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News You Can Use – October 2023

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

Lupl's News You Can Use
In this article

    Welcome to the October edition of our monthly newsletter! As the leaves change and we embrace the cozy vibes of fall, Lupl is equally excited to introduce our latest feature release this month! The legal tech landscape is ever-changing, and even though the days grow shorter, the demand for intuitive, efficient legal tech is on the rise. This fall, we're taking a leap forward in meeting these needs, inspired by the evolving requirements of our users and the legal community.

    While we've been releasing updates to Lupl incrementally, we've also spent the last two years listening to you—our valued users and the broader legal community. Your insights have been invaluable in shaping our new features, designed to address the day-to-day challenges that lawyers and legal professionals face.

    Get ready to fall in love with Lupl's new capabilities!

    Read on, explore our update in more detail and learn how Lupl is being leveraged to enhance the client experience 👇🏼.

    What's New in Lupl

    Our team has been hard at work to improve your experience with Lupl and make getting work done frictionless. The updates of our Fall Release will be rolled out across Lupl’s international customer base beginning October 9th. 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 highlights to list in an email! So we've compiled them into a single post covering all the new updates, including:

    ✅ Lupl Workstreams

    📃 Lupl Forms

    🤖 LuplAI + vLPM [Beta]

    🚀 Integrated Knowledge with Templates

    ⚡ UI Improvements & Enhanced Views

    🔐 Security & Compliance Achievements

    Learn All About Our Latest Feature Release

    As Seen In

    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 spanning across various legal practices. Each month, we showcase a different use case to inspire and empower your practice.

    Lupl can be used to manage a procurement or RFP process, providing a boost to collaboration and teamwork, improved efficiency and profitability, reducing risk and aiding compliance management, and enhanced visibility, which positions the firm to win more work.

    How it works:

    • Create a Lupl Matter Template to align procurement/RFP processes with policies and regulations.
    • Embed precedent / template RFP documents and standard form procurement agreements.
    • Monitor key dates and track progress with Lupl Workstreams.
    • Assign and track reviews, approvals and other team member responsibilities, and link relevant documents to assignments.
    • Centrally manage vendor correspondence through a unique matter email address and with Lupl Forms.
    • Tag, organize and search the documents received from participating vendors.
    • Enhance visibility by enabling everyone with one central place to see where the process is at and what needs to happen next.

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

    🛡️ Lupl Achieves Two Global Security Certifications 🛡️

    We are pleased to announce the achievement of ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 security certifications, reinforcing our commitment to world-class information security standards.

    We bake privacy and security into everything we do. Whether it’s the design of our UI or our access control systems, security and privacy are the first steps of every project we undertake. To learn more, visit our Trust Center.

    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).

    • The Modern Legal Workplace—Leveraging Technology for Sustainable Success. Our take - the author discusses the transformative changes in the legal industry, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and economic uncertainties. Law firms are compelled to reassess their resources and operational methods, pushing lawyers and legal professionals to adapt to a new environment. The article emphasizes the need for modernizing traditional practices and outdated technology, suggesting that automation and new ways of working are essential for law firms to thrive in this new era.

     

    • Why AI isn’t the zombie apocalypse ​for legal professionals. Our take - It probably comes as no surprise that the legal community has mixed feelings about the rise of AI. While some view it as a threat to traditional legal jobs, this article argues that AI offers numerous opportunities for legal professionals. It can automate time-consuming tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on more complex, billable work. The article also suggests that AI will create new roles within the legal industry, such as AI compliance specialists and AI training advisors, and could change the career paths for junior lawyers by shifting more routine tasks to paralegals or junior professionals.

     

    • Veteran Legal Tech Executive Foresees New Era of Innovation and Consolidation at SOLID East. Our take - At last month's SOLID East conference, industry veteran Hal Brooks discussed the transformative changes happening in the legal technology sector. Brooks highlighted the growth trends and investment drivers that are fueling a new era of innovation and consolidation in legal tech. He emphasized the importance of cybersecurity and data handling as top priorities in tech deals and urged legal professionals to embrace innovation and adaptability. Brooks also noted that the global legal tech market, which surpassed $27 billion in 2021, is expected to reach nearly $36 billion by 2027. He stressed that firms failing to adapt risk losing talent and clients to more agile competitors.

     

    • Moving Beyond Supporting A Practice Into Creating New Lines Of Business. Our take - the author discusses a shift in how legal tech was described that he noticed at Relativity Fest last month, from merely "supporting" or "empowering" lawyers to enabling them to create entirely new practice areas. The article highlights Relativity's new product launches, including PI Detect and Data Breach Response. These tools are not just for data breach lawyers but are designed to enable any attorney to become a data breach lawyer. The article suggests that this is a significant philosophical leap that could become more common as AI continues to improve, allowing lawyers to diversify into new niches.
    Upcoming legal events that Lupl will be participating in

    Task Management for Modern Legal Professionals

    Join us for an ILTA Product Briefing, where Lupl will unveil all the new features from our fall release this month. Discover how features like Task Management & Automation, Centralized Project Management, and Matter Specific Templates can take your practice to the next level.

    💻 Online | October 18, 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

     

    Building Better Habits with LPM

    Don't miss our upcoming webinar, "Build Better Habits with LPM," where our expert panelists will share actionable insights to elevate your legal project management game. Register now to learn nine simple yet impactful habits that can transform your time and task management in the legal field.

    💻 Online | November 14, 2023 | 11 AM EST / 4PM BST

    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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