Five Simple Steps toE-Discovery Success

Steven B. LevyAuthor, Legal Project Management

The Off SwitchLegal Project Management Field Guide

Copyright © 2010-2015 by Steven B. Levy. All rights reserved.

that have nothing to do

with e-discovery!

Author

The Off Switch: Discovering Your Work-Work Balance

CEO

Lexician – training, coaching and consulting to law firms

1 Thing

50%of what you’ve heard

about productivityis wrong!

Effective

5 tToolsTipsTechniques

More with less!

5 LBS

10LBS

Things You Do Today

The “Do More

With Less” Box

5 Lbs

10Lbs

Things You Don’t Have to Do

8Lbs

Things You Can Do Better

5 Lbs

8Lbs

6Lbs

1. Take Back Your Time

The Off Switch™

with two clicks?How do you save 20 minutes

Email Waste

The Myth of Multitasking

A Typical Lawyer Billable Hour

A Typical Lawyer Reality Hour

A More Organized Lawyer Hour

A More Effective Lawyer Hour

28%of day =

interruptions

15Getting back

on-taskm

inut

es

1Dailycost

hour

10%IQ

loss

interrupt us?Why do we let email

Email Waste

Playing “D” to Email

Playing “D” to Email

Delete

Delegate

Deflect

Defer

Do

D

Animate

2. Control Your Office Environment

You Can…

BlockOut

Time

CloseYourDoor

WorkOff-

Hours

“Focus” Risk

90%

5%

5%

0%

YesN

oSo

lvab

le?

Important?

NoY

esNo

Yes

No

Yes No

“Focus” Risk

90%

5%

5%

0%

YesN

oSo

lvab

le?

Important?

NoY

esNo

Yes

No

Yes NoU

rgent

95%

What’s Your Style?

Piler?

Filer?

The Empty Inbox

Piler Rules Filer Rules

Follow-Up

Pilers May Prefer Filers May Prefer

,or you need to succeed

Time Isn’t Fully Fungible

At your best

At your worst

Time Isn’t Fully Fungible Tough TasksTough TasksEasy TasksNeed to Succeed

Time Isn’t Fully FungibleTough Tasks

Tough Tasks

Easy TasksNeed to Succeed

Time Isn’t Fully Fungible

Ego Depletion(Decision Fatigue)

Low Control = High Stress

Own YourSchedule

ThingsTakeTime

Don’tOverbook

3. Strengthen Client Communication

Communicating With the Client(s)

When How

AboutWhat

Communication Preferences

Communication Type RankingNormal Urgent

Scheduled Meeting Drop-By / ImpromptuSnail MailPhoneVoicemailEmailInstant MessageTexting

1

23

communications preferencesList your own

Scheduled

Drop-by

Phone

Voicemail

Email

Text/IM

The 3x3

3 A

reas

of P

rogr

ess 3 A

reas of Concern

3 Near-Term Will-Dos

3

This Period:

Custodians narrowed: execs, 4 others

Forensic specialist engaged Settlement counteroffer (pending)

Next Period:

Rule 26(f) conference Prepare interrogatories

Concerns and Notes:

Judge Facciola may require backup-tape search

Reminder: John Fredrick vacation through 7/7 (reachable via cell)

Spend: To date: Approx. $23K (8% of budget, as planned)

3x3 Status Report: June 17 – July 1

Laryssa’s Law:Tracking Progress

is not the same as

Making Progress

Communication Paths Take Time

Who Might Need to Know About This?

clarify, prioritize, confirm.Don’t just respond, but:

When the client calls….

4. Stop Guessing at Client Critical Success Factors

Client View: Critical Success Factors

Defining Success MetricsCriticalFactorsNegotiating

Negotiating Critical Success Factors

5. Kill Write-Offs and Billing Leaks

unplanned write-offs?What are the biggest causes of

Timing

Deadline Check-Ins

Target Hours/ Budget

ClientMatter

NumberRelevant

Laws

SourcesDocuments

Basics

Basics: Legal Project Management Info

Charter Budget

ScheduleOther

SharedInfo

Intent

Nature of Matter

(Charter)

Why Is WorkNeeded

Why Now?

Deliverable/Format

Memo? Letter?Brief?Etc.

Draft orFinal?

Any OralReports?

FinalStep

Hypothesis

Senior LawyerBest Guess onWhere to Start

Access

Sr. LawyerAvailability

Who Else?

Confirmations

DoesDelegate

Have Time?Ownership

Readback

Requesting Readback: Condescending?

Minimizing “Write-Offs”: Three Secrets

Budget Check-in

Readback

Wrap-Up

My Favorite Organizing Tool

1 Thing

Commitment

On Every Team…

…someoneis having the most fun!

Thank You