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4 minute read

Legal matter dashboards for partners: clarity across matters and teams

Shreyas Sriram

Shreyas Sriram

Legal Matter Dashboards for Partners
In this article

    Partners are managing more work than ever. The matters are more complex, the timelines are tighter, and the number of open windows and tabs keeps climbing. The real cost is the time you spend hunting for the latest tracker, the right checklist, or that email with the key date.

    The search creates delays. It adds friction to client updates, and it can make a solid team look less prepared.

    Lupl helps by putting all core information in one place. The data stays current because it flows from the work your team has already done. You see the same information your team uses to run the matter. No juggling spreadsheets, last minute inbox search. Just a clear read that helps you steer your team, work. Oh – and you can create beautiful client-friendly versions as well.

    What a useful legal matter dashboard should solve

    You shouldn’t have to guess where a matter stands or where risk is building. You shouldn’t need to open five systems to prepare for a client call. A useful dashboard reduces information hunting. It shows progress, deadlines, ownership, and risk in a view that is automatically updated. It facilitates swift decisions and clear client conversations. It respects your time and your team’s time.

    Partners leverage Lupl matter dashboards to answer three key questions:

    1. “Where are we on the matter?”
    2. “What are the risks and key dates?”
    3. “Who has capacity and who might be overloaded?”

    Traditional reporting requires you to chase your team and wait for updates or assemble them yourself. Meanwhile, the work is happening in real time. Lupl’s Dashboards close that gap by turning live activity into a concise narrative you can trust.

    How Lupl keeps your legal matter status current

    Lupl connects workstreams, documents, and dates so you do not have to. As tasks are moved, owners change, or filings shift, the dashboard reflects these changes. Lupl reads the work as it happens.

    Setup is simple enough to do yourself, and you can export dashboards as PDFs for quick sharing or review. With the drag-and-drop builder, multiple dashboards can be created for internal reporting, client reporting, or deeper dives into specific phases.

    Single matter view when depth is required

    Sometimes you need to drill in. The Matter Dashboard displays phase progress, the next critical dates, and the owner of each deliverable. If the closing date shifts, the countdown adjusts accordingly. If a filing is moved, the view reflects the change. When a client requests a quick summary, you can share a clean, client-safe view without creating slides.

    Global Dashboards: Portfolio view when you oversee many matters

    Most days, you need breadth. The Global Dashboard provides a zoomed-out macro view of all active matters. It consolidates deadlines, overdue items, workload distribution, and unassigned tasks into a single screen. You can filter by person, client, or date range to make staffing calls with confidence.

    From this view, partners or managers can double-click into a specific matter or drill into a team member’s workload to explore further. It helps you monitor progress, rebalance capacity, and identify problems early, before a minor issue becomes a wider issue.

    Where partners feel the benefit

    In litigation, motion deadlines, discovery tasks, and deposition prep stay visible. You can catch pressure points before they cause a scramble. In corporate and M&A, closing deliverables and third-party steps are clear, so you can keep signing day on track. In real estate and finance, condition-precedent checklists and approvals are easy to scan, so you can clear bottlenecks and keep funding moving.

    Why this improves client moments

    Clients judge readiness in seconds. When the status is at your fingertips, you answer faster and with more certainty. The team avoids double reporting. You reduce back-and-forth to confirm dates or owners. You get time back, and the client sees a steady hand.

    The takeaway

    Partners face rising matter volume, tighter timelines, and greater complexity. Lupl removes the friction by giving you live dashboards grounded in the work your team is already doing.

    Matter Dashboards help you drill into a single matter with confidence. Global Dashboards give you the portfolio view to balance workloads, catch risks early, and step into client conversations fully prepared. Together, they keep you informed, responsive, and in control.

    Want to see your matters through this lens? Book a demo and we’ll show you a live example using a demo matter.

    Partner questions about legal matter dashboards

    What is a legal matter dashboard?

    A legal matter dashboard is a live view of progress, deadlines, owners, and risks for your matters. In Lupl it updates from the work your team is already doing, so you do not build reports to keep it current.

    How can I see all my matters in one place?

    Use the Global Dashboard to roll up active matters. Filter by person, client, or date range to review the week ahead and spot issues early.

    How do I get a fast status for a client call?

    Open the Matter Dashboard, check the next dates and owners, and share the client-safe summary. You can prepare in seconds without pulling a deck.

    How do I spot risk across matters?

    Review upcoming deadlines, overdue items, and unassigned work in the Global Dashboard. Use filters to isolate high priority matters and take action.

    Can I share this with clients?

    Yes. Matter Dashboards can be exported to beautiful PDFs in a single click ready to be shared with clients. Law firms also invite clients into their matter in Lupl, with relevant access controls, so they always have a live dashboard available. 

    Does Lupl work with Outlook, iManage, and NetDocuments?

    Yes. Lupl integrates with Microsoft 365, iManage, and NetDocuments so documents and dates stay aligned with your firm’s systems.

    Can I see unassigned tasks or overloaded team members?

    Yes. The Global Dashboard highlights unassigned work and shows workload by owner so you can rebalance before issues grow.

    How does Lupl reduce information hunting?

    Lupl centralizes core workstreams, documents, and dates. The dashboards read live activity, so you can stop searching for the latest tracker or email and focus on decisions.

    How fast can we start?

    Firms can use the portfolio view out of the box. No tedious or lengthy implementation needed. You filter, scan, and act without a long setup process.

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      # 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

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