article-time-estimate-icon

5 minute read

Introducing Lupl’s Biggest Update Ever

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

Documents in the Lupl app
In this article

    Over $13.3 billion has been invested in legal tech development since 2016.¹ But finding the right tools and getting people to actually use them is easier said than done.

    Since our founding, we’ve worked with a group representing over 10,000 legal professionals to identify common challenges and opportunities to solve. This group included lawyers from CMS, Cooley, Slaughter and May, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Khaitan & Co, and Rajah & Tann, not to mention legal departments like Airbnb, Battery Ventures, Deutsche Bank, Unilever and more.

    And this month, we’re releasing our biggest set of product updates so far at Lupl. You asked, we answered — and, oh boy, are we excited to get these new features in your hands.

    The legal sector continues to lag behind when it comes to technology. Lupl’s next-generation matter management software provides answers to collaboration, project management and capturing legal knowledge. Here are four major benefits of Lupl, and how our recent updates make it even better!

    1. Transform external collaboration and document sharing

    We hear all the time how hard it can be to collaborate between law firms and clients. Simple tasks like document sharing end up being much harder than they should be. With Lupl, it doesn’t have to be — because it’s a single shared workspace that brings all the moving parts together in one place.

    What’s new: WhatsApp integration

    The first big update is our industry-first WhatsApp integration. With 75% of lawyers already collaborating with clients via WhatsApp, we’ve heard time and again the same concerns about security and compliance. Lawyers tell us, “I want to meet my client where they are, which is increasingly in WhatsApp… but I can’t sacrifice security and compliance”. Well, we have the solution! You can now use Lupl’s WhatsApp integration to:

    • Send secure document links directly from your document management system to clients and partners in WhatsApp.
    • Receive client feedback on documents, and have that feedback automatically added to the matter record (no more screenshotting and sending to a PA for record-keeping purposes).
    • Securely trade comments on the documents with the client.
    • Make changes after you hit send — so everyone is always working off the right version.
    • Meet sector security and compliance obligations. Everything benefits from Lupl’s Security by Design approach and is designed to help our customers meet their sector security and compliance requirements.

    What’s more, it’s all done through a managed WhatsApp account, allowing you to keep your personal WhatsApp… well, personal.

    (P.S. The WhatsApp integration can be turned on/off by an org admin in our Elite and Enterprise tiers.)

    Are you dealing with clients in WhatsApp?

    Try our integration today.

    2. Next-level collaboration and project management

    A big part of what makes Lupl special is its integration of communication, document management and project management. Bringing all the moving parts together just makes everyone’s life easier.

    What’s new: Integrated Document & Task Management, supercharged Closing Checklists, Trial Prep and more!

    Legal projects are unusual because of the interaction between tasks and documents. Take a closing checklist, for example. On one level, it’s a list of documents. On another level, it’s a list of tasks. But a lot of task management apps don’t do a good job with document management, and vice versa.

    That’s why we’ve overhauled our project management UI and added powerful features able to link documents and tasks, review work and, fundamentally, make collaboration easier.

    • Link Documents and Tasks: Link one or more documents on your document management system, or Lupl Drive, directly to a Task. This means you can easily create closing or trial checklists, because often the Tasks are the Documents.
    • Add Multiple Tasks to a Document: Tracking down inputs and approvals for everyone on a legal document can feel like herding cats. Imagine being able to assign reviews and to-dos on a document to specific people, and have them automatically chased for input by the deadline. That’s exactly why we built this feature!
    • Advanced Sub-foldering: Store and organize documents in the Lupl Drive using multiple sub-folders. Make it easy to share collections and find what you’re looking for.
    • Threaded Document Comments: Attach the conversation directly to the work product, so everyone’s input is noted in one place.

    Lupl centralizes project management to ensure the right tasks are worked on in the right order, everyone knows who’s doing what, and everything is done on time.

    3. Improved research and knowledge management

    It’s a fact that 99% of legal knowledge from a particular matter never gets captured in a reusable way for future matters. It sits in documents, email threads… and people’s heads! Technology can break down silos and hierarchies, helping spread knowledge across your organization. This is a big reason we developed Lupl in the first place. The communication and collaboration provided by Lupl already make it easier to share information, but we didn’t stop there…

    What’s new: iOS matter templates and a research assistant

    Our Matter Templates are the critical way that we put actionable legal knowledge in users’ hands. Lupl provides standard templates for common cases, but also allows you to create custom templates in order to capture experience and make it easy to share. Save time, stop reinventing the wheel and reduce risk.

    Our new rollout makes Matter Templates available on iOS for the first time, meaning you can spin up a due diligence project, a real estate transaction or a contractual debt claim, whether you’re at your desk or on the beach.

