Optimizing Legal Workflows: A Case Study

• Client: DFDL Cambodia.
• Role: Operations Efficiency Consultant (Director's Office)
• Duration: 6 Months

Introduction

Over a 6 month period, I worked closely with the country director of DFDL Cambodia to review and optimize the firm's methods of tracking and reporting on legal matters, managing the pipeline of matters, and improving time management.

Utilizing AirTable as the primary tool, I developed and implemented systems that significantly enhanced DFDL Cambodia's operational workflows. This case study outlines the strategic approach and specific solutions that led to these improvements.

During the contract, I also worked on a handful of special projects including an OpenAI Powered library for Cambodian legal documentation. This work led to the public release of BespokeGPT; a stand-alone service offering for any businesses looking for custom AI solutions.

Challenges

• Fragmented Data Management: Existing methods were disparate and inefficient, leading to difficulties in accessing and analyzing data.
• Manual Processes: Nearly all tracking and reporting tasks were performed manually, consuming valuable time and increasing the risk of errors.
• Lack of Automation: There was a need for automated solutions to reduce administrative burdens and ensure timely follow-ups and document preparation.
• Coordination Issues: Efficiently coordinating between various function managers (Finance, Office, Marketing, Business Development, and Translation) was essential to foster cohesive operations.

Why AirTable?

AirTable was chosen for this project due to its exceptional flexibility, ease of use, and powerful features. Unlike traditional static databases and spreadsheets that were commonplace throughout DFDL, AirTable combines the best aspects of both, offering a highly customizable platform that can be tailored to the specific needs of DFDL Cambodia.

Its intuitive interface made it accessible for all team members, regardless of technical expertise. Additionally, AirTable’s robust integration capabilities allowed seamless connection with existing tools and workflows, while its automation features enabled the development of efficient processes for document drafting, reminders, and real-time updates.

These qualities made AirTable the ideal solution for enhancing operational efficiency at DFDL Cambodia.

Developing a Comprehensive Tracking System

DFDL Cambodia has offered legal and tax advise for close to 30 years. With over 80 team members and boasting a full-scope offerings, thousands of matters of varying size and scale are worked on.

With the recent removal of dedicated practice groups (i.e real estate, energy, tax etc.) DFDL Cambodia needed a holistic system for tracking, monitoring and reporting upon matters across the firm. Whilst various spreadsheets were used by managers and partners, I quickly identified the opportunity to leverage AirTable to create a centralized database that tracked all DFDL Cambodia matters.

Key features included:

• Integrated Workflow: Implemented an automated workflow using Zapier to take the raw-data from Adarant legal billing software and integrate it with AirTable.
• Customizable Fields: Enabled the team to capture all necessary information specific to each case.
• Linked Records: Allowed for the connection of related data, such as client information, case details, and responsible advisors.
• Views and Filters: Provided tailored views for different stakeholders, ensuring that each team member could quickly access relevant information.
• Reporting Dashboards: Delivered a comprehensive dashboard that allows for a snapshot look at all matters across the firm, pinpointing the most relevant data for management and board-level reviews.

Implementing Pipeline Management

To manage the pipeline reporting of matters, I followed a similar approach as identified during the work on the general matter tracking solution. With an existing CRM in place (NEXL) the main objective was to elevate the insights for management and project managers providing them with on-demand data to closely monitor pipeline activities across the firm.

• Integrated Workflow: In a similar way but with different technology, Zapier was used to take raw data from the existing CRM and integrate with AirTable.
• Insightful and Accessible Dashboards: Delivered a comprehensive dashboard that provided a granular overview of the entire pipeline (i.e number of proposal sent, the value of opportunities won/lost/pending, biggest deals per week/month/all-time etc.)
• Automated Notifications: Alerted team members of changes in case status or when a case required immediate attention. Internally this was referred to as the "pending list" which was in-essence the current deal-list of each advisor.

Enhancing Time Tracking and Reporting

Accurate time reporting is essential for any service business. Even if you're working mostly on fixed-price engagements or projects, being able to track time and attribute metrics to either yourself or your team is critical for better financial management.

Whilst DFDL already leveraged a robust time tracking tool (Adarant), the reporting capabilities were not accessible to everyone due to licensing restrictions. Alongside this, whilst Adarant does provide valuable insights in regards to billing data, it didn't offer a holistic snapshot of data across the firm and the possibility to introduce automations to improve billing discipline. Coupled with the pipeline and matter tracking work, I leveraged AirTable as a reporting and automation layer on-top of Adarant to support better time tracking and reporting.

• Dashboard Integration: Created a real-time dashboard displaying key metrics and performance indicators, accessible to management for strategic decision-making, better performance and more effective work allocation.

Conclusion

Through adopting a human-centric approach and the successful identification, analysis and implementation of a centralised tool, I was able to transform DFDL Cambodia's operational processes, leading to greater efficiency, accuracy, and data-driven decision making. This case study exemplifies my ability to utilize modern tools and technologies, coupled with strategic collaboration, to drive meaningful improvements in organizational performance.

If you enjoyed this, you can read more about how as part of my work at DFDL Cambodia I also implemented an OpenAI powered library for Cambodian legal documentation.

If you would like to learn more about my human-centric approach, you get a copy of my free ebook: Cracking the Code: Master Problem Solving With Human-Centric Design. You can also book a free Consulting Discovery Call with me.