The problem
Lawyers updated their matters at different times and in different ways. The partners had no single view of the firm's work, deadlines slipped quietly, and closing a matter did not reliably mean the final documents were filed.
Finding out where things stood meant a round of emails, and chasing people for updates had become a job in itself. The matter list is also highly confidential, so a generic online tool was not an option.
The solution
One dashboard that every lawyer and partner signs in to with their existing work account. Lawyers see their own matters and what needs doing this week. Partners see the whole firm: what is urgent, who is behind on updates and which next actions are overdue. The data comes straight from a short form the lawyers already use, so nothing is typed twice.
- Tuesday: 7 of 9 filed · still to file: A. Mensah, K. Diallo
- Friday reminders: none so far this week
- Overdue next actions: J. Okafor (3), A. Mensah (2)
How it works
- Sign in with a work accountAnyone on the firm's team list gets in automatically with their existing Microsoft account. Adding or removing someone is one line in a list; there are no new passwords.
- Update twice a weekThe matter form is due every Tuesday and Thursday. Each matter has an "Update on the form" button that opens it with the lawyer's name, the client and the matter already filled in.
- The dashboard refreshes itselfEach answer lands in the firm's SharePoint and appears on the dashboard, building a history for every matter. Closing a matter automatically asks the owner for the final documents.
- Friday: reminders go outEveryone gets a short "Your week" email. Anyone who missed an update gets a reminder, with the partners copied.
- Monday: the partners get the recapA final summary of last week for the partners only: who filed on time, late or not at all. No one is chased twice for the same week.
My approach
I treated the dashboard as an operating rhythm first and software second. The weekly cadence (update on Tuesday and Thursday, reminders on Friday, recap on Monday) was agreed with the Managing Partner before anything was built.
Every release then followed the same discipline: plan it, build it, and verify it on the live system before calling it done. When something did not work first time, such as automatic sign-in for the whole team, I traced it to the root cause and fixed it properly rather than working around it.
Built to be reliable
Checks itself daily
Every weekday morning the system checks its lists, data and automations, and emails the Chief of Staff only if something needs attention.
Tested before every release
More than 200 automated tests run before each change goes live. A failing test blocks the release, so a mistake never reaches the team.
Runs without anyone's laptop
Reminders and recaps run on a cloud schedule, with a written knowledge base so the firm is never dependent on one person to keep it going.
Confidentiality by design
Team members only
Only people on the firm's team list can sign in, using their existing work accounts. Everyone else is turned away at the door.
Each person sees their own work
Lawyers see only their own matters and clients. The partners see the whole firm. The rule is enforced on the server, not just hidden on screen.
Read-only oversight
Partners can see the dashboard exactly as any lawyer sees it, in a read-only mode, so nothing can ever be sent in someone else's name.
No outside tools
Forms, storage, email and sign-in all run on the firm's existing Microsoft 365. No client data is copied to third-party services.
Results
Rolled out to the team in late September 2026. On day one it surfaced every matter with a past-due next action, which previously only came to light when someone asked.
What each person sees
One system, three views, all from the same data.
| Who | What they see |
|---|---|
| Lawyer | Their own matters and clients, "Your week" (form deadline, document requests, overdue next actions) and a pre-filled update button on every matter |
| Partner | The whole firm: urgent matters, who has filed this week, overdue next actions by person, and a read-only view as any team member |
| Everyone | Announcements, messages, client files and document requests in one place, with an email copy of anything addressed to them |
Under the hood
The firm keeps everything in the tools it already pays for. The only additions are a small web front end and a scheduled job, both inside its own Microsoft and Azure accounts.
Key learning
Pre-filling the form, fixing two clear update days and automating the reminders did more for compliance than any chart could. The technology made the habit easy; the rhythm made it stick. I will add measured outcomes, such as on-time update rates and overdue matters cleared, after the first full month of use.