Questions for a Legal Project Manager
Earlier this year we sat down with Caryann Cook for a Q&A into what it’s like to be a legal project manager. She lifted the lid on working in different jurisdictions and some of the fundamentals of the role. Now we revisit the career of a legal project manager with Daniel Townsend, one of the newer starters in our Melbourne office.
His interview below expands on our previous piece and looks deeper into the working practices within the role.
What is a Legal Project Manager (LPM)?
An LPM is essentially someone who applies a sound knowledge of project management principles and techniques within the legal context. The strict definition is a little dry though, so I like to say we’re a bit like wedding planners.
Ideally, LPMs are in regular contact with all the key stakeholders, making sure everyone is clear on what is happening when, anticipating potential issues, reacting to unforeseen problems, and doing everything in their power to make sure things go smoothly on the day.
What is your professional background prior to joining Vario?
I have worked in the LPM space in Melbourne (at King & Wood Mallesons and Clayton Utz) for four years prior to joining PM. Before that I worked as a legal administrator in Auckland (at Simpson Grierson) for four years.
My career in legal services has been a bit of an accident though as I majored in biological sciences, European studies, and Spanish at university. I think I was probably meant to teach science in Peru but here I am!
How much does technology influence how you do your job?
Like all other aspects of legal services, the every-changing legal tech landscape shapes how we deliver our service within the firm and to our external clients. A large part of LPM is driving efficiencies in the way we work so that we can free up time for our legal practitioners to do the more interesting and challenging work at which they excel.
The right technology applied in the right way (and at the right time) can be a powerful tool to achieve that. On the other hand, implementing technology for its own sake can sometimes produce the opposite result.
Do you use AI in your role?
I do not use AI in any LPM-specific way in my role, though it is already at work in some of the tools and platforms the firm uses. So much of good LPM practice is rooted in relationship-building and stakeholder engagement that it’s hard to see a big role for AI in its current form.
As with any technology development, if the opportunity arises to improve a process with a new tool, then I’m all for having an innovative mindset.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to get better at prioritising tasks whilst managing projects?
I struggle with this sometimes. It can be hard to know which is the most urgent task when you are working with many people on multiple complex matters.
Whenever I am discussing a new task or matter with someone, I like to understand how what I am doing fits into the overall aim of the matter. For example, are other people depending on it before they can start the next stage of work? That helps me to compare it with against the other work I have on. I also make a point of confirming when tasks need to be completed so that I can arrange my time to meet those targets.
Do you work cross-jurisdictionally in your role and if so, how do you manage this?
As an LPM team of one in APAC (not forgetting my large team of brilliant colleagues in the UK) I think it is important to form connections across the region and to spread the benefits of LPM as far as possible.
However, there are only so many hours in the day, so I am (at the moment) primarily focused on matters closer to home. While LPM is finding its feet in the region there will need to be a bit of prioritisation to ensure I am working where I can make the biggest impact. In time, I would love to see the LPM presence grow.
What three skills would you say are most important for a legal project manager?
Adaptability, communication and creativity.
- Adaptability because with a bird’s eye view of our matters, we are often the first to spot a potential administrative, financial, or scheduling problem on the horizon. LPMs need to react quickly to assess these issues, identify ways to mitigate or solve them, and consult relevant stakeholders on how to proceed.
- Communication is important because we can only be effective when we stay up to date and in contact with all the stakeholders. LPMs need to be able to communicate effectively with partners, legal operations professionals, clients and external service providers. It is an art rather than a science and one I am constantly honing on every new piece of work.
- Finally, I think creativity is not something you’d find often on a list like this, but it is, nonetheless, vital. The ability to think on your feet, adapt to whatever is the challenge is today, and still keep an eye on the overarching goals often requires an open mind and innovative solutions.
If you’re interested in a career in Legal Project Management with Vario, then please get in touch with us. If you haven’t seen our interview with Caryann and are inspired to find out more, you can find it here.