THE PROFESSIONAL FIRM:
ORGANIZING YOURSELF AND YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
By Nickie Hyde, PHR
can literally walk in and find whatever they need? YES NO
know what to do and who to contact? YES NO
3. Do you know how to successfully complete a large and
intricate project? YES NO
4. Think franchise – is your system of operating easily
understandable and transferable to someone else? YES NO
If you answered “No” to any of the questions, then you need help organizing!
WHAT IS YOUR MAIN ROLE?
If you’re unsure what your main role is, how in the world do you know how to organize yourself? If you believe your main role is to organize papers, answer phones or draft documents, I’m afraid you’re wrong.
To figure out your main role, find out what your attorney’s role is. If you’re not sure, ask them. My guess? If they’re in private practice, their main role is to increase billable hours. To accomplish this, they develop business, bring in new clients, and service their clients. If they’re in public practice, their role is to service their main client (the agency or department). And if in a legal department for a corporation, their role is to serve the corporation.
Once you know your attorney’s role, you will discover your role. Your role is to: 1) assist the attorney in increasing billable hours; 2) assist the attorney in servicing the agency or department; or 3) assist the attorney in serving the corporation.
The best way to perform any of those roles is really the same process – transfer as much nonbillable (or nonclient service) work from the attorney to you – the assistant. This increases the attorney’s attention to client development, client service, and practicing law.
WHY IS ORGANIZATION IMPORTANT?
To be honest, little or no organization makes an ineffective attorney, assistant and law firm. We’ve all seen chaotic workplaces – no one is really sure who’s doing what, if all documents are completed and filed, files in disarray, constantly changing priorities, etc. What causes this type of drama? It’s usually a lack of direction and a lack of organization. While we may not have any influence on the firm’s leadership and direction, we definitely have control over our own environment and the ability to organize our work station and duties.
Following is an outline of actions you can take to be an effective and efficient member of the staff.
DESK ORGANIZATION
1. Do you have the things you use daily within easy reach? (That includes phone, stapler, supplies, computer manual, etc.)
2. Are your daily files at your desk or in a file cabinet somewhere?
3. Do you have an “IN” and “OUT” box (or “TO DO” and “DONE” box)?
4. Do you have mail slots for each person you support, plus yourself?
5. Do you have a separate file for Pending Client Numbers, Reimbursements/ Checks, Incoming Mail, etc.?
FILE ORGANIZATION
Come up with a system that’s easily transferable and works for your office. The fanciest or best system in the world won’t work if no one uses it.
Examples: Group files under case name, case number, client name, type of case, etc.
EXAMPLE DOCUMENTS
On your computer, have one file devoted to documents that contain examples of forms or documents you create or edit a lot. Make sure and print out each document and keep a physical file on hand for those times when your computer may not be accessible. This will save time for you and your attorney.
COMPUTER ORGANIZATION
Does your firm use a word processing database for tracking documents? If not, it’s up to you to find the documents your attorney needs.
1. Types of Tracking Systems –
Document Management software (iManage, ProDocs, etc.)
Local Hard Disk System – separate files for clients, then matters (think tree with branches)
Handwritten Log
2. Email Organization
Do you just keep everything in your InBox and Sent boxes and do searches to find what you need? If so, you need a better system.
Under your main Inbox, create:
Outline your mission statement (why are you there?)
Ask what they expect of you
Talk about how they want their phones answered, priority of work issues, access to electronic calendar and email.
Do they expect you to be a part of their team and a true assistant or to only perform the duties you’re given?
What are their pet peeves?
What is their working style?
Are they comfortable transferring nonbillable work to you so they’ll have more time for clients and billable work?
What is their description of a capable, effective, and indispensable assistant?
What do you expect from them? Items to think about:
Expected Hours
Overtime Issues
Doing personal business for the attorney
What to do when problems arise
Workload Issues re associate and partner
Above all, make sure they know that you are a professional and can take constructive criticism. And for yourself – remember that constructive criticism is NOT a personal attack, nor should you treat it as such. Ask for feedback, and ask them to immediately correct a procedure they’re not happy with. Don’t wait for 6 months until it’s time for your review and you end up with a laundry list of complaints. Miscommunication and delayed handling of issues make for a miserable workplace.
Make a file that says “Atty Name – REVIEW, SIGN AND RETURN”. Anything that needs signing goes in there. Make it easily accessible to the attorney so they can review it whenever they have time – no matter what the hour.
PROCEDURES, PROCEDURES, PROCEDURES
Where would we be without them? In a small office of just a couple people, it’s not a big deal and you don’t have to worry about writing them down formally. However, when you get more than six people in an office, if you don’t have written procedures you’ll probably regret it. People don’t like to operate in a vacuum. If you don’t have procedures for your work, someone else will probably make them for you. See the attached Outline for Procedures Manual, along with the sample Table of Contents for some direction.
HOW TO ORGANIZE & ACCOMPLISH SPECIAL PROJECTS
1. What’s the goal? Find out exactly what everyone thinks the end result of the project will be BEFORE you do anything else. This is your most important step. What does everyone think will be solved by doing this particular project?
2. Brainstorm ideas. Why is this happening? How will the end goal solve the issue at hand? Ask every question you can thin of: who, what, when, why, where, how…. Don’t worry if any of your brainstorming sounds silly or outlandish. Just write it all down quickly. Keep drilling down and asking questions until you can’t think of anymore to ask.
3. Identify resources needed from the brainstorming list. What else is needed to achieve the goal? Time, money, information, materials, etc.
4. Identify your stakeholders. (Stakeholders are people affected by the issue and whose support is needed to solve it.) Get their basic agreement to achieve the goal – make sure they buy into the plan.
5. Brainstorm the tasks to accomplish the project. (A task should be an action, not a mammoth project or series of actions.) Write down every task you can think of and don’t worry about any particular order at this point. What is the work? What needs to be done?
6. Now look at the list of tasks you just wrote down. Number them in the order you think they should be accomplished. If one task looks too big, make sure and break that down into smaller tasks.
KEEPING TRACK OF A MILLION THINGS…..
Aren’t we all responsible for that? If you’re given more than a few things to do at one time, it’s always good to keep a written record of what needs to be done, who’s doing it, the deadlines, and when it’s complete. The list can be as simple as the Task ability in Outlook all the way to a chart that looks like a 747 flight log.
This list is also invaluable when doing your yearly reviews. We all forget everything we’ve accomplished over the year when asked to list it out or do a self-evaluation. Having a list of completed projects really makes a difference. (See Handout: Personal Travel & Event Info)
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL: BALANCE!
Don’t forget that being a legal support staff person is what you do, NOT who you are. Have a life outside the office and a hobby that you love. Don’t spend all your time and effort on your career – life is too short. No one ever said on their deathbed: “I wished I’d worked more.”
Nickie Hyde, PHR owns Legally Large, a training and consulting firm specializing in the BUSINESS of practicing law. To receive her “Work Smarter” tips, contact her via www.LegallyLarge.com, Nickie@LegallyLarge.com or directly at 512.791.9644.