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What You Don’t Know About Legal Matter Management in 2023

India Preston

India Preston

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In this article

    You work on matters every day — collaborating with your team, seeing what updates are coming in, talking to outside counsel and clients. You know all about the challenges involved in legal matter management and you know how it works. Right? Well, maybe not as much as you might think.

    How legal teams are managing matters is changing — and with that change comes a huge amount of benefits. The digital transformation that’s taking place in the legal industry is acting as the linchpin for a revolution in matter management. CLOC’s State of the Industry Report found that 79% of respondents use legal matter management software to overcome the challenges involved.1 And with legal technology improving every year thanks to tools like Lupl, that number is only going to go up.

    Thanks to technology, the way lawyers can deliver more for their clients, along with all other legal processes, is going through a seismic shift. Let’s explore what you might not know about the technology that’s transforming legal matter management in 2023…

    What is legal matter management?

    Legal matter management encompasses the coordination, organization and delivery of all the core components involved in legal matters. The term itself has meant many things and can be confused with case management.

    The term has been used to refer to eBilling, working with outside counsel or a range of specific tasks related to individual cases. Today, it refers to almost all legal operations — everything involved in a matter.

    Today’s legal matter management is all about tech

    In many law firms and corporate legal departments today, matter management might look like back-and-forth emails or frustratingly long email chains. It’s all information and files that are hard to find and includes a bunch of different software tools to communicate, collaborate and share information.

    In fact, one survey found that 45% of respondents used between 5 and 10 different technologies to support their legal processes, while 30% said they used more than 10!2 Sound familiar? If you’re in that 45%, there’s one thing you certainly know about legal matter management: it can be a challenge.

    Bloated tech stacks make it tricky to get things done, nevermind getting them done efficiently. Switching back and forth between apps is time consuming, weakens security, can muddy the communication waters and, overall, makes your life harder than it needs to be.

    So you might not know that cutting edge legal tools, like Lupl, are streamlining matters to create one place to store and work on everything. Lupl is a project management tool with matter management capabilities, meaning you’re not just adding another bit of tech to your stack — you’re using one new bit of tech to unite your stack.

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    Project management is in for an improvement

    Let’s say you’re managing a project — probably more than one. Maybe you’re overseeing all the projects that make up your matter portfolio at once. What’s the one change that would help you the most?

    Is it having everything related to each project in one, easily accessible place? Or easier communication between internal and external teams? How about project templates so gathering information becomes a drag-and-drop process into pre-made lists? What if we could give you all of those, all at once.

    Legal matter management and legal project management go hand-in-hand. A project can range from just one matter to multiple, depending on what’s needed. So by improving how you manage matters, you also improve how projects get managed.

    Improving through matter templates

    One way this is done is through the matter templates, within which you can:

    • Keep track of everything that’s going on: Assign tasks to people and see how progress is being made with task updates.
    • Give the right people the right access to matter: You can be in control of who sees what, and what can be done to matter data.
    • Use all the checklists you’ll need: Edited for different requirements, so your project progresses online in real-time, task by task.
    • Create custom matter templates: If you’re working on a unique matter or project, the software adapts to the specific type of document management that you need.

    By creating a central, cloud-based location in which all relevant information is managed, collaboration between and within teams becomes more efficient. No more trying to remember where this task or that was created. A single source of truth lets everyone get updates on what’s going on, who’s doing what, and what needs to be done.

    Improving through integrations

    Another way that project management can be improved is with the right integrations.

    • Project management platforms integrate with everyday tools. And if you’re using a tool with open APIs, like Lupl, anything can be integrated. This means you don't have to flip between this application and that, from your messaging app to your email, from your email to your… you get the picture. Going back and forth between your technology and applications is a thing of the past. With Lupl, it’s all in one place.
    • Data entry is a breeze. Documents can be uploaded straight from your phone to the matter, providing seamless connectivity.
    • Security is improved. You don’t have to worry about legal documentation getting lost across multiple communication channels.

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    Improving know-how and knowledge

    But improving collaboration and project management is all about how you improve the information you’re sharing. Knowledge and know-how is the information you’re sharing. When it comes to matter management, a tool like Lupl is transforming the quality of both.

    You might know that knowledge and know-how are two important sides of the same coin. Knowledge is the letter of the law whereas know-how is how you apply that knowledge in real-world situations. What you might not know is that the way it’s shared and circulated throughout the legal industry is being transformed.

    Transformative tech

    • Break down silos: Information gatekeepers and siloes pop up all the time in law firms. Often, they spring up unconscious. By creating one centralized matter where everyone can contribute and communicate, there’s no more excuses to keep knowledge or know-how to themselves. Everyone can get the information they need — as soon as they need it.
    • Improved security: It’s not just internal know-how and knowledge that needs to be shared: outside counsel are important too. A platform like Lupl tightens security by letting you use the tools they use and you use in one app, reducing the fear of security issues like a data breach.

    Without know-how, processes stall and things are going to get done at a snail's pace. With Lupl, you get the right know-how, right in your lap. By using an app that unites your tech stack and utilising matter templates, your law firm can create a sharing culture — and a secure sharing culture.

    Transformed client delivery

    Client expectations are evolving. People want to pay less and get more — and expect it all faster than before. The best law firms need to stay aligned with these expectations.

    It’s all well and good having great relationships with established clients, but if you want to expand in 2023, there are more requirements to meet now than ever before. This means no longer forcing ill-fitting software to meet your needs. What you should know is that digitized, efficient, and crucially simple-to-use matter management software is critical to keeping up with modern expectations.

    Legal matter management is no longer just about internal processes to make sure everything’s running smoothly. There’s a lot more involved and it includes external relations now too. Primarily it’s about improving the quality of client project delivery.

    Cutting-edge legal tech, like Lupl does this for you:

    • Keep on top of tasks at a glance: Lupl’s dashboard provides a birds eye view of all your matters and projects, so you can see whether that task has been checked off, whether that issue has been resolved, or you’re still waiting on feedback from that person.
    • Get your time back: By reducing the amount of time switching between apps, chasing someone for an update, or hunting down that checklist, you get more of your time back — with Lupl, 40% of your time back. This means you can get on with delivering for clients.
    • Live document editing: No more sending back and forth waiting for this comment or that. With live document editing, it’s quicker and easier to keep track of changes, so you can stay up-to-date and make changes in real time.
    • Plug-and-play: Get set up with Lupl in under a minute (really!), so you can get started with improving client delivery today.

    On top of all this, with the help of Lupl’s new feature integrations, your spend management becomes easier. Instead of subscriptions to endless software packages, integrating a platform like Lupl with your billing tool streamlines your spend management.

    What you now know about legal matter management in 2023 

    If there’s one thing you should know about legal matter management now it’s that it doesn’t have to be as hard as it currently is. New, transformative technology like Lupl is changing all that as it centralises and streamlines matter management.

    As client expectations change and increase, legal needs to stay open to changes so that it can continue to improve — that’s why Lupl is open too. Our open APIs mean you can integrate our software with what you actually use — and as a company, we’re always open to hearing what you need. We bet you didn’t know that about modern legal matter management.

    To see for yourself how Lupl is transforming legal matter management, book a demo today.

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    1  2021 State of the Industry Report - CLOC

    2  Too Much Tech in Legal Operations? Not Exactly - WSJ

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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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