{"id":131950,"date":"2025-08-24T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/08\/24\/the-3-best-reasons-to-use-visual-matter-management-to-run-your-law-practice\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T16:00:00","slug":"the-3-best-reasons-to-use-visual-matter-management-to-run-your-law-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/08\/24\/the-3-best-reasons-to-use-visual-matter-management-to-run-your-law-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Best Reasons to Use Visual Matter Management to Run Your Law Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>David and Karen Skinner | When you get your to-do list out of your head and into a visual system where everyone can see it, your practice will flourish.<br \/>\nThe post The 3 Best Reasons to Use Visual Matter Management to Run Your Law Practice appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Without clear insight into how work moves through your law firm, you\u2019re running your practice in the dark. With visual matter management, everyone can see what has to be done.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group cust-audio-set\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"exemag-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/share.transistor.fm\/e\/7c193e33\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\">\n<h3>Table of contents<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-the-problem-with-running-your-law-firm-in-the-dark\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Problem With Running Your Law Firm in the Dark<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-three-reasons-why-visual-matter-management-works\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Three Reasons Why Visual Matter Management Works<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-1-it-s-easier\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">1. It\u2019s easier<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-2-seeing-work-makes-your-whole-team-more-productive\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2. Seeing work makes your whole team more productive<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-3-seeing-work-makes-your-practice-more-profitable\" data-level=\"3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">3. Seeing work makes your practice more profitable<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/three-reasons-its-easier-to-run-your-practice-with-visual-matter-management\/#h-what-does-visual-matter-management-look-like\" data-level=\"2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">What Does Visual Matter Management Look Like?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>When Janelle came to us, she was running her busy litigation practice off an 18-page to-do list she kept on a yellow pad on her desk. I\u2019m sure you can picture that list. Frayed edges. Tasks jotted down in the margins while she talked on the phone. Assignments written on little flags sticking out of the sides. Things crossed off in red and other things highlighted with a rainbow of colors.<\/p>\n<p>Every time Janelle looked at that list, her stress levels went through the roof. Sure, most of her tasks were there, but she had to flip through multiple pages to remember what she\u2019d assigned to whom and then go through her emails for the latest information. Tasks and to-dos related to a single matter were scattered across the pages. Dates were meaningless. And she\u2019d completely forgotten what the highlight colors meant.<\/p>\n<p>Janelle was coping but she wasn\u2019t managing, much less managing effectively. She was constantly chasing people for updates because she was worried about missing something, and she wasn\u2019t sure if her team had the bandwidth to take on new work.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem-with-running-your-law-firm-in-the-dark\">The Problem With Running Your Law Firm in the Dark<\/h2>\n<p>Without clear insight into how work moves through your firm, you\u2019re running your practice in the dark.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can\u2019t see who\u2019s working on what (and neither can anyone else).<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t know where matters stand at any given time.<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve got the capacity to take on more work.<\/li>\n<li>You can\u2019t answer clients\u2019 questions quickly when they call or email you for a status update.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The result:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You take on work when you don\u2019t have the capacity for it, everyone ends up working crazy hours, and your best employees burn out.<\/li>\n<li>You commit to deadlines you can\u2019t meet, driving your stress levels through the roof, working too hard, and sacrificing personal events that are important to you.<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t spot problems soon enough to take proactive steps to solve them. You end up firefighting all day long \u2026 and that\u2019s exhausting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The good news: When you get work out of your head (and off your 18-page to-do list) and into a visual system where everyone can see it, your practice will flourish.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-three-reasons-why-visual-matter-management-works\">Three Reasons Why Visual Matter Management Works<\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-it-s-easier\">1. It\u2019s easier<\/h3>\n<p>Our brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than text. That means we extract more information faster (<em>a lot<\/em> faster) from images than from words. It explains why so many legal practice management software platforms are creating colorful digital dashboards and why you know that \ud83d\uded1 means stop, whether or not there\u2019s an English word on the sign.<\/p>\n<p>Not only does your visual processing ability mean you\u2019ll get information out of a visual system faster, it also means it takes less mental energy. That\u2019s really important. Think of your brain like a gas tank. There\u2019s a limit to your daily capacity to do creative or complex tasks before you need to rest and recharge. Saving energy means you can do more heavy lifting and continue delivering value for longer.