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How Rajah & Tann Streamlines TMT Transactions And Multi-jurisdictional Projects

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

In this article

    With almost 1,000 legal professionals across 10 countries, Rajah & Tann Asia is the largest law firm in Southeast Asia. 

    Jewel Seo and Keith Wong are Associates in the firm’s busy Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) practice.  

    In this post, they discuss how they use Lupl as a central place to plan, organize and track work for the team’s key clients. 

    About the team 

    The team advises on all aspects of TMT projects in the B2B and B2C space, including transactions, commercial contracts, intellectual property, M&A, and data protection.  

    The challenges of managing work without a central system 

    As in many firms, work has typically been managed in Microsoft Outlook. With the practice growing fast, this has made it difficult to stay on top of everything. 

    Keith summarises the challenges of managing work in email: 

    “Typically, a lot of the coordination is done over email, still, and in quite a traditional format. It can be quite tedious and it takes a number of man hours to actually keep track of all the different moving parts that goes on.” 

    Inbox overload on regional projects  

    The challenge is exacerbated in a fast-moving regional practice. With 10 offices across the region and a global client base, the team regularly handles mandates that span the region, often with tight deadlines and strategic importance. 

    Jewel elaborates on the challenges of managing multi-jurisdictional projects: 

    “The bulk of our clients are looking for us to coordinate and get assistance from different jurisdictions on a timely basis, which does involve a lot more emails a lot more and coordination time…and a lot of just making sure that we’re on top of things from many different jurisdictions. Our inbox can be quite explosive!” 

    A key client with specific requirements 

    Keith provides an example of one of the firm’s key clients, which recently engaged Rajah & Tann to support on a series of strategically important transactions in the region: 

    “So for this particular key client, at the very start, they had told us quite clearly that this project would be a long-term project with many different moving parts. With the transaction volume, it had the potential to be overwhelming, so we started looking for a system to organize everything.” 

    Using Lupl as a one-stop shop to bring everything together  

    The team identified Lupl as a central system for matter coordination and delivery: 

    “With Lupl, what we’ve done is utilize it as a one-stop platform that really provides this bird’s eye overview of the entire project. So having these consolidated workstreams in Lupl has been really helpful in terms of project management and also client management.” 

    Key features and how they have provided value 

    With 10 countries, this often means gathering 10 rounds of input on regulatory or contract questions. Jewel discusses the value of Lupl’s Forms feature, which automates the information gathering process: 

    “Especially for these multi-jurisdictional coordinations, which do require a lot of counsel to receive the same information and for us to receive input on the same basis, like fees and timelines – enabling that to be streamlined. I think it’s really beneficial.” 

    In addition to the Forms feature, Keith outlines other key Lupl features that provide value to the team. And it starts with…you guessed it…email!  

    “One of the things that we really use is the Lupl email function, which brings relevant emails into the matter channel. We make sure that everybody is kept in touch with the latest developments.” 

    With the recent expansion of Lupl’s task and project management features, the team has also been using these features to stay on top of who needs to do what and by when: 

    “We also use the task functions to assign key deliverables, key deadlines, to certain members of the working group.” 

    Keith is also a fan of the “Pins” feature, which allows him to pin key information for all members of the team – ensuring everyone is on the same page, from the beginning to the end of the matter: 

    “Another thing that we’ve been using quite a bit is the Pins function because from time to time client will have, you know, new requirements or new specifications that have to go into the documents and by pinning it really like you would on a whiteboard, then everybody can always refer to it to see what updates or key things they have to be aware of.” 

    No time for a learning curve 

    When adopting new technology, especially in a busy practice, the team knew that a steep learning curve would prevent adoption. This is another reason they were drawn to Lupl, as Jewel explains: 

    “Lupl has a simple and balanced design and I haven’t needed training. It doesn’t try to do too much – which I often see with other tools.”  

    Closing thoughts 

    For this team, the value is clear – it is about bringing the pieces together, so less time is wasted jumping between email threads, status reports and video calls. As Keith puts it: 

    “I think having Lupl as a central repository for a client or a matter is very, very helpful. Lupl is just really useful in centralizing everything.” 

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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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