In-House Seminars / Full Day Time Management Seminar
TIME MANAGEMENT FOR LAWYERS AND PROFESSIONALS:
How to Keep Up with Email, Master Your To-Do List,
and Work Productively
Description
Of all the elements you have to work with, none is more precious than time. You have invested years learning the substance of the law. Now invest a few hours to learn the productivity-enhancing techniques of organization and time management, and how to apply them every day to do more work in less time. Designed to address lawyers’ unique organizational and time challenges, this solution-oriented program offers practical strategies for managing time, projects, paper, and people (including yourself).
Within the context of a busy legal practice, you will learn how to:
• Work more productively and make the most of your time
• Set the right goals and meet them
• Track your projects and assignments
• Delegate appropriately and effectively
• Develop systems for tracking pending matters and deadlines
• Establish procedures for communicating with clients
• Handle client matters diligently and competently
• Reduce your risk of malpractice through better organization
Agenda
9:00 a.m. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
9:15 a.m. PLANNING: THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL LEGAL PRACTICE
• The Power of Effective Goal-Setting — Articulating your own
professional goals; how professional goals relate to time management.
• Painless Ways To Incorporate Planning into Your Life — Systematic
planning to ensure that each client and matter receives sufficient
attention and that deadlines are met.
• Project Planning: Goals in Action — Using a master "to do" list, project
plans, and "reverse schedules" to manage a matter’s multiple subtasks.
10:00 a.m. GETTING AND STAYING ORGANIZED: A PREREQUISITE TO EFFECTIVE
LEGAL WORK
• Managing Email, Voicemail, Paper, and Other Information — Keeping
up with client communications.
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Break
• Filing Systems — The project file approach; keeping track of all of your
client matters.
• Getting the Most from Your Calendar/Organizer — The many uses of
an all-in-one organizer system; how to use your personal calendar as part
of a dual calendar system.
• Developing Good Work Habits — So you can use your legal skills to the
fullest.
12:00 p.m. TIME MANAGEMENT DURING THE WORKDAY: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR
WORK-ALONE TIME
• Getting Down to Work — The importance of making a daily game plan
and setting priorities for juggling multiple client demands.
12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch
• Dealing with Interruptions — External vs. internal interruptions;
balancing being available with getting the work done.
• Utilizing Travel Time — Getting work done and staying organized when
you’re on the road; keeping client confidences when you’re out of the
office.
• Keeping Accurate Time Records — How to keep track of billable time;
maintaining time records that minimize your exposure to malpractice
claims.
2:30 p.m. TIME MANAGEMENT DURING THE WORKDAY: WORKING WITH OTHERS
• Time Management for Legal Teams — Planning team work and time;
improving communication; providing client service when you cannot do
it all on your own.
• How To Delegate Effectively — Investing the time to delegate;
delegating appropriately to attorneys and non-attorneys.
3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.: Break
• Making Meetings Shorter and More Productive — How to plan and run
efficient meetings.
3:30 p.m. MAINTAINING YOUR MOMENTUM
• Working under Pressure — Ways to cope so that nothing falls through
the cracks; how to manage external and self-imposed pressure.
• Self-Motivation — Techniques for self-motivation; how to maintain your
effectiveness over the long run.
• Keeping Your Life in Balance — The importance of maintaining balance
and clear priorities in your professional and non-work life.
• Conquering Procrastination — Understanding why we procrastinate;
defeating the lawyer’s most widely-resented professional shortcoming.
4:30 p.m. CONCLUSION AND CHALLENGES
• Developing an action plan for continuously improving your organization
and time management habits; improving your productivity to meet
professional standards and accomplish your career goals.
4:45 p.m. ADJOURN
For more information about this program, please e-mail MegSpencerDixon@TimeManagementForLawyers.com.