud-based solutions to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and help law firms deliver superior client services. This industry shift underscores the growing importance of innovation and adaptability, which are pivotal in shaping the future of everything around us.

    In our December newsletter, we delve into the latest industry trends and showcase how Lupl's recent updates empower legal professionals to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

    Read on to discover more about our journey and the exciting developments we have in store for you! 👇🏼

    What's New in Lupl

    Our team has been busy refining Lupl to improve the user experience. Here are the highlights of what we've shipped recently:

     

    🔁 Lupl Workstream Enhancements

    We've refined Lupl Workstreams to enhance visibility and streamline your workflow. Our latest updates include notifications for workstream items (not just tasks!) and the ability to save Workstream filters, ensuring you can easily return to your preferred view. These improvements are all about making Lupl more intuitive and tailored to the needs of our users.

     

    📝 Lupl Forms got an Upgrade too!

    In our latest release, we've made several improvements to Lupl Forms. You'll now see a progress bar when attaching large files, giving you clear visibility of the upload status. We've also introduced the ability to save a draft of your form without immediately publishing it and increased the character limit for descriptions and titles, with a real-time display as you type, allowing for more flexibility.

     

    🤖 Simplified Workflows with LuplAI

    We've enhanced the UI for creating new matters in Lupl, making it more user-friendly with a more prominent AI option and the ability to include matter-specific details during setup. Additionally, LuplAI now leverages custom workstream types, streamlining the setup process for a smoother experience.

     

    🎨 Global Tasks Redesign

    We've given our Global Tasks page a fresh update, now featuring new sorting options and a user-friendly search function, allowing you to quickly find and focus on the tasks that are most important to you.

     

    📱Mobile Device Upgrades

    For both iOS and Android users, we've updated our mobile apps to allow users to edit and add content to custom fields in workstreams while on the move.

     

    Speak with our Sales team to learn more or schedule a Lupl demo.

    Discover How Your Peers Are Utilizing Lupl

    Harness the power of Lupl to enhance your practice, unlocking higher levels of efficiency, client satisfaction, and profitability for your law firm. Our dedicated Success team has meticulously curated a comprehensive list of almost 100 use cases across various legal practices. Each month, we showcase a different use case to inspire and empower your practice.

    Lupl can be used to manage and track regulatory approvals, providing enhanced visibility for risk and compliance management, a boost to collaboration and teamwork, and improved efficiency and profitability, which positions the firm to win more work by elevating the client experience.

    How it works:

    • Utilize Lupl Workstreams as a flexible, central hub to track and manage regulatory approvals and administrative tasks.
    • Leverage Lupl Forms to manage approvals as well as collect and collate responses from anyone, inside or outside your Lupl matter.
    • Link relevant documents, such as filings and regulatory correspondence, to tasks and form responses.
    • View approval statuses at a glance, including upcoming or overdue items, or utilize automatic deadline reminders.
    • Sync everything with your firm's Document Management System.

    Have a use case you want to share? We would love to hear it. Check out our Use Case Library and submit yours today!

    🚀 Efficiency Boost 🚀

    Did you know you can create custom templates for frequently used checklists or processes in Lupl?

    This feature saves time and ensures consistency across similar tasks or matters. Once set up, Lupl Templates can be reused and refined, reducing repetitive work and increasing overall efficiency.

    IRL / URL

    A collection of interesting finds across the web (URL) and updates on where to meet with the Lupl team in real life (IRL).

    • Cat Moon and Mark Williams Launch the New Vanderbilt AI Law Lab (VAILL). Our take - Law schools are going all in on AI, too. Vanderbilt Law School announced the launch of Vanderbilt AI Legal Lab (VAILL), led by Cat Moon, Director of Innovation at Vanderbilt’s Program on Law and Innovation, and Mark Williams, Associate Director for Collections and Innovation at the Massey Law Library. This new initiative aims to explore how artificial intelligence can transform legal services and access to justice. VAILL's mission focuses on harnessing AI, particularly GenAI, to improve the delivery of legal services and expand access to legal knowledge. The lab emphasizes an ethically grounded, human-centered approach. It plans to collaborate with various sectors, including courts, law firms, and legal aid organizations, to develop prototype AI applications addressing real legal needs. Ethics are a foundational aspect of VAILL, with an emphasis on teaching students the practical uses of AI in law practice and its broader policy and societal implications. Vanderbilt’s law librarians will play a critical role in assessing new AI tools, and the lab is seen as a "risk-free" testing ground for innovations in legal education.

     

    • What does reliability mean when it comes to legal AI? Our take - Reliability is crucial for professional-grade AI products and encompasses more than just avoiding errors like hallucinations in large language models. It involves developing AI solutions specifically for law, integrating both AI and legal expertise, and maintaining high privacy and security standards. Reliability also means prioritizing the law in AI development, requiring domain-specific expertise, and ensuring that the product meets the long-term needs of legal professionals. Furthermore, a reliable legal AI tool builds a proven track record in legal tech and offers sustained support and partnership, not just a product. This includes understanding user needs, providing consistent support, and being responsive to customer feedback and the evolving needs of the industry.

