Time management is something all lawyers should do in this hectic life. With so many hours in a day and so many days in a year, it’s not possible to take control of time, but it’s possible to manage what you are doing in a limited time.

Those who have an efficient law practice and right work/leisure balance are doing something you don’t do. Smart attorneys use time management tools doing better at their jobs and spending more time on things that they love.

Prioritize

All tasks that come on the desk of a lawyer can be classified as “important” and “urgent.” Those that are labeled “urgent” require immediate action like making a phone call or attending a hearing. “Important” tasks are those which do not require immediate action but are essential for your workflow.

In addition to these, you can classify the tasks into “mandatory” and “less mandatory.” The mandatory tasks are those that cannot be postponed and may require your immediate involvement. There are also tasks that can be assigned to other attorneys or legal assistants saving your time and money on more “mandatory” tasks.

You are more likely to manage your time better when you label the tasks according to “urgency” and concentrate on tasks that require your immediate involvement assigning “less mandatory” tasks to other attorneys or clerks.

Automation

According to Consultancy group McKinsey, 22 percent of a lawyer’s job and 35 percent of a law clerk’s job can be automated. While this poses concerns over the future of the legal profession, automation has become a fact of life and those lawyers that fail to use the new market of automated tools will get behind.

On the other edge, experts are confident that automation and artificial intelligence will help businesses upscale and grow bigger.

A top TCS executive says “the job loss fears in the IT industry are highly exaggerated and it is the organization’s responsibility to reskill and upskill its workers.”

Legal outsourcing

Legal outsourcing has become commonplace in the U.S. with increased competition and increased costs. It is commonplace to outsource legal research, document preparation, document review to contract lawyers rather than in-house associates.

Legal outsourcing can save a great deal of money and expand your practice in times of emergencies or when the tasks are not “mandatory.” Usually, simple tasks like rescheduling a hearing or submitting documents to a judge should not take your time when you can spend it on things that will bring you more money.

You can also outsource a task that would take you an inordinate amount of time. You will save money by reducing billable hours.

Outsource can help you save time but not only that. It is an opportunity to maintain control over the work while reducing stress.

Now you can outsource coverage of certain hearings to other attorneys. Sign up to AppearMe, and we will help you when you cannot make to a courthouse. Here you can find more benefits of hiring an appearance attorney.