INFO15: Using BPM to Increase Matter Efficiency

Monroe M. Horn – Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers LLPBill Decker – Hubbard One / Thomson ReutersToby Brown – Fulbright & Jaworski LLPAngel Garcia-Manso – Goodwin Procter LLP

BPM in the Law FirmMonroe Horn – Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers LLP

Why BPM?

• No pressing needs for new “core applications”

• Greatest benefits of technology today come from integration and automation

• Technology applications must exactly meet our specifications

• Users suffering from information overload—and “underload”

The Docketing Workflow System

• Cost justification can only come from successfully automating legal processes

• Started with a core process• Rolled-out in November 2008 as “live beta”• Has managed everything since June 2009—over

26,000 items• Currently being patented and commercialized

Process Overview

Application Integration

• BPM fills the “white” space between applications

• Automate the process without changing the tools people use

• Our system integrates with WorkSite, CPI, Outlook, Word, and other custom developed applications

Application Integration

The Consoles

• Provide rich user interfaces• Speed• Prioritization of tasks• Flagging

The Attorney Console

The Attorney Console

Other Key Requirements

• Supervisory capabilities• Coverage• Notification• Information Over/Underload• Flexibility to deal with client requirements

Information Over/Underload

Reporting Letters

Reporting Letters

“Legal”Project Management

Bill Decker – Hubbard One / Thomson Reuters

• A temporary or short-term endeavor to achieve a particular result or objective;

• The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order to achieve project objectives;

Definition of Project Management

Project Life Cycle

Project Initiation

Processes performed to define a new project or phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

Project Life Cycle

Project Planning

Processes performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define and redefine the objectives, and develop the course of action required to obtain those objectives.

Project Life Cycle

Project Execution

Processes performed to complete the work defined in the plan to satisfy project specifications.

Project Life Cycle

Project Closure

Processes performed to finalize all activities to complete the project.

Project Life Cycle

Communication

Key Success factor

Q: #1 Reason why a project fails

A: Poor communication

PM and the Practice of Law

Similarities: • Every legal engagement has a fixed goal and

limited duration; • Attorney is responsible to obtain a good legal

result for their client;• Every project faces challenges to its success,

legal projects more than most.

PM and the Practice of Law

Challenges:• Attorneys rarely embrace their role as project

managers; • Few attorneys will accept readily the notion

that a legal engagement is not successful if it is not completed within reasonable time and cost expectations;

“Legal” Project ManagementSuccess Factors:

• Time invested in a project will be managed as the project proceeds, rather than discussed after the fact;

• Increased communication on a continuing basis is key to a successful outcome;

• Connective technology increases communication and drives productivity

Case StudyAlternative Fee Arrangements

Hourly vs. Fixed

• Increased focus to build models based on past time and expense records to improve estimates;

• Basic Project Management standards and methodologies provide powerful and well tested tools for planning, tracking and documenting work – all very important if you want to profitably offer clients fixed-fee options

Utilizing TechnologyUniform Task-Based Management System

A budgeting and billing system designed to provide clients and law firms with meaningful cost information on legal services.

Developed by the following:– American Bar Association– American Corporate Counsel Association– Various corporate clients and law firms

coordinated by Price Waterhouse

Utilizing TechnologyUniform Task-Based Management System

Goal of the Litigation Code Set:– Enable Client / counsel to plan;– Facilitate effective communication;– Provide a means to individually understand and

compare costs for greater efficiency and as a foundation for alternative billing arrangements

– Bring together various task-based efforts to ease widespread adoption of a simple, concise and flexible task-based project management approach.

Utilizing TechnologyUniform Task-Based Management System

Like Traditional Project Management, the code set is broken up into phases:

– Case Assessment, Development and Administration– Pre-Trial Pleadings and Motions– Discovery– Trial Preparation and Trial– Appeal

SharePoint Solution

Using BPM with AFAsToby Brown – Fulbright & Jaworski LLP

ICHS*

• Challenge: AFA Early-Stage – Chaos!– Begs for process and methodology

• Step One: Map the “P”– What’s the Process?

• Identify the connections– KM, LPM, IT, …

• Layer in the BPM world*International Cat Herding Society

The “P”rocessI Request For Assistance (Pre-AFA)

– Resources: Counsel/Advice, Content• Content for Internal

– Examples of AFAs - past requests, ... (KM)• Content for External - AFA Marketing content (KM)

II Request for AFA approval– Form: 3 parts: 1- Client info, 2- AFA info, 3- Value (and

politics)• 1- Client: Financial history - current arrangements (KM)• 2- AFA: Type, amount, metrics, probabilities (KM)• 3- Value: Beyond profitability, ...

– Have practice leadership and billing partner sign off?

