How Do Law Professionals Balance Thorough Research With Tight Deadlines?
Lawyer Magazine
How Do Law Professionals Balance Thorough Research With Tight Deadlines?
In the fast-paced world of law, balancing meticulous research with pressing deadlines is a skill unto itself. We've gathered insights from Lawyers and Attorneys, including a Principal Lawyer and a Founding Partner, to share their strategies. From updating and utilizing a case law library to evaluating importance and allocating resources, discover the five expert techniques to manage this critical aspect of legal work.
- Update and Utilize Case Law Library
- Implement Effective Reminder Systems
- Prioritize and Communicate Realistic Expectations
- Focus on Key Issues Early
- Evaluate Importance and Allocate Resources
Update and Utilize Case Law Library
To balance the need for thorough research with the demands of tight deadlines in my legal practice, I keep a fully updated library of case law in my practice area. I dedicate time every week to review the recent decisions at each level of court in my jurisdiction to make sure I do not miss anything important, and add it to my library if necessary. I also make sure to subscribe to legal research and continuing education services like Professor Sankoff's Criminal Defense Essentials and case law digests, which I review as well.
Implement Effective Reminder Systems
The way I balance deadlines requires a few things. First, it's important to have a good reminder system, and it is essential to always be checking your calendar weeks in advance to make sure you know what is coming up and what needs to be done.
I also find doing things as soon as they are tasked (time permitting) ensures I get the assignment done on time. We all have large caseloads and a million things to do, which makes it so easy to procrastinate until you miss a deadline!
As well, it's important to have a good system for organizing notes and all work you have done. In addition to adding memos to files when I review legal documents, I take detailed notes of each and every call, no matter what it is, so that I can get myself up to speed quickly.
Prioritize and Communicate Realistic Expectations
Balancing the need for thorough research with tight deadlines requires a strategic approach focused on prioritization, time management, and setting realistic expectations. Lawyers must prioritize tasks effectively and manage their time to ensure research is completed efficiently while clearly communicating expectations to clients. It's essential to be upfront about what can realistically be achieved, ensuring we keep our promises and meet client needs.
Additionally, we strive to avoid duplicating research efforts. By documenting and sharing our findings with other lawyers in the firm, we save time and enhance our collective knowledge. This practice allows us to create valuable guides and reference materials for future use, streamlining our research process and improving overall efficiency.
Focus on Key Issues Early
From our perspective, the primary approach to ensuring both thorough research and adherence to tight deadlines is to identify and prioritize the main issues and focal points of the case early in the legal consultation process. Only by doing this can enough time be created within the remaining short period to address these significant aspects and dedicate research to these priorities.
Minor issues or factors of the case can and must be dealt with superficially and quickly when faced with tight deadlines. This means that more time needs to be invested at the beginning of the consultation in discussing the case and working through the facts in order to identify the key legal issues at this stage. However, this initial time investment is compensated for during the course of the consultation through clear prioritization.
Evaluate Importance and Allocate Resources
Time management and task prioritization are critical skills for every attorney. This is most evident when trying to balance thorough research with tight deadlines in litigation. In these situations, attorneys must evaluate which task is 'more' important and allocate enough time for the task. Where 'good enough' research will suffice, staying focused on the final product with an eye on the deadline may be key. Alternatively, where the 'right' answer is most important, thorough research is the priority.
Another consideration is whether to split the attorney's time and attention between the two projects or to incorporate a team into the project to divide and conquer the work. Ultimately, litigation is high-stakes, and research (or revising work) will always conflict with tight deadlines. Identifying the priority and how to allocate personal or team resources will help attorneys balance these competing interests and meet tight deadlines.
