Trial Magazine

Litigation has a lot of moving parts. Each day brings a unique set of challenges to address and overcome. Sometimes, the problems of the immediate moment push aside older issues that may still need attention. Since opening my law firm in 2022, I have implemented a system based on communication, accountability, and organization that allows us to consistently move cases forward and avoid last-minute emergencies. While this system is not a one-size-fits-all approach, I hope you find some aspects of it helpful and consider implementing it in your own practice.

Start the day with a virtual ‘huddle.’ Each morning, my staff and I meet for a 15-minute virtual huddle on Zoom. It is important that the huddle starts and ends on time. Having a consistent start and finish time lets your staff understand that the meeting is important, consistent, and efficient. Ours starts at 9:30 a.m. and finishes by 9:45 a.m. Starting our huddle at 9:30 a.m. allows my staff members to have time before the meeting to collect their thoughts, plan their days, and prepare for the huddle.

Use an Excel document to track daily tasks. Before the huddle, each of us lists on a shared Excel document the tasks we intend to complete or try to complete that day. That document is called the “Daily Huddle Tracker,” and my legal assistant sets it up at the beginning of each week. We use the same document every week so we can track our progress. It allows me to see what we have worked on every day since our inception.

The document lists the date, staff member, a blank field to enter a task, and another blank field to indicate whether the task has been completed. It is important to include the status of the tasks, as well as the tasks themselves. Otherwise, it will not be clear which ones have been completed and which are still in progress.

Make sure the tasks identify the case and are clearly defined. A clear task specifically articulates what needs to be completed. For example, “Evans case—call David Smith to confirm tomorrow’s deposition” is clear; “Stone case—review file” is not.

After a staff member completes a task, they mark it as “Done” in the status column. If a task is a work in progress, keep updating the status until it is complete. If a task carries over from day to day, highlight it so you and your staff do not overlook it as you add new tasks to the tracker on subsequent days.

End the day with a quick meeting to wrap things up. At the end of each day, my staff and I have a 15-minute “Daily Wrap-Up.” This meeting takes place at 4:45 p.m. and—like the morning huddle—is virtual and starts and ends on time. The purpose of the Daily Wrap-Up is to check in with each staff member to see whether they have a task that needs my or another attorney’s input to complete. For example, a staff member may be waiting for me to review a set of interrogatories before serving them.

We also use this meeting as an opportunity to update each other on any vital information that has developed during the day; for example, that a client phoned to say she has an emergency and needs to cancel her deposition. The Daily Wrap-Up provides a space to share this information and ensure that no task stalls due to an unresolved question.

These two short meetings each day have enabled my support staff to work independently throughout the day. They’ve also helped me avoid distractions during the day as I work on larger issues. My staff knows that before each day concludes they have a set time to speak with me to address any unresolved issues, which limits interruptions throughout the day.

My staff enjoys this process. It keeps me from having to distract them with questions throughout the day, and they know they will get my full attention twice a day and have time to ask questions before the day is over. I have found this system helpful in keeping my cases on track and moving forward. I hope you do, too.

Adam Langino practices law at Langino Law in Chapel Hill, N.C., and West Palm Beach, Fla., and can be reached at adam@langinolaw.com.