     

    • Antitrust disruption could accelerate next year, specialist says. Our take - The Biden Administration's intensified focus on antitrust laws could have big impacts in 2024. Key initiatives include proposed merger guidelines, revisions to the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) process, and a ban on noncompete agreements. Colin Kass, a partner at Proskauer Rose and head of its antitrust practice, notes these changes are significant, especially the ban on noncompetes, which will likely face legal challenges. The proposed changes to the HSR process are also substantial, requiring companies to provide detailed information upfront, including a narrative for the deal, projected revenue streams, data on previous acquisitions, labor market impacts, and a transactional analysis of market conditions. This represents a shift from the past, where companies could passively wait for regulatory feedback. Kass highlights the administration's changing view of antitrust law, evident in the proposed merger guidelines, which he describes as a return to a 1960s-era enforcement approach focusing on industry-level activity. These changes could lead to instability, as future administrations might replace these guidelines, potentially impacting how courts view and use them in antitrust rulings.

     

    • OMG, China Has ACTUAL Legal Robots And All The Legal Tech Patents. Our take - China's advanced use of legal technology, which includes actual legal robots and a dominant position in filing legal tech patents, is aimed at modernizing the practice of law. In the Chinese justice system, robots assist litigants with case filing, cost estimation, and success predictions, while AI advises judges on sentencing for specific crimes. This technology is designed to assist rather than replace lawyers. The ripple effect of AI's role is highlighted by its use in legal aid centers, where it helps users prepare their cases. The result is a reduced burden on courts and expanded access to legal knowledge. The article points out that while China's use of legal tech is innovative, it's also motivated by regulatory and control aspects, like monitoring for corruption. The article also notes that China's dominance in legal tech patent filings is part of a broader national strategy and does not necessarily imply global leadership in legal tech innovation.
    Upcoming legal events that Lupl will be participating in

    SKILLS 2024

    Known as the Strategic Knowledge & Innovation Legal Leaders’ Summit, or SKILLS, this virtual summit offers a platform for knowledge management and innovation leaders to share insights, discuss current developments in KM and innovation, and the business aspects of law.

    💻 Online | January 18, 2024 | 10 AM - 4PM EST

     

    New Year Refresh

    Join Lupl's upcoming webinar in January as our featured panelists share their personal tips for concluding year-end projects, including lessons learned and accomplishments. Plus, they're ready to give you a sneak peek into their plans for next year. You'll walk away with actionable tips and a solid roadmap to kick off 2024!

    💻 Online | January 24, 2024 | 11 AM EST / 4PM GMT

     

    Legalweek 2024

    Legalweek is a staple of the legal conference circuit, considered a must-attend legal tech event for information, education, and industry networking. Legalweek offers actionable insights with educational sessions, as well as a chance for legal professionals to get a taste of what new tech is on the market.