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-seeing-work-makes-your-whole-team-more-productive\">2. Seeing work makes your whole team more productive<\/h3>\n<p>When everyone can see what has to be done, it\u2019s easier for teams to plan and execute. They collaborate more effectively and generate new ideas that\u00a0increase productivity and overall performance. This is especially true when your team is\u00a0working remotely\u00a0or outside their usual routine.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also enjoy a significant boost in your overall organizational efficiency. You\u2019ll spend\u00a0less time in meetings getting status updates, and you\u2019ll be able to stop relying on your overflowing email inbox as your source of information about who\u2019s doing what and on what timetable.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-seeing-work-makes-your-practice-more-profitable\">3. Seeing work makes your practice more profitable<\/h3>\n<p>The biggest source of waste in most law firms is non-utilized talent. That is, t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/how-to-delegate-effectively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">he wrong people are doing the work.<\/a> It\u2019s inefficient and it undermines your margins. With a visual system, you can easily see who\u2019s working on what. You\u2019ll be able to ensure the right people are doing the right work at the right cost, and you\u2019ll know when you\u2019ve got the bandwidth to take on more.<\/p>\n<p>Not only that, but when workflows and tasks are laid out visually, you\u2019ll see where your processes break down. A visual workflow will show you where matters stall, where tasks typically fall between the cracks, and where issues tend to arise. Knowing this, you can target those problems proactively.<\/p>\n<p>You can streamline how you work, eliminate bottlenecks, and deliver your legal services better, faster and more cost-effectively, and that will directly improve your profitability.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-does-visual-matter-management-look-like\">What Does Visual Matter Management Look Like?<\/h2>\n<p>It can be a simple To Do\/Doing\/Done board like this:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-aaw-full-width-no-crop\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Fig-1-Legal-Matter-Management-Gimbal-Canada-1536x1155-1-770x579.jpg?resize=770%2C579&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100021483\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Or a more complex board like this:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-aaw-full-width-no-crop\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Visual-Matter-Mgt-Image-2-770x427.png?resize=770%2C427&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"project management with visual matter management board\" class=\"wp-image-100021485\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>But best of all, it can be a digital platform that lets everyone see what\u2019s happening, incorporates your checklists, automates your workflow, and even consolidates communications on a task- or matter-centric basis. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/law-firms-processes-legalboards-standard-operating-procedure-sop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">(Read: \u201cSOP Magic: Managing Your Law Firm\u2019s Processes With LegalBoards.\u201d)<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-aaw-full-width\"><a href=\"https:\/\/legalboards.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-2-Legal-Matter-Management-Gimbal-Canada-1536x910-1-770x495.png?resize=770%2C495&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"legalboards\" class=\"wp-image-100021486\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Once you understand the basics of how to use a matter management board \u2014 how to break your work down into phases and tasks and replicate that visually \u2014 you can create a visual system to run just about anything. We\u2019ve developed an easy-to-follow approach to creating and using visual matter management systems to manage legal work. Lawyers like Janelle are using our system to manage everything from individual litigation matters to bustling M&amp;A practices, as well as to balance staffing in AmLaw 100 firms and manage WIP in firms or across practice groups.<\/p>\n<p><small><small>Graphics courtesy of Gimbal Lean Legal.\u00a0<\/small><\/small><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DJ81371L\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"412\" height=\"612\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The-Power-Zone-Playbook-COVER-Low-Res-w-Rule.jpg?resize=412%2C612&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Power Zone Playbook for Lawyers book cover\" class=\"wp-image-100034488 size-full\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-069d1d18c05d637dacc6ee5787682390\" id=\"h-get-the-power-zone-playbook-for-lawyers\">Get the Power Zone Playbook for Lawyers<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">By Karen Dunn Skinner and David Skinner<\/p>\n<p><strong>Get out of the grind and into your power zone!<\/strong> Learn to align the work you do with the work you love, finding the sweet spot where your expertise, passion, and client needs intersect. It\u2019s here, in your Power Zone, that you will discover the secret to a thriving practice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Everything you need is in your Playbook.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\">\u200bGet it now!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Image \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-white-background-color has-background\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"372\" height=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AttorneyatWork-Logo-%C2%AE-2021-1.jpg?resize=372%2C106&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100019522 size-aaw-full-width-no-crop\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Sign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/subscribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">here<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.transistor.fm\/attorney-at-work-today\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>David and Karen Skinner | When you get your to-do list out of your head and into a visual system where everyone can see it, your practice will flourish. The post The 3 Best Reasons to Use Visual Matter Management to Run Your Law Practice appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131950\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}