What is PMP?
The Legal Project Management is the application of project management principles to legal cases or matters.
This is the definition I have given, but there are many others that also define it very well. In particular, I like the one used by Barbara J. Boake and Rick Kathuria, which is as follows: “Legal project management provides a structured approach to planning, pricing and managing legal work that will bring a law firm’s service delivery mode in line with the changing expectations of its clients.”
In English terminology, it is called Legal Project Management (LPM for short), which in Spanish is known as “Dirección de Proyectos Jurídicos”.
It is a methodology based on PROJECT MANAGEMENT, which in Spanish is known as DIRECCIÓN INTEGRADA DE PROYECTOS or DIP (Project Management-Integrated Direction). It derives from the latter, which, in turn, is a compilation of real experiences in projects that have been carried out over the years by professionals from different sectors and have been termed “best practices.” These practices have been tested and accepted as such by the American association with the highest international recognition: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (PMI), which is composed of professionals from various sectors with extensive professional experience.
It is also worth mentioning the PRINCE2® methodology, developed by the Government’s Office of Commerce in the United Kingdom, which is also adopted by large organizations such as the United Nations, and closer in Alicante, the EUIPO.
LPM is innovative in that it is a specific application derived from the already established PROJECT MANAGEMENT methodology, but applied exclusively to the legal field, whereas Project Management itself is a standard methodology applicable to any type of project, of any nature, whether civil, healthcare, naval, telecommunications, etc.
LPM aims to define the commitment to the client in more detail from the beginning, planning its management and execution, conducting evaluation, and carrying out a closure in line with the planned approach. To achieve these objectives, specific methodologies, tools, and approaches must be applied, which historically have not been used by lawyers.
Therefore, as they are projects, these principles are applicable in the legal field to both judicial and extrajudicial disputes.
Legal Project Management (Innovate or die) I
Why is the implementation of LPM so popular?
The implementation of LPM is popular because clients want to know that we understand their expectations, needs, and requirements. They seek assurance when hiring our services that we comprehend the scope of the entrusted matter. Additionally, they need to verify that we know what we are doing and want to be involved in the process to receive reliable information about the progress of their case. They expect to be informed about potential risks that may arise, in other words, they want to trust that we have a well-studied and informed strategy at the time of contracting our legal services, and that we can provide them with a PLAN.
Typically, clients are disconnected from the process and often hire very generic services. At the end of the matter, they are charged based on generalized fee scales that do not realistically account for the hours spent resolving their case (sometimes resulting in financial loss for the lawyer). Alternatively, clients may be billed based on the number of hours spent, causing financial uncertainty for them. These billing practices can lead to distrust and potentially loss of clientele. In either case, it is not a win-win relationship.
The traditional legal model is no longer effective. LPM aims to identify client requirements, optimize and control the resources applicable to the case, so that a fixed budget can be provided to the client. In essence, it offers a more proactive approach than what has been traditionally followed.
Clients, especially after the economic crisis we have experienced, demand legal services that are delivered better, faster, and more cost-effectively. This is precisely what LPM offers: legal effectiveness, a promising service delivery, efficiency, and cost reduction.
Advantages of implementing LPM
1. Excellence in Client Treatment
LPM provides a client-centric approach, fostering effective communication and keeping the client informed throughout the project’s progress. It includes a precise timeline for project execution and utilizes robust resources to anticipate potential risks and challenges, allowing for the quantification of the project’s success or failure probabilities.
2. Structured Working Method
3. Financial Management for Increased Profitability
As an essential element, financial management in LPM leads to increased profitability in our projects, making us more competitive.
In the face of increasing internalization and the strengthening of the all-around profile of in-house lawyers, corporate clients’ demand has decreased in quantity but increased in requirements, specifically concerning the “triple constraint” in project management: scope/quality, time, and cost.
Both in law firms and corporate legal departments, there is a growing emphasis on the application of efficiency, sustainability, profitability, usefulness, and predictability criteria. These are already applied in project management in other sectors or industries for many years.
LPM is a differentiating tool, but it requires lawyers to be willing to implement some changes in their behavior.
Advantages of implementing LPM
As an essential element, financial management in LPM leads to increased profitability in our projects, making us more competitive.
In the face of increasing internalization and the strengthening of the all-around profile of in-house lawyers, corporate clients’ demand has decreased in quantity but increased in requirements, specifically concerning the “triple constraint” in project management: scope/quality, time, and cost.
Both in law firms and corporate legal departments, there is a growing emphasis on the application of efficiency, sustainability, profitability, usefulness, and predictability criteria. These are already applied in project management in other sectors or industries for many years.
LPM is a differentiating tool, but it requires lawyers to be willing to implement some changes in their behavior.
Why do companies hire legal project managers instead of lawyers?
The largest executive search firm worldwide, Michael Page, explains it well: “More and more companies are in need of in-house lawyers. However, when they hire a lawyer from a law firm, they often find that the lawyer requires a transition period of about six months to adapt to the company’s culture, work with a business-oriented approach, and manage projects independently from start to finish. On the other hand, legal project managers, due to their experience in providing comprehensive advice and managing projects, can adapt more quickly and work in alignment with the rest of the company’s teams.”
As I always say, “Innovate or die!”
María Solana Seguí
Lawyer & Civil Mediator.
Legal Project Manager®.
PRINCE2®, SCRUM MASTER®, PM2 Expert.
Lecturer of Executive Education and Master´s degrees: Europa Business School Amsterdam, EOI, Miguel Hernández University.
Registered as Lawyer at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Member of the International Network of Jurists and Experts on Vulnerability (INJEV).
