How can a partner see outstanding work across the firm?
Why a firm-wide view of outstanding work matters, what it should show, and how to build one without weekly spreadsheets.
- By
- Vanguard AI®
- Last updated
- Facts checked
Most lawyers can tell you what is due on their own matters. Fewer firms can say, at any moment, what is due across all of them. That firm-wide picture is what lets a partner spot an overloaded associate, a stalled matter or a week where several hearings fall together.
What is a firm-wide view of outstanding work?
It is a single view of the open tasks, upcoming deadlines and hearings across every matter in the firm, with who is responsible for each. It answers questions such as:
- What is due this week, and what is overdue?
- Who is carrying the most work?
- Which matters have had no activity for a while?
- Where are deadlines or hearings clustered?
Why is it hard to get?
In many firms the information exists but is scattered. Tasks live in personal to-do lists, dates in individual diaries, and status in emails. Building a firm-wide picture means asking everyone for an update, often in a weekly spreadsheet that is out of date as soon as it is finished.
What should the view show?
| Question | What the view needs |
|---|---|
| What is due? | Tasks, deadlines and hearings with dates |
| Who is responsible? | An owner for each item |
| What is late? | Overdue items flagged clearly |
| Where is the pressure? | Work grouped by person and by matter |
| What is the fee position? | Billed, outstanding and work in progress per matter |
How do you build one without extra admin?
The practical answer is to record work once, in the matter, and let the firm-wide view be generated from those records. That means:
- Every task has an owner and a date. Without these, nothing can be rolled up.
- Deadlines and hearings are entered against the matter. Not only in a personal calendar.
- The view is read regularly. A short weekly look at the firm-wide picture is more useful than a long monthly report.
How does Donna AI® provide it?
In Donna AI®, each matter holds its tasks, deadlines, hearings, documents, notes and fees, and each task has a person responsible. The firm-wide view of outstanding work is built from those matters, so partners can see what is due across the firm without asking for a separate report.
See the Donna AI® product page for more.
Frequently asked questions
Is a firm-wide view only useful for large firms?
No. Even a firm with a few fee earners benefits from seeing who is carrying what, especially during holidays or when matters are reassigned.
Does a firm-wide view replace matter-level supervision?
No. It shows where to look. Supervising the substance of each matter remains with the partners and lawyers responsible for it.
How often should partners look at it?
Many firms find a short weekly review works well, with a quick check whenever work is reassigned.