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.