Project Management Skills for lawyers

Increasing Importance of PM for lawyers Growing Role of GC’s –Handling the merger of their firm with another –Selling or acquiring assets or shares –Going public –Negotiating complex agreements Increasing constraints –Strict budget –Aggressive timing –Tight resources

Increasing Importance of PM for lawyers Increased complexity –Cross functional teams –Massive number of individual tasks to be completed –Difficulties to align priorities –No hierarchical power –Globalization of the markets –Highly matrixed environments –Strategic for the company (its future, its revenues) Importance for GC’s to develop PM skills

Requirements for a successful PM - Defining the project and clarifying the responsibilities –Key question – WHO ? Who is in charge ? What are your responsibilities ? Do you have decision making authority ? Who is on the team and in charge of what ? Who are the sponsors ? The team leaders ? Is everyone who is performing work for the project identified? –Clarify ambiguous roles and responsibility PM should be officially announced in writing by the top management Make sure everyone you need is on board

FirstnameNameTitleSite addressMobilePhone numberComplete Site AdressPostcode Company’s name Department 1 Department 2 EXTERNAL LAWYERS CONSULTING CONTACTS Project organisation

Global Steering Committee WS1 HR WS2 IT WS3 Finance - Tax WS4 Pharmaceutical operations & Regulatory WS 4bis Business- Portfolio WS5 Industrial operations & Supply chain WS6 Legal WS7 Communication Steering Committee (Sponsors) Work stream leaders PMO Consulting contact

Requirements for a successful PM - Defining the project and clarifying the responsibilities Key question – WHAT ? –What is the scope of the project? Clearly define the scope and objectives of the project Make sure everyone understand the scope of the project –What resources do you need? Internally Externally –What are the major deliverables? List the main deliverables List the key milestones

Requirements for a successful PM – Organizing and planning the Project Key question – WHEN ? –Schedule is very important – not too many but not too few meetings –How often the teams will meet ? –Identify dependencies: which teams need to deliver first? –Appoint someone to maintain the project file Important issues –Make sure to organize regular sponsors’ meetings –Identify timely workstream’s issues –Anticipate any impact on the schedule –Inform – fluidity of information is vital

Requirements for a successful PM – Organizing and planning the Project Key question – HOW ? –Track each task by listing each of them –Make sure someone update the list regularly –Define one owner per task –Homogeneous information: communication is key Make sure to consult as broadly as possible List also external tasks –To be done by the vendor / acquirer –Administrative approvals Track and take adaptive action if required

Action items tracking form

Conclusions - Qualities to be a good PM Manage expectation Good leader – motivator Big picture oriented Effective communicator Good organizer Goal oriented Anticipate risks Good understanding of other departments issues

Conclusion – close out the project PM requires a lot of energy – make sure to : –Celebrate the project completion (closing diner, tombstones) –Recognize everyone’s contributions –Learn – what did go well / what did not? –Share tools – if useful for other projects (avoid to reinvent the wheel for each new project)

QUESTIONS ?