When Legal Work Changes

Legal matters evolve.

Legal matters rarely follow the original plan. The work changes as the matter moves, and the economics of the matter change with it. The change might be:

• More discovery
• Additional depositions
• A new expert
• A change in strategy
• A change in staffing
• Additional work the original plan did not anticipate

The work may be entirely appropriate. But each change can affect cost, margin, timeline, staffing, and what the client expects.

Every meaningful change creates a decision.

Someone has to determine how the matter should proceed:

• Do we proceed?
• Who needs to be involved?
• How does this affect the budget?
• What does it mean for staffing?
• What does it mean for profitability?
• Does the client need to be involved?

The same decisions, at a different moment.

Each of those questions has more good answers while the work is still ahead. The story above follows one matter change both ways: with Matter Governance while the matter is moving, and without it after the work is done.

What late recognition costs the firm is the Reconstruction Tax™.