Legal Workflow Optimization: Say No To Irrelevant Requests

When a group of in-house lawyers came together to discuss adopting legal technology, I heard things like:

"Legal issues are growing more intertwined and complex, but we're not getting more time to deal with them or bigger budgets."

"New regulations? We're already struggling to not keep up with current ones."

One comment earned a resounding chorus of yeses: "We're inundated with work requests that don't even need our attention."

I'm sure that last one sounds familiar to many readers, too. That's one reason to develop systems and workflows that help you optimize your team's workloads and determine when to say no. Here's where to start:

Develop A Systemized Request-Intake Process

Set up a formal legal request intake workflow. Map out the steps to identify bottlenecks and spot areas to improve efficiency. You'll also reduce errors and save time.

Using software that can automatically log, delegate, and track requests is best. But even a manual system that requires submission of a "legal request form" can help you get better organized.

The point is to make it an official system. Explain that the department doesn't take requests any other way, including by phone, water cooler chats, or emails, to anyone other than the designated intake handler.

That's another trick: Designate only one person with the authority to accept requests. Make it so there is now one person and one process to request legal help.

Say No As Often As Possible

Develop a system to say no to irrelevant requests. First, define the types of requests the legal department handles. Then, brainstorm with your team on the kinds of requests that fall outside their expertise and that can be directed to other parts of the organization.

For example, if a customer service team handles customer complaints, ensure they've seen a complaint before the legal team deals with it. Again, automation tools can help streamline interdepartmental processes and ensure no request goes unnoticed.

Develop buckets or categories of request types and determine which specific team or team member handles each. The person responsible for accepting requests can manage the assignment process. If possible, let the people making the requests know where to direct the submissions that don't belong to the legal team.

Communicate And Close Out With Positivity

You cannot overestimate the importance of communication skills. Hone them relentlessly, especially in emails and other written communications. Researchers have found that the tone of our emails is misinterpreted 44% of the time, though email writers felt confident readers would interpret their tone correctly 78% of the time.

Why care? Some 72% of business leaders and 53% of knowledge workers say they've paid more attention lately to the tone of messages from others in their organization. A bit of positivity can go a long way, with 62% of workers saying they respond more quickly if a request has a positive tone and 48% saying they deliver higher-quality work. Talking to people face-to-face is a great way to clear up any tone issues.

Lastly, create specific processes for your team to submit status updates and close out projects. Again, legal software can automate many tasks.

Transparent workflows keep all team members on the same page and working toward the same goals. Bring processes and workflows into the light from end to end, where you can monitor, measure, and improve them for a consistently better team experience.

Olga V. Mack is the VP at LexisNexis and CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat, Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security, and Blockchain Value: Transforming Business Models, Society, and Communities. She is working on Visual IQ for Lawyers, her next book (ABA 2023). You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.