9.5
Master File List

Create and Maintain a Master File List and Review it Weekly

Creating a Master File List is one of the essential practice management tools recommended for almost every lawyer across every practice area. A Master File List is essentially a snapshot of the status of all of the open/active files in your practice. It allows you to easily identify those files with upcoming court dates, it allows you to see where your files are at in the process and confirm that there is a diary date assigned to the file to report to your client and to keep it progressing. It also helps manage your capacity/file load as the number of active/open files you have is immediately accessible. It is recommended that you create separate Master File Lists for each area you practice in.

It is also strongly recommended that you set aside a specific time each week to review each file on your Master File List(s), with your assistant if you have one. This gives you the opportunity to prioritize and organize your workflow for the week and manage your time well in advance of deadlines. You can update your Master File List(s) as the week progresses and update the numbers in your financial column just prior to your designated review time. Use of a Master File List will help you gain control of your practice and meet important dates and timelines. Like all processes, it requires dedication and discipline to maintain, but once you start, you will likely wonder how you ever practiced without it.    

Tailor your list to suit your needs – add columns that fit your practice, or the particular area of law. If you practice in more than one area, it is likely that some of the columns will differ. Include at least the following columns:

  • File number
  • File name
  • Next step
  • Next court date or important meeting date
  • Next diary date
  • A financial column which includes work in progress (wip), accounts receivable (a/r) and trust balance  

We encourage you to build Master File Lists that work for your practice. Most lawyers create their Master File Lists in Excel or Word, whichever is preferable. Although it is a low-tech tool, it is an effective one.  

If you have an assistant, you and your assistant could have a meeting to discuss how best to use the Master File List in your practice. You could consider and discuss the following:

  • schedule a weekly meeting to walk through the Master File Lists to see what was accomplished and assist you in creating future workflow;  
  • who is going to update the Master File Lists and when; and
  • create a process to ensure that there is a redundant system for all diary dates to be placed in both the calendar or practice management software and the Master File List and to check that all dates on the Master File List are in the future and have not passed.

The Benefits of using a Master File List

At any given time, clients can easily be told the current status of their file because you know the status of their file. If they phone, you will not have to waste time searching for their file, you will have the status at your fingertips. 

Setting out the “Next Step to be Taken” with a “Diarization Date” provides a check and balance so that files are reviewed and the matter is progressed. We suggest diarizing files no more than four to six weeks and reporting to your client each time, even if you are just reaching out to let them know that you are still awaiting information, they will appreciate hearing from you and knowing that you are working on their file.  Most importantly, consistent diarizing keeps the file moving forward.

Knowing how many active files you currently have, and what their status is, can help you more effectively manage your time and practice. It also aids in your assessment of whether you have capacity to take on new files. If you are unexpectedly away from the office (e.g., illness or personal emergency), it will also be easier for another lawyer to get up to speed with your practice.

Maintaining, updating and reviewing your Master File List is key to ensuring that no file will slip through the cracks. After you take on a new client, it should become part of your process to add them to the Master File List and once you close their file, they should be removed from the Master File List and be added to your closed file list. 

The Master File List will help provide reassurance that every client’s matter is being attended to. Reviewing your Master File List weekly will serve your clients by placing their matter on the top of your mind each week. It will also give you peace of mind because you can rely on the file coming to your attention when you need to take the next step. Processes are only helpful if we maintain them. If we maintain them, we can rely on them.     

To learn more about the benefits of using a Master File List, we encourage you to listen to our podcast on the topic: Practically Speaking – Mastering Client File Management.


Last modified: Friday, 21 April 2023, 9:27 AM