From firefighting to efficiency: how to manage the workload

Now in its 5th year, the CLL Development Programme is an interactive series built around all those issues that matter to in-house lawyers and covering skills, management, leadership, strategy, relationships and career. It’s open to all in-house lawyers, wherever you work and whatever your level of experience. 

A successful in-house legal function is sometimes seen as one that is flush with work, where everyone is working flat out to try and keep up with the never-ending demand from clients. The thinking goes that “It’s not easy or comfortable but we must be doing things right otherwise people wouldn’t be beating down the door for our help.”

But while you’re busy and in demand, it may also be true that you never seem to have the time to think about the value of what you’re doing or whether there may be ways of doing things better. And you know that the lawyers are under increasing pressure and that morale is low or slipping. Essentially, fire-fighting is the legal team’s business as usual.  

In this session, we’ll explore questions and issues such as: -

“I recognise the need to prioritise but isn’t it our job to meet the demand for legal services? Or should we be pushing back on doing certain work, which may be unpopular”? 

“I’m a lawyer. My job is to give legal advice not to be thinking about strategy, resources and budgets. Besides, I don’t have the time anyway.”

“We’d like to do things differently but our clients rely on us and changes would be unwelcome or too time consuming.” 

“I know I should devote more time to thinking about how we can be more effective but I really don’t know where to start and, frankly, it’s easier to focus on the next item in my in-tray. I’d really like some help with this.”

“Yes, morale amongst the lawyers is not great but I’m really not sure how to improve things.”