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Lupl’s ILTACON 2023 Experience: Igniting Legal Tech Connections

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

Lupl at ILTACON 2023 in Orlando, Florida
In this article

    What an exhilarating journey it has been at ILTACON 2023! As the dust is settling, we are filled with excitement over the insightful conversations, innovative technologies, and impactful connections that took place last week in Orlando. This year’s conference demonstrates the legal industry is ready for exponential growth and advancement.

    Throughout the event, Booth #200 was abuzz with energy and we were thrilled to showcase Lupl’s biggest feature release to date! The opportunity to connect with so many of you, whether at our booth, breakout sessions, or networking events, has been an absolute highlight.

    Read on to explore the conference in more detail, learn the Lupl Team’s takeaways, and continue the conversation that started at ILTACON.

    Key Takeaways from the Lupl Team

    The Lupl team at ILTACON 2023

    As we reflect on ILTACON 2023, the Lupl team has various insights and ideas that have shaped our perspective on the future of legal technology. Here are our key takeaways from ILTACON 2023:

    • Addressing the Technology Gap: Attendees expressed a clear need to bridge gaps in their technology stacks, particularly around project and task management, further solidifying the need for an LPM solution (Hint: it’s Lupl!).
    • AI’s Influence and Challenges: It probably comes as no surprise that AI emerged as a dominant theme, with many sessions exploring its implications for the legal sector. Discussions revolved around sustaining associate productivity in the face of generative AI, the impact of AI on billable hours, the need for changes in work methodologies, and whether law firms need to consider alternative revenue streams to adapt.
    • Anticipation for Innovations: The anticipation surrounding upcoming Lupl features was tangible, resonating with the concerns and requirements voiced during the conference. This anticipation validates our commitment to addressing key industry challenges and delivering solutions that cater to evolving legal landscape demands.

    These takeaways fuel our commitment to driving innovation within the legal sector. We’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and to translate these insights into actionable solutions that elevate the legal profession. If you missed Lupl at ILTACON 2023, head to our home page to learn more!

    IRL/URL

    A collection of interesting finds about ILTACON 2023 across the web (URL) and updates on where to meet with the Lupl team in real life (IRL).

    • A Vibrant ILTACON 2023 Reaffirmed Its Place As One of the Leading Legal Tech Conferences. Our take – Described as an exhilarating five-day marathon of educational opportunities, the conference delved into various topics within the legal technology industry. The program boasted an impressive lineup of over 350 educational sessions, attracting around 3,400 registrants. Despite being spread across multiple locations, the conference exuded a sense of unity and coherence thanks to its anchor venue, the esteemed Dolphin Hotel. With 158 exhibitors showcasing their offerings in the exhibit hall, the event faced a few layout challenges but still fostered positive interactions between exhibitors and attendees. The blog post also mentions the conference’s vibrant social aspect, encompassing lively parties and networking events.
    • ILTACON 2023: How 5 law firms are putting their data to work in new ways. Our take – The blog post discusses presentations from the conference, where law firm leaders shared innovative approaches to effectively utilizing data within their firms. Despite data completeness and readability challenges, these leaders presented initiatives that aimed to harness their firms’ data for improved decision-making. These approaches ranged from gamified data collection to enable buy-in, using Excel sheets for vendor comparison, creating data warehouses for centralized information, enhancing insights through client management systems, and addressing work allocation issues using visualizations. The strategies showcased the diverse ways law firms can optimize their data assets for better outcomes and collaboration.
    • Overheard at ILTACON 2023: The Biggest Legal Tech Trends and Challenges on Everyone’s Minds. Our take – This article focuses on the highlights of the 43rd ILTACON conference, which focused on the intersection of legal technology and the challenges faced by the legal tech market. The conference emphasized the growing influence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal industry, with various sessions delving into its applications and limitations. However, the post also highlighted that the legal tech field continues to grapple with ongoing issues such as cloud adoption and effectively managing vast amounts of data in e-discovery. The quotes from industry experts captured during the conference underscored the evolving perceptions of technology spending, the transition to cloud-based solutions, and the changing landscape of legal operations within law firms.
    • Crowdsourced ILTACON 2023 Observations, Part 1: Legal Technology Trends. Our Take – This blog post shares insights from the conference, spotlighting its lively atmosphere and focusing on sessions and discussions. A central theme was the growing excitement surrounding generative AI’s integration in law firms. These AI-powered systems are reshaping legal research, contract analysis, eDiscovery, and predictive analytics, streamlining decision-making. Despite this, the blog post underscores the lack of discourse on the potential disruption posed by quantum computers. Notably absent from the discussions, quantum computers have transformative implications for encryption, data security, and computational problem-solving. The post also acknowledges diverse perspectives at the conference, from tech to leadership, emphasizing collaborative strides for progress in the legal sector.
    Upcoming legal events that Lupl will be participating in

    Why Be a Candle When You Can Be a Lighthouse: Illuminating the Path with LPM

    Embrace the opportunity to gain valuable insights in our enlightening webinar about Legal Project Management (LPM). This informative session aims to empower you to transition from being a small flicker in the extensive legal field to a lighthouse, leading the way with efficient and effective management approaches.

    💻 Online | September 12, 2023 | 11 AM EST / 4PM BST

    IBA Paris 2023

    Lupl is excited to announce its participation in the annual IBA conference once again this year. The event will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, France. Come see us at Booth 15, where you will have a chance to get a first look at Lupl’s newest features and snag some Lupl swag to take home with you!

    🇫🇷 Paris | October 29 – November 2, 2023

    In this article

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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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