Analysis and Approval

III AFA Analysis– Financials on: Client, Partner, AFA model

• AFA: Revenue, Costs, margins (KM)• Based on: estimate, past matter, template (KM)

IV AFA Review and Approval– Requests for additional info

• Modifications to AFA– Financial Impact of modifications

– Approval feeds in to new matter process (KM - BPM)

Logged and Entered

V New AFA Matter confirmation– Automated notice of new AFA matters opened– Systems ‘linked’ for matter tracking

VI Enter Budget into Tracking System– Timekeepers– Rates– Leverage– Fees, etc.

Rubber Hits Road

VII Monitor Budget-to-Performance– Pre-Legal Project Management

• directly impacted by it (KM and LPM)

– Send monthly/quarterly variance reports• Or trigger email to log in and view

VIII Matter life-cycle– Returning lessons-learned back in to AFA systems for

future use.• New Templates and Models

BPM – Moving On

• AFA BPM Connections to:– New matter work-flow (BPM)

• Conflicts, fees, rates, ...• Approval confirmation

– Project Management (BPM)• Matter stages, etc.

– Matter Life-cycle• Uber BPM

Improving Efficiency at Different Stages of the Matter Lifecycle

Angel Garcia-Manso – Goodwin Procter LLP

Goodwin Procter’s Way

• Matter centric approach for integration and automation of legal processes

• Use of BPM, PM and product development to deliver solutions that improves efficiency, collaboration, knowledge sharing and communication

• Focus on key processes – Those which greatest impact on legal practice efficiency

• Commitment to initiation and planning phases of a project

• Reuse of existing technology when possible : Interwoven, Sharepoint, CPi, Expert, HR system, etc.

PM and Matter Lifecycle

• Matter as a legal project• Technology can impact matter efficiency at

different stages of the matter lifecycle• Examples:

– Legal Project Initiation - Budgeting System – Legal Project Planning - Staffing System– Legal Project Monitoring - Matter Portal – Legal Project Execution - IP Practice Systems

Legal Project Initiation Budgeting System

Why is budgeting important:– To provide more accurate estimates to client – To improve predictable of legal costs– To assess profitability before engaging with client– To capture and build on experience, etc.

A tool used on the analysis, review and approval of AFA’s

Budgeting System (Cont)

• Initial system focused on budgeting• Decentralized excel based system• Huge BPM effort at the Practice Area level produced

over 70 matter type template that break down the legal work in phases and tasks

• Piloting a centralized system that allows for budgeting and monitoring of budgets

• New system integrates with Aderant’s Expert, DTE, our matter portal, etc.

Legal Project PlanningStaffing System

iStaff system:• Moved from a paper based, manual and

decentralized system to a scalable, automated, real time centralized system

• 6 out of 12 months dedicated to analysis & planning• Associate compliance improved over 70%• Staffing managers time allocated to decision making

as opposed to finding informationiStaff improves matter efficiency by automating,

standardizing and optimizing the staffing of a matter

Staffing System (Cont)

Staffing System

Expert

Partners

Associate Workload HR

Availability, Career preferences, Workload

Experience, etc.

Worked hours,Financial metrics,

etc.

Personnel information

Staffing needs and preferences

Staffing System (Cont)

Legal Project MonitoringMatter Portal

Before the implementation of our matter portal: • Information about cases and matters was scattered throughout the firm• There was no easy way to produce a meaningful collection of data and

reporting from multiple disparate systems

Our matter portal provides:• Immediate access to current state of matter• “360 degree view” of a matter status• A communication vehicle • A collaboration and knowledge sharing platform• Ad-hoc client reporting

It improves matter efficiency by aggregating all the informationrequired to monitor and control a matter

Matter Portal (Cont)

Legal Project ExecutionIP Practice Systems

• The IP practice system, eFiles, was an 18 months effort:– 10 months mapping processes and gathering requirements– Inconsistency of operation across offices– Challenging collaboration on cases– Email based delegation and assignment of tasks

• The eFiles system introduces efficiencies in the way attorneys work:– eFiles integrates and optimizes all Intellectual Property (IP) information

sources with firm’s key systems– eFiles enhances the workload assignment and decision-making processes – The system provides a platform for real-time knowledge management

and collaboration among the attorneys on a case-by-case basis. – The system introduced a notification workflow to improve communication

eFiles Workload System (Cont)

eFiles Workload System (Cont)

Questions

Contact InformationSunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers LLPMonroe M. Horn, CTO | mhorn@sunsteinlaw.comHubbard One / Thomson Reuters

Bill Decker, Delivery Manager – SharePoint Practicewilliam.decker@thomsonreuters.comFulbright & Jaworski LLP

Toby Brown, Client Teams / AFA / KMtjbrown@fulbright.comGoodwin Procter LLP

Angel Garcia-Manso, IT Manager for Project Managementagarciamanso@goodwinprocter.com