The Lawyer's Guide to Legal Process Improvement
Catherine Alman MacDonagh, JD, Kim R Craig, Andrew M Baker, Tim Hanson, Simon Thompson, Robert Millard, Chris Bull, Lann Wasson, Barbara J Boake, Rick A Kathuria, Antony Smith, Scott Rechtschaffen, Stephanie Kimbro
Published: 2014
Pages: 98
eBook: 9781787427563
This report is designed as a practical guide to helping law firms and individual lawyers to get to grips with process improvement and understand its core benefits and practical implications in a legal business environment.
With contributions from leading law firms, consultants, and internationally renowned experts on legal process improvement and project management, this report:
+ Provides in-depth, strategic, and tactical guidance on the application of process improvement in law firms;
+ Outlines the different approaches firms are taking, and includes case studies highlighting what the results have been for those who have already adopted process improvement techniques;
+ Includes practical guidance on implementing process improvement - from gaining buy-in through to process mapping and devising different strategies; and
+ Explains the relationship between legal process improvement and related disciplines and key methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma, project management, and KM.
Table of Contents
| Cover | Cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Title page | i | |
| Contents | iii | |
| Executive summary | vii | |
| PART ONE Introduction | 1 | |
| The case for process improvement: A Lean Six Sigma perspective | 3 | |
| Most processes fall far short of their potential | 3 | |
| Understanding changing client expectations | 3 | |
| The profession is changing | 5 | |
| The risks are greater than the challenges | 6 | |
| The pressure to deliver value | 7 | |
| Gaining buy-in for process improvement | 7 | |
| Linking quality and performance | 8 | |
| Technology and process improvement | 9 | |
| The DuPont Legal Model | 10 | |
| Clients expect efficient processes | 11 | |
| Uptake of Lean Six Sigma in law firms | 12 | |
| Award-winning examples of process improvement in action | 13 | |
| Baker Donelson | 13 | |
| The Hunoval Law Firm | 13 | |
| Littler’s CaseSmart program | 14 | |
| Seyfarth Shaw | 14 | |
| Squire Sanders | 15 | |
| Foley & Lardner | 15 | |
| Dissecting processes: How to create alegal process improvement program | 17 | |
| Understanding processes | 17 | |
| Supporting other strategic foci | 19 | |
| Introducing LPI internally | 20 | |
| Taking it to the next level | 20 | |
| Getting started with process improvement | 21 | |
| PART TWO Process improvement approaches | 23 | |
| Mastering complexity: Current and future tools for legal process optimization | 25 | |
| Legal process workflows | 25 | |
| Future disruptive technology | 27 | |
| Tools for the present | 28 | |
| Improving legal processes | 28 | |
| Building a simple process map of your organization | 31 | |
| Use a process reference model | 31 | |
| The electronic discovery reference model | 31 | |
| 5S | 35 | |
| Process principles of 5S | 35 | |
| Implementing 5S | 36 | |
| PART THREE Project management, Lean Six Sigma, and KM | 39 | |
| DMAIC: The framework | 41 | |
| The five steps of DMAIC | 41 | |
| The Kaizen approach | 46 | |
| Creating valuable knowledge in the firm through legal project management | 49 | |
| Launching the legal projec tmanagement program | 50 | |
| Creating knowledge that has competitive value | 51 | |
| A simple legal project management framework | 55 | |
| Legal mandates are projects | 55 | |
| Legal mandates have four project stages | 55 | |
| Each project stage has two project management tasks and one project management deliverable | 56 | |
| Your client participates at every stage of the project | 56 | |
| A project manager’s responsibilities can be delegated | 57 | |
| Designing a framework that works | 57 | |
| Linking project management to pricing strategy | 59 | |
| Basic practice economics | 59 | |
| Maximize profitability through efficiency and leverage | 61 | |
| Managing AFAs | 62 | |
| How KM staff can help drive successful legal project management initiatives | 65 | |
| What is legal project management? | 65 | |
| How to start improving LPM capability | 66 | |
| Aligning LPM with law firm strategy | 67 | |
| Securing support of senior business owners and managers | 67 | |
| Break projects down | 68 | |
| Some tactical ideas for LPM implementation | 69 | |
| Rethinking workflows: Re-engineering case management processes | 71 | |
| Challenge and opportunity | 71 | |
| Creating a new approach | 72 | |
| Lessons learned | 74 | |
| PART FOUR Online delivery for process improvement and client satisfaction | 77 | |
| Why deliver services online? | 79 | |
| What is the competition? | 80 | |
| What are the benefits for the public? | 81 | |
| What are the different structures of online delivery? | 82 | |
| Who will be in charge? | 83 | |
| Case study: Samuel Phillips | 83 | |
| Establishing a clear and achievable strategy for online delivery | 84 | |
| Pricing models | 86 | |
| Creating the client portal | 87 |
Catherine Alman MacDonagh, CEO and founder, Legal Lean Six Sigma Institute
Kim R. Craig, global director, legal project management office, and Andrew M. Baker, global director, legal technology innovations office, Seyfarth Shaw
Tim Hanson and Simon Thompson, directors, Change Harbour, and Robert Millard, partner, Møller PSF Group
Chris Bull, executive director, Kingsmead Square
Lann Wasson, senior manager of knowledge management, Husch Blackwell LLP
Barbara J. Boake, partner, McCarthy Tétrault, and Rick A. Kathuria, national director, project management office and legal logistics, Gowlings
Antony Smith, founder, Legal Project Management Limited
Scott Rechtschaffen, chief knowledge officer, Littler Mendelson
Stephanie Kimbro, fellow, Stanford Law School Center on the Legal Profession and co-director, Center for Law Practice Technology