    The other side of the coin is legal research. Reviewing statutes, case law and making notes are the beating heart of practice for many lawyers. But most lawyers we speak to are pasting their research in Word, OneNote or emails. There has to be a better way to capture, centralize and share research on a particular case. With the new Lupl Pins Extension for your Edge or Chrome browser, it’s never been easier to capture information, add descriptions and then share it with team members for their input. Think of it like your research sidekick.

    Centralize and share your legal research on a single platform today.

    Sign up here in 57 seconds.

    4. Connecting the legal tech stack

    Nearly one-third of legal teams use more than ten legal technologies, but 76% say that they still spend a lot of time on manual tasks. ² A big problem here is the ability to transfer data between tools and share information, not to mention picking the right tools to use in the first place.

    What’s new: Bring financial and billing data into Lupl with Clio and Tessaract integrations

    Lupl can be a central hub for legal technology, allowing you to pull information from across your tech stack into a single place. We’ve made a massive step forwards with our integration coverage, with two new out-of-the-box integrations with Clio and Tessaract. Make access and managing your practice management systems easier and more effective.

    It’s time for Legal Tech’s moment in the sun

    Even in 2022, only 60% of those in the legal sector report using the cloud ³ — the same rate of adoption among other professionals back in 2016. ⁴ Security concerns, entrenched hierarchies, and poor tech choices have all held legal tech back. But it won’t always be that way.

    Big outcomes don’t have to be the result of big change. The right small steps can create a domino effect. Technology needs to help lawyers work more effectively and efficiently, share know-how, collaborate, build templates and deliver value to clients.

    Improved communication and collaboration can level hierarchies, expand access to existing legal tech and know-how, and transform how value is delivered to clients. Each update to Lupl has been designed to do just that and help you set the stage for a digital revolution in the legal industry.

    Ready to optimize your legal workflow?

    Get in touch to learn more.

    1 Is Legal Tech Facing a VC Funding Crunch?

    2 Too Much Tech in Legal Operations? Not Exactly – WSJ

    3 2021 Cloud Computing

    4 Disruptive technology in the legal profession | Deloitte UK

    In this article

      More legal tech insights we think you'll love

      Legal matter dashboards for partners: clarity across matters and teams

      Partners manage growing volume and complexity. Lupl gives live matter...

      The cost of over-dependence on AI

      AI saves us time, boosts productivity, and lets us do...

      # Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers Legal project management works when your setup is simple, ownership is clear, and statuses are unambiguous. This guide shows how to turn existing processes and checklists into a lean, reliable Workstream. Lupl is the legal project management platform for law firms, making it easy and intuitive to apply these principles. It also supports moving your work from Excel, Word tables, or if you are transitioning from Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet, or Monday. You will learn what belongs in a Workstream, a Task, or a Step, and which columns to use. If you want practical project management for lawyers, start here. **Excerpt:** Legal project management works when ownership, dates, and statuses are clear. This guide shows lawyers how to turn checklists into Lupl Workstreams with the right columns, Tasks, and Steps. Use it to standardize project management for lawyers, reduce follow ups, and move matters to done. --- ## How to organize your work with Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps are three different types of objects in Lupl. They form a simple hierarchy. Workstreams contain Tasks. Tasks may contain optional Steps. This hierarchy aligns with standard project management. In project management, you break work into projects, deliverables, and subtasks. Lupl adapts this for lawyers by using Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps. This makes it easier to map legal processes to a structure that teams can track and manage. * **Workstream.** Use when you have many similar or related items to track over time. Think of the Workstream as the table. * Examples: closing checklist, court deadlines, pretrial preparation, regulatory obligations, due diligence, local counsel management. * **Task.** A high level unit of legal work. A key deliverable with an owner and a due date. Tasks are the rows. * Examples: File motion. Prepare Shareholder Agreement. Submit Q3 report. * **Step.** An optional short checklist inside a single Task. Steps roll up to the parent Task. * Examples: Draft. QC. Partner review. E file. Serve. ### Quick test * If it can be overdue by itself, make it a Task. * If it only helps complete a Task, make it a Step. * If you need different columns or owners, create a separate Workstream. --- ## Do you need to track everything in Lupl Not every detail needs to be tracked in a project management system. The principle is to capture what drives accountability and progress. In Lupl, that means focusing on deliverables, not every micro action. * Use the level of detail you would bring to a weekly team meeting agenda. * Position Tasks as key deliverables. Treat Steps as optional micro tasks to show progress. * Example: You need client instructions. Do not add a Task for "Email client to request a call." Just make the call. If the client approves a key deliverable on the call, mark that item Approved in Lupl so the team has visibility. --- ## Start with the Core 5 columns Columns are the backbone of a Workstream. They define what information is tracked for each Task. In project management terms, these are your core metadata fields. They keep everyone aligned without overcomplicating the table. Keep the table narrow. You can add later. These five work across most legal project management use cases. 1. **Title.** Start with a verb. Example: File answer to complaint. 2. **Status.** Five to seven clear choices. Example: Not started, In progress, For review, For approval, Done. 3. **Assignee.** One named owner per row. If you add multiple assignees for collaboration, still name a primary owner. 4. **Due date.** One date per row. 5. **Type or Category.** Show different kinds of work in one table. Example: Filing, Discovery, Signature, Approval. **Priority.** Add only if you actively triage by priority each week. If added, keep it simple: High, Medium, Low. --- ## Add up to three Helper columns Lupl includes a set of pre made columns you can use out of the box. These allow you to customize Workstreams around different phases or stages of a matter. They also let you map how you already track transactional work, litigation, or other processes. Helper columns are optional fields that add context. In task management, these are similar to tags or attributes you use to sort and filter work. The key is to only add what you will update and use. Pick only what you will use. Stop when you reach three. * Party or Counterparty * Jurisdiction or Court * Phase * Approver * Approval, status or yes or no * Signature status * Risk, RAG * Amount or Number * External ID or Client ID * Document or Link * Docket number * Client entity **Guidance** * For Task Workstreams, prefer Approver, Approval, Risk. The rest are more common in Custom Workstreams. * Aim for eight columns or fewer in your main table. Put detail in the Task description, attachments, or Steps. --- ## Simple rules that keep your table clean Consistency is critical in project management. A cluttered or inconsistent table slows teams down. These rules ensure your Workstream remains usable and clear. * Only add a column people will update during the matter. If it never changes, set a default at the Workstream level or set a default value in the column. * Only add a column you will sort or filter on. If you will not use it to find or group work, leave it out. * If a value changes inside one Task, use Steps. Steps show progress without widening the table. * Keep columns short and structured. Use Description for brief context or instructions. Use Task comments for discussion and decisions. Link to work product in your DMS as the source of truth. * One accountable owner per Task and one due date. You can add collaborators, but always name a primary owner who moves the Task. If different people or dates apply to different parts, split into separate Tasks or capture the handoff as Steps. * Add automations after you lock the design. Finalize columns and status definitions first. Then add simple reminders and escalations that read those fields. --- ## Status hygiene that everyone understands Status is the single most important column in project management. It tells the team where the work stands. Too many options cause confusion. Too few cause misalignment. In Lupl, keep it simple and consistent. * Five to seven statuses are enough. * Use one review gate, For review or For approval. Use both only if your process needs two gates. * One terminal status, Done. This is the end state of the Task. Use Archived only if you report on it or need it for retention workflows. --- ## When to split into multiple Workstreams In project management, it is best practice to separate workstreams when workflows, owners, or audiences diverge. Lupl makes this easy by letting you create multiple Workstreams for one matter. Create a new Workstream if any of the following are true. * You need a different set of columns for a chunk of work. * Ownership or cadence is different, for example daily docketing vs monthly reporting. * The audience or confidentiality needs are different. **Signal** * If half your rows leave several columns blank, you are mixing processes. Split the table. --- ## Decision tree, three quick questions Use this quick framework to decide where an item belongs. This is the same principle used in task management software, adapted for legal workflows. 1. Is this a list of similar items over time, or a discrete phase of the matter * Yes. Create a Workstream. 2. Can it be overdue by itself, and does it need an owner * Yes. Create a Task. 3. Is it a step to finish a Task and not tracked on its own * Yes. Create a Step. --- ## Common mistakes to avoid Many project management failures come from overdesigning or misusing the structure. Avoid these mistakes to keep your Workstreams lean and effective. * Wide tables with many optional columns. Keep it to eight or fewer. * Two columns for the same idea, for example Status and Phase that overlap. Merge or define clearly. * More than one approval gate when one would do. It slows work and confuses owners. * Mixing unrelated processes in one table, for example signatures and invoice approvals. --- ## Build your first Workstream Building a Workstream is like setting up a project board. Keep it light, pilot it, then refine. Lupl is designed to let you do this quickly without heavy admin work. 1. Write the Workstream purpose in one sentence. 2. Add the Core 5 columns. 3. Add at most three Helpers you will use. 4. Define clear Status meanings in plain words. 5. Set defaults for any value that repeats on most rows, for example Jurisdiction. 6. Add two light automations, a due soon reminder and an overdue nudge. 7. Pilot for one week and adjust. --- ## Where this fits in legal project management Use these principles to standardize project management for lawyers across matters. Keep structures consistent. Reuse column sets and status definitions. Your team will find work faster, reduce follow ups, and close loops on time. --- ### On page SEO helpers * Suggested title tag. Lupl Workstream Design Principles, Practical Legal Project Management for Lawyers * Suggested meta description. Learn how to design lean Lupl Workstreams for legal project management. Get clear rules for Tasks, Steps, statuses, and columns to run matters with confidence. * Suggested URL slug. legal-project-management-for-lawyers-workstream-design

      Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers

      Learn why large‑firm lawyers are ditching Excel checklists for dynamic,...