USING BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE YOUR
FIRM
The goal of any law firm, regardless of size,
should be to manage important activities such as client intake as a process-managed
enterprise in order to maximize efficiency and minimize professional
liability risk. Using BPM allows for the design of controls into the practice
which act to consistently and repeatedly execute those processes at the highest
level of quality and care of the client while maintaining a focus on firm
safety and economic vitality.
As law firms adapt to changing economic realities
which often times forces a firm to try to do more with less (staffing for
example), it’s incumbent upon the firm to implement effective strategies to try
and increase productivity, contain overall costs, optimize business
efficiencies and manage and mitigate risk. Recognizing this requirement is a
first step toward launching a pilot project initiative to address and
standardize processes involved in everything from checking for potential
conflicts to managing the calendaring activity or controlling new client
accession in order to make these critical pathways work as well as they can. In
addition to supporting the strategic effort of the firm, the focus of this
project should be on streamlining operations, clarifying responsibilities,
further developing the metrics involved in resource allocation; all of
which is in turn designed to correspond and be responsive to the growth,
development and evolution of the firm.
Approach
This is a business approach to law firm
management which meets the challenges of the 21st Century. The key
to managing a successful law firm environment is to understand the processes
which are the DNA of the organization. For the practice to work at its optimum level,
the actions such as these need to be quantified, then modeled, measured and monitored. Intake and related activity is an
important element of the practice, and the core processes involved in this
practice requirement is the focus of this project. The initiative is advised so
as to create a streamlined methodology for managing the process from initial
conflicts checks all the way through the process including economic analysis,
retainers and billing formulas. Going through the process of evaluation itself
should identify opportunities which will lead to reduced waste, provide
management with greater operational visibility and transparency and improve
support for individuals responsible for managing the activities involved; all
the while tightening management controls and reducing the professional
liability risk which is always a primary concern.
The process management approach which this effort
contemplates should both define as well as document the smallest of detail(s)
associated with the whole of whatever process is to be evaluated. It will begin
as a series of interviews with key
“stakeholders” (those most intimately involved in the process) and focus on
areas associated with the matriculation of a new file, the various tasks
involved, as well as the roles associated with performing those tasks;
all of this being documented so that it can be evaluated.
A highly experienced core team, comprised of a Partner(s),
a member of accounting, a key Associate perhaps, the non-lawyer individuals
most involved in managing operation at present, a project manager (who will be
charged with “directing” the effort (can be a member of the team) and
(possibly) an outside consultant, will then analyze the current state of the
process. The new practice model will be
achieved by defining the important roles, applying appropriate strictures,
incorporating lessons learned as well as creative thinking techniques. The
outcome of this initiative should be the application of these “best practices”
in the integration of people and practice requirements with an overlay of
technology. This will provide for an infrastructure which can then be monitored
and controlled, while providing world class client care while taking the
sensibilities of the attorney population into consideration.
Pilot Project
A pilot project is suggested which can be used to
test and validate any process in the
firm including litigation support, marketing efforts and so forth. A
communication plan should also be developed and implemented in order to manage
the changes assumed to be necessitated by the finding of this examination. The
self same core team would review and refine the processes until they are at the
qualitative level which reflects the firm’s expectations. At that point,
depending upon the success of the result, the process management overlay can be
used across the spectrum of firm activity including but not limited to the
management of a new file or the handling of a transaction matter as just two
examples. The process of the review itself should help re-vitalize the firm
efforts, make individuals understand that they are part of an important activity
and create a positive bond among the “players”.
Copyright 2013 BERMAN & ASSOCIATES Contact: tberman@bermanassociates.net
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