2. Legal Project Management How to Become an In-House Superstar by Positively Affecting the Bottom Line
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Lynne Foresman, Litigation Manager, Sonic Automotive
Mike Russell, Lean Leader – Legal Operations, Ingersoll Rand
Evan Sauda, Partner, Smith Moore Leatherwood
Doug Woods, Director of Pricing and Client Value – Smith Moore Leatherwood
Fred Wood, Partner, Smith Moore Leatherwood (Moderator)

3. Questions? Text Fred

4. Legal Project Management (LPM) - Defined
Wikipedia: Legal-project management is the application of the concepts of project management to the control and management of legal cases or matters.
Lambreth and Rueff, ABA: 1) a proactive, disciplined approach to managing legal work that involves defining, planning, budgeting, executing and evaluating a legal matter; (2) the application of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to achieve project objectives (the client’s and law firm/legal department’s); and (3) the use of effective communication to set and meet objectives and expectations.
LegalBizDev: Legal project management adapts proven management techniques to the legal profession to increase client value while protecting law firm profitability.

5. Key Elements of LPM
1. Manage communications and expectations of client and team
Communicate early and often
Both formal and informal
Must be collaborative
2. Planning, budgeting, and managing quality
3. Value – based pricing
4. Process improvement (Lean Sigma, Six Sigma, etc.)

6. Key Elements of LPM
1. Manage communications and expectations of client and team
Communicate early and often
Both formal and informal
Must be collaborative
2. Planning, budgeting, and managing quality
3. Value – based pricing
4. Process improvement (Lean Sigma, Six Sigma, etc.)

7. LPM (Why?) Outside Counsel’s Perspective
Increases Client Satisfaction
Increases Value to the Client
Increases Demand for Services
Increases Pricing Power
Increases Profitability

8. LPM (Why?) The Legal Department Perspective
VALUE/PRICE = V/P Ratio
Mutual Goal: Maximize the V/P Ratio while meeting the project’s objectives.

9. LPM (Why?) The Legal Department Perspective
Benefits to your department
Lower costs
Lower risk
Better outcomes
Increased productivity
Decreased issues

10. LPM Framework Define objectives and define scope
Provide value-based pricing or cost estimate
Plan to meet objectives
Identify and schedule activities
Assign and communicate tasks
Develop budget
Assess risk

11. LPM Framework Manage to objectives Manage team Manage budget
Manage quality
Negotiate changes in scope
After – Action Review
Process Improvement

12. Facts & Figures (CLO/GC survey by Altman Weil)
71% of GCs forecast legal risk will rise over the next two years
91% of GCs forecast legal workload will continue to rise
Only 31% of middle managers used the legal function when they last had a legal problem

13. Facts & Figures (CLO/GC survey by Altman Weil)
In a survey of 16,000 end clients, only 26% were satisfied with the value the legal function provides
Less than a quarter expect any budgetary increases – while an increasing number forecast decreases

14. Facts & Figures (CLO/GC survey by Altman Weil)
60% indicated “Not serious” when asked, “How serious are law firms about changing their legal service delivery model to provide greater value vs. simply cutting costs?”
Yet 70% said they believe corporations are putting intense pressure on law firms to change the value proposition in legal service delivery.

15. Legal Process Mapping

16. Legal Process Mapping