    🇺🇸 New York City | January 29 - February 1, 2024

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      # Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers Legal project management works when your setup is simple, ownership is clear, and statuses are unambiguous. This guide shows how to turn existing processes and checklists into a lean, reliable Workstream. Lupl is the legal project management platform for law firms, making it easy and intuitive to apply these principles. It also supports moving your work from Excel, Word tables, or if you are transitioning from Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet, or Monday. You will learn what belongs in a Workstream, a Task, or a Step, and which columns to use. If you want practical project management for lawyers, start here. **Excerpt:** Legal project management works when ownership, dates, and statuses are clear. This guide shows lawyers how to turn checklists into Lupl Workstreams with the right columns, Tasks, and Steps. Use it to standardize project management for lawyers, reduce follow ups, and move matters to done. --- ## How to organize your work with Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps are three different types of objects in Lupl. They form a simple hierarchy. Workstreams contain Tasks. Tasks may contain optional Steps. This hierarchy aligns with standard project management. In project management, you break work into projects, deliverables, and subtasks. Lupl adapts this for lawyers by using Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps. This makes it easier to map legal processes to a structure that teams can track and manage. * **Workstream.** Use when you have many similar or related items to track over time. Think of the Workstream as the table. * Examples: closing checklist, court deadlines, pretrial preparation, regulatory obligations, due diligence, local counsel management. * **Task.** A high level unit of legal work. A key deliverable with an owner and a due date. Tasks are the rows. * Examples: File motion. Prepare Shareholder Agreement. Submit Q3 report. * **Step.** An optional short checklist inside a single Task. Steps roll up to the parent Task. * Examples: Draft. QC. Partner review. E file. Serve. ### Quick test * If it can be overdue by itself, make it a Task. * If it only helps complete a Task, make it a Step. * If you need different columns or owners, create a separate Workstream. --- ## Do you need to track everything in Lupl Not every detail needs to be tracked in a project management system. The principle is to capture what drives accountability and progress. In Lupl, that means focusing on deliverables, not every micro action. * Use the level of detail you would bring to a weekly team meeting agenda. * Position Tasks as key deliverables. Treat Steps as optional micro tasks to show progress. * Example: You need client instructions. Do not add a Task for "Email client to request a call." Just make the call. If the client approves a key deliverable on the call, mark that item Approved in Lupl so the team has visibility. --- ## Start with the Core 5 columns Columns are the backbone of a Workstream. They define what information is tracked for each Task. In project management terms, these are your core metadata fields. They keep everyone aligned without overcomplicating the table. Keep the table narrow. You can add later. These five work across most legal project management use cases. 1. **Title.** Start with a verb. Example: File answer to complaint. 2. **Status.** Five to seven clear choices. Example: Not started, In progress, For review, For approval, Done. 3. **Assignee.** One named owner per row. If you add multiple assignees for collaboration, still name a primary owner. 4. **Due date.** One date per row. 5. **Type or Category.** Show different kinds of work in one table. Example: Filing, Discovery, Signature, Approval. **Priority.** Add only if you actively triage by priority each week. If added, keep it simple: High, Medium, Low. --- ## Add up to three Helper columns Lupl includes a set of pre made columns you can use out of the box. These allow you to customize Workstreams around different phases or stages of a matter. They also let you map how you already track transactional work, litigation, or other processes. Helper columns are optional fields that add context. In task management, these are similar to tags or attributes you use to sort and filter work. The key is to only add what you will update and use. Pick only what you will use. Stop when you reach three. * Party or Counterparty * Jurisdiction or Court * Phase * Approver * Approval, status or yes or no * Signature status * Risk, RAG * Amount or Number * External ID or Client ID * Document or Link * Docket number * Client entity **Guidance** * For Task Workstreams, prefer Approver, Approval, Risk. The rest are more common in Custom Workstreams. * Aim for eight columns or fewer in your main table. Put detail in the Task description, attachments, or Steps. --- ## Simple rules that keep your table clean Consistency is critical in project management. A cluttered or inconsistent table slows teams down. These rules ensure your Workstream remains usable and clear. * Only add a column people will update during the matter. If it never changes, set a default at the Workstream level or set a default value in the column. * Only add a column you will sort or filter on. If you will not use it to find or group work, leave it out. * If a value changes inside one Task, use Steps. Steps show progress without widening the table. * Keep columns short and structured. Use Description for brief context or instructions. Use Task comments for discussion and decisions. Link to work product in your DMS as the source of truth. * One accountable owner per Task and one due date. You can add collaborators, but always name a primary owner who moves the Task. If different people or dates apply to different parts, split into separate Tasks or capture the handoff as Steps. * Add automations after you lock the design. Finalize columns and status definitions first. Then add simple reminders and escalations that read those fields. --- ## Status hygiene that everyone understands Status is the single most important column in project management. It tells the team where the work stands. Too many options cause confusion. Too few cause misalignment. In Lupl, keep it simple and consistent. * Five to seven statuses are enough. * Use one review gate, For review or For approval. Use both only if your process needs two gates. * One terminal status, Done. This is the end state of the Task. Use Archived only if you report on it or need it for retention workflows. --- ## When to split into multiple Workstreams In project management, it is best practice to separate workstreams when workflows, owners, or audiences diverge. Lupl makes this easy by letting you create multiple Workstreams for one matter. Create a new Workstream if any of the following are true. * You need a different set of columns for a chunk of work. * Ownership or cadence is different, for example daily docketing vs monthly reporting. * The audience or confidentiality needs are different. **Signal** * If half your rows leave several columns blank, you are mixing processes. Split the table. --- ## Decision tree, three quick questions Use this quick framework to decide where an item belongs. This is the same principle used in task management software, adapted for legal workflows. 1. Is this a list of similar items over time, or a discrete phase of the matter * Yes. Create a Workstream. 2. Can it be overdue by itself, and does it need an owner * Yes. Create a Task. 3. Is it a step to finish a Task and not tracked on its own * Yes. Create a Step. --- ## Common mistakes to avoid Many project management failures come from overdesigning or misusing the structure. Avoid these mistakes to keep your Workstreams lean and effective. * Wide tables with many optional columns. Keep it to eight or fewer. * Two columns for the same idea, for example Status and Phase that overlap. Merge or define clearly. * More than one approval gate when one would do. It slows work and confuses owners. * Mixing unrelated processes in one table, for example signatures and invoice approvals. --- ## Build your first Workstream Building a Workstream is like setting up a project board. Keep it light, pilot it, then refine. Lupl is designed to let you do this quickly without heavy admin work. 1. Write the Workstream purpose in one sentence. 2. Add the Core 5 columns. 3. Add at most three Helpers you will use. 4. Define clear Status meanings in plain words. 5. Set defaults for any value that repeats on most rows, for example Jurisdiction. 6. Add two light automations, a due soon reminder and an overdue nudge. 7. Pilot for one week and adjust. --- ## Where this fits in legal project management Use these principles to standardize project management for lawyers across matters. Keep structures consistent. Reuse column sets and status definitions. Your team will find work faster, reduce follow ups, and close loops on time. --- ### On page SEO helpers * Suggested title tag. Lupl Workstream Design Principles, Practical Legal Project Management for Lawyers * Suggested meta description. Learn how to design lean Lupl Workstreams for legal project management. Get clear rules for Tasks, Steps, statuses, and columns to run matters with confidence. * Suggested URL slug. legal-project-management-for-lawyers-workstream-design

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