Gowling WLG commended for legal project management expertise at FT Innovative Lawyers Awards North America 2016

09 December 2016

Presented annually by the Financial Times, the awards recognize standout innovations in the legal industry. Gowling WLG was lauded for its use of the Practical LPM platform to provide a client with unprecedented transparency in a portfolio of 20 ongoing class action defence matters and related litigation claims billed under an alternative fee arrangement (AFA).

By using a secure, browser-based project management platform, the firm prepared detailed plans for each matter. As work has progressed, the client has had in-depth access to information on the status of their files - including real-time information on the work effort.

"Clients are seeking law firms that are willing to partner with them in the management of their matters. They want to be able to find out about the status and cost of their files whenever and wherever they choose," said Mary M. Thomson, head of Gowling WLG Canada's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group and lead lawyer on the portfolio of cases.

"Understanding that trust demands transparency, we've used Practical LPM to give our client direct access to the progress of their matters and their current spend at all times. This has allowed both the client and the firm to stay fully focused on the legal work, and has facilitated success for both sides," added Rick Kathuria, national director of project management and legal logistics at Gowling WLG.

At the onset of the client's litigation portfolio, comprehensive project plans were created to map the anticipated progression of each matter, from start date to projected conclusion. With the litigation plans mapped out, lawyers submit their daily time entries according to work undertaken on the files. All of this information is automatically transferred to the Practical LPM platform, and is immediately available for the client to review and track in terms of progress on the matter against budget.

"The client has access to the same summary information regarding spend-against-budget and progress-against-plan that our internal lawyers have," noted Thomson. "They're always kept informed of how their files are progressing and how much everything is expected to cost."

Gowling WLG's shortlisting at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards North America follows on the firm being ranked among Europe's most innovative law firms at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2016, where it placed second overall and won in the "Innovation in Driving Value for Clients" category for its intellectual property enforcement work for Dyson.

Practical LPM by Gowling WLG™ offers clients greater efficiency, cost-certainty and value by providing a clear road map for all types of legal issues. Matters are kept on track, on time and on budget through the application of a simple four-step project management process that involves defining goals and expectations, extensive planning, carefully monitoring progress, and reviewing completed files to improve upon established methods.

In 2017, Gowling WLG is expanding its client-side access to Practical LPM to any client that wishes to benefit from it. To learn more, visit our Practical LPM page or contact us.