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CCCA_V6No3_Dept-ProjectMgmt1-FIN_CCCA_V6No2_Dept-IntellectualProperty 9/18/12 12:00 PM Page 13 Legal Project Management you are able to achieve work-life balance while addressing strate- gic items would be a win-win for everyone. In fact, figuring out the answer to this puzzle would provide an excellent example of your underutilized strategic problem-solving skills! It may be that you have a long list of items requiring attention. Don’t fret, prioritize! Be judicious in your determination of where to focus efforts and actively pursue no more than three opportu- nities — more than three and your ability to succeed at any is greatly reduced, if not eliminated. Specify desired outcome For each focus area, create a high-level summary of your desired outcome (referred to as a statement of work (SOW) in project- management terms). For many this is a narrative statement or a bul- The appeals process demands detailed let point e-mail and for others it is a chart. Whatever way it is sum- and discriminating analysis of the marized, you should take into account the business need (i.e. what existing record. It rewards the insight is required and why), the scope (how the business need will be addressed) and your organization’s strategic plan (i.e. how the to identify and articulate a strategy desired outcome fits within your organization’s strategic goals). upon which a case will turn. It favours This summary will be general. You do, however, need to be those with an intimate understanding of specific enough to enable you to identify your desired end-point. the procedures and perspectives that This will later be used as your guideline for assessing alternatives. For example, if the organization seeks to reduce legal spend and define our appeal courts and Supreme you seek to work fewer hours, set out what it will look like if the Court. It is an unforgiving environment objectives have been achieved. There is a big difference between a for those who approach unprepared. 55 per cent reduction over one month and a 5 per cent reduction over eight months. Similarly, working 30 minutes less each night is In the appeals process, very different from working three hours less each night. he who wins last, wins. Completion brings calm, clarity This first step may seem like a time-intensive process, but it actu- Call us. ally doesn’t need to take very long — and won’t, if you avoid going into minute details. Focus on trends. Context, an under- standing of priorities and an articulated end point are all power- Toronto: 416 867 3076 ful pieces of information that can be used to assess and guide Earl Cherniak, Q.C., William E. Pepall, Kirk Boggs, efforts to introduce improvements. As a result, completing this Mark Freiman, Kirk Stevens, Jasmine Akbarali, Brian stage of the process provides great calm and clarity for most. Radnoff, Cynthia Kuehl, Stuart Zacharias Whether you work it through on your own or enlist the help London: 519 672 4510 of internal and/or external resources, starting the process right is Peter Kryworuk, Andrew Murray, Carolyn Brandow the most important step. So don’t wait for things to magically change. Assess your status quo and get yourself started on the path to strategic legal planning. If you start now you will be ready to Lerners LLP is 100-plus lawyers with a proud history of 80 years of successful litigation. apply Step 2 to your specific situation when those details appear in the next issue of CCCA Magazine. www.lerners.ca/appeals Melissa LaFlair, Certified PMP, LL.B., Ivey HBA., is a lawyer and project manager with more than 16 years of experience solving legal and business challenges. This is the first of a four-part series. www.laflair.ca