Maybe
it’s
my
OCD,
or
being
a
nerd
(I
know,
shocking),
or
being
a
control
freak
(did
I
mention
my
OCD),
but
I
am
a
massive
proponent
of
reducing
the
types
of
cases
you
handle
to
a
series
of
checklists
and
workflows.
No
matter
how
complex
or
varied
your
cases
are,
or
their
quantity,
creating
a
written,
step-by-step
process
for
handling
each
type
of
case
will
increase
efficiency,
quality
control,
and
outcomes.
This
approach
–
reducing
your
caseload
to
a
set
of
processes
that
serve
as
a
tool
to
ensure
you
consider
all
the
various
methods
and
steps
in
your
cases
–
is
often
overlooked
because
it
is
time-consuming,
non-billable,
and
requires
regular
review
and
updates
(these
checklists
must
be
reviewed
and
updated
periodically).
Additionally,
some
lawyers
believe
their
cases
are
too
complex
to
be
reduced
to
step-by-step
processes.
What
they
do
is
so
unique,
so
intellectual,
that
it
cannot
possibly
be
reduced
to
checklists.
And
yes,
we
are
not
automatons,
and
we
cannot
simply
follow
decision
trees
automatically.
However,
I
would
argue
that,
regardless
of
complexity,
50-90%
of
every
case
can
be
reduced
to
checklists.
And
that
merely
the
effort
to
look
at
your
cases
and
write
out
how
you
handle
them
from
beginning
to
end
will
make
you
a
better
lawyer.
I
handle
a
variety
of
litigation-based
matters.
Throughout
my
career,
I
have
litigated
a
wide
range
of
cases,
from
asbestos
to
zoning,
and
everything
in
between.
And
early
in
my
career,
I
looked
at
my
cases
from
the
vantage
point
of
–
what
is
every
possible
thing
I
can
do
in
the
case
and
what
makes
sense
under
different
sets
of
circumstances.
And
I
wrote
out
checklists.
Not
just
for
me,
but
for
everyone
on
the
team,
to
ensure
we
were
all
moving
in
the
right
direction,
pursuing
the
proper
goals,
and
advancing
the
client’s
objectives.
As
I
handled
more
of
the
same
matters,
I
refined
my
checklists
to
accommodate
my
increasing
experience
and
knowledge.
If
you
can
see
your
whole
cases,
from
pre-suit
through
trial,
you
are
taking
those
actions
that
advance
your
goals
(and
refraining
from
those
that
don’t).
If,
conversely,
you
are
relying
on
what’s
in
your
head
about
tactics,
steps,
and
approaches,
you
will
likely
miss
one
or
more
crucial
aspects
of
your
case.
So,
how
do
you
reduce
your
matters
to
a
series
of
checklists?
First,
define
the
different
matters
you
handle.
If
all
you
handle
is
litigation,
then
there
will
be
a
lot
of
transferable
to-do
lists
from
one
type
of
matter
to
another
(serving
discovery
and
third-party
subpoenas,
retaining
experts,
deposing
parties,
etc.).
For
me,
my
list
would
include,
among
other
items,
commercial
litigation
(breach
of
contract,
non-competes,
IP,
etc.),
personal
injury
(trucking,
auto,
premises,
negligent
security),
products
(one-off
products,
drug
&
medical
device,
toxic
tort,
etc.),
and
so
on.
Second,
I
would
then
take
my
categories
and
create
a
workflow
for
each,
writing
out
each
step,
aspect,
and
off-ramp
of
that
case.
I
would
literally
type
every
little
and
big
thing
I
can
do
when
handling
that
type
of
matter
into
a
Word
document
—
the
more
steps,
the
more
to-dos,
the
more
checklists,
the
more
detail,
the
better.
Third,
I
would
share
it
with
my
team
for
their
input,
and
ask
them
to
add,
revise,
and
augment
these
lists.
Fourth,
whenever
I
started
on
a
new
matter,
I
would
share
the
appropriate
list
for
the
proper
case
and
have
everyone
type
their
notes
into
this
document
about
the
steps
being
followed,
taken,
or,
for
that
matter,
avoided.
This
document
will
serve
as
a
single
source
of
information,
helping
everyone
keep
track
of
what
has
been
done
and
what
remains
to
be
done.
This
works
whatever
side
of
the
“V”
you’re
on.
Fifth,
the
way
we
handle
cases
evolves,
and
these
checklists
will
be
updated
during
the
litigation
process
to
reflect
that.
Is
this
a
lot
of
work?
Yes.
A
lot
of
non-billable
work?
Yes.
But
these
checklists
will
keep
you
and
your
team
focused
on
what
needs
to
be
done,
when,
and
how.
Without
such
controls,
you
are
constantly
reminding
yourself
and
your
team
what
to
do
next.
This
reduces
unnecessary
control
and
micro
supervision
of
your
matters.
Consider
this
approach
not
just
for
your
matters,
but
for
all
your
firm’s
matters,
to
improve
efficiency,
avoid
mistakes,
and
enhance
outcomes.
Frank
Ramos
is
a
partner
at
Goldberg
Segalla
in
Miami,
where
he
practices
commercial
litigation,
products,
and
catastrophic
personal
injury. You
can
follow
him
on LinkedIn,
where
he
has
about
80,000
followers.