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News You Can Use – July 2023

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

lupl newsletter
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    Welcome to the July edition of our monthly newsletter!

    As summer heats up, Lupl is thrilled to be part of several legal tech events showcasing all the latest innovations around the industry and how to overcome the inevitable challenges legal professionals face as a result. From an informative ILTA Product Briefing highlighting why Lupl is the ultimate LPM solution, to the highly anticipated ILTACON and Singapore Academy of Law gatherings, summer ’23 is brimming with opportunities to connect, learn, and meet thoughts leaders of legal innovation.

    Read on for links to the events above, more on what’s happening in the industry and how Lupl is being leveraged to increase profitability in law firms all over the world 👇🏼.

    What’s new in Lupl

    2023_07-Matter-Management-final

    Our team has been hard at work to improve your experience with Lupl, and make getting work done frictionless. Here are the highlights of what we shipped recently. We are thrilled to showcase the impressive strides we have taken in our recent sprints and unveil all our exciting new features and enhancements.

    There are too many to list in an email! So we’ve compiled them into a single post covering the following categories:

    • ✅ Task Management
    • 📃 Document Management
    • 🔗 Open API and Integrations
    • ⚙️ Matter Management 
    • ⚡ UI/UX improvements
    • 🚀 App Performance
    • 🔐 Security & Compliance

    Check out our Q2 2023 Product Update post

    📣 Calling all Early Adopters! 📣

    We’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of our new feature – Create Matter by Email!

    This feature is designed to streamline new matter creation, utilizing AI to bring key information from the email into your new Lupl Matter. As we finalize the development, we’re offering our users an exclusive opportunity to be part of our beta testing program. If you’re an early adopter who loves exploring new features and providing valuable feedback, this is your chance! To register your interest in the beta program, simply email our sales team at sales@lupl.com.

    We appreciate your participation and look forward to making Lupl even better with your help!

    Discover how your peers are utilizing Lupl

    Successful practitioners harness Lupl to elevate their practice, boosting efficiency, client satisfaction, and profitability for their law firms. Our Success team has compiled a list of 80+ use cases across almost all practices. We’ll be highlighting a different use case each month.

    Lupl can be used to deliver capped fee matters on time and budget.

    Lupl can be used to deliver your capped fee matter on time and on budget, providing improved efficiency & profitability, and an elevated client experience, which positions the firm to win more work.

    How it works

    • Adapt to client expectations for fixed-fee or capped-fee legal services by effectively planning, organizing, and delivering matters to meet deadlines and budgets without unnecessary write-offs.
    • Utilize Matter Templates for standardized scoping of capped fee matters, reducing setup and scoping time by 50% or more.
    • Manage key Tasks in Lupl for team transparency, streamlining progress and next steps.
    • Incorporate automatic checkpoints into Matter Templates for regular updates and no surprises at matter completion.
    • Use automatic reminders to reduce time spent on chasing tasks via email.
    • Decrease internal emails and meetings by 75% or more, enabling teams to focus on substantive, value-add work.
    • Access live financial data related to the matter within Lupl if your firm integrates its PMS with Lupl.

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

    📚 Hot Off the Press

    We’re excited to share our first eBook! Written by by India Preston, Lupl’s Director of Platform Solutions, How Legal Project Management Transformed My Law Firm’s Workflows, is a comprehensive, beginner’s guide to legal project management, offering invaluable insights on leveraging best practices to supercharge efficiency and increase profitability.

    Join India on her journey as she unveils practical strategies and real-life examples that will empower law firms to embrace transformative change and revolutionize their workflows. Get ready to embark on a path towards greater success and discover the immense potential of legal project management. Get Your Free eBook Today!

    IRL / URL

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

    • Mayer Brown has launched a Technology GC in Residence program. Our take – Beth Stevens, an experienced GC with high-growth tech companies, shares her experience as the first GC to fill the role of Tech GC in Residence. Stevens worked with Nina Flax, who designed the program and leads the firm’s Technology & IP practice. Stevens spent four months advising Mayer Brown lawyers on how to work with other General Counsels, focusing on effective methods of collaboration lawyers can use with in-house clients. The program reflects Mayer Brown’s commitment to addressing evolving legal challenges and the growing need for firms to embrace collaboration in the legal industry, especially as it relates to expectations around tech proficiency.
    • EU moves closer to passing one of world’s first laws governing AI. Our take – the European Union is preparing to pass one of the world’s first comprehensive laws governing AI, aiming to establish a legal framework that addresses the ethical and legal implications of AI technology. The law seeks to regulate various aspects of AI, including its use in critical sectors such as healthcare and transportation, as well as ensuring transparency, accountability, and human oversight in AI systems. The legislation also proposes fines and penalties for non-compliance. The EU’s efforts to regulate AI reflect growing global concerns about the potential risks and impact of AI technology on society. While the legislation is not yet finalized, the EU’s progress in developing comprehensive AI regulations signals a significant step toward shaping the responsible and ethical development and use of AI in the future.
    • AI Is a Lot of Work. Our take – this article underscores the pivotal role of data annotators in AI development, often overshadowed by tech giants. These annotators, employed by companies like Scale AI and Remotasks, manually label data to train AI models, a process with significant ethical implications regarding fair wages and working conditions. The article also highlights AI’s potential impact on the legal industry, emphasizing its ability to automate routine tasks and increase efficiency, while cautioning the need for the legal profession to address the ethical and legal challenges posed by AI. The piece advocates for the recognition of data annotators’ contributions and the importance of preparing for AI integration in the legal tech industry.
    • Thomson Reuters to acquire legal AI firm Casetext for $650 mln. Our take – Thomson Reuters has announced its acquisition of Casetext, a legal tech startup known for its AI-powered assistant for law professionals, in a deal worth $650 million. This acquisition marks a significant move in the legal tech industry, highlighting the growing importance and value of AI in enhancing legal research and practice. The integration of Casetext’s innovative technology is expected to further strengthen Thomson Reuters’ position as a leading provider of comprehensive legal information and solutions.
    Legal Events We're Excited About this Summer!

    Why You Should Use Lupl for Legal Project Management

    In our very first ILTA Product Briefing, India Preston, our Director of Platform Solutions, will demonstrate why Lupl is the go-to LPM solution for lawyers and legal professionals.

    💻 Online | July 19, 2023 | 12-1 PM EST 

    The Next Frontier of Lawyering: From ESG to GPT

    Lupl is a proud partner of the Singapore Law Academy. Hear from subject matter experts about the state of legal today in Asia, the art of law firm management, and more. For participants who qualify, this is a SILE Accredited CPD Activity.

    🇸🇬 Singapore | August 3-4, 2023 

    Meet Lupl at ILTACON 2023

    Lupl is thrilled to be exhibiting at ILTACON again this year at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, FL. Stop by Booth 200 (just to the left of the Pacific Hall entrance) and get a sneak peek at our latest features before they’re rolled out to the public!

    🇺🇸 Orlando | August 20-24, 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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