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.