How Staff Attorneys Prioritize Work: A Practical Guide

As a Staff Attorney, you’re constantly bombarded with requests. The key to success isn’t just working hard, it’s working smart. This guide helps you prioritize ruthlessly and effectively, ensuring you focus on what truly matters: protecting revenue, containing costs, and mitigating risk.

What You’ll Get From This Guide

• A prioritization scorecard to weigh incoming requests based on impact and urgency.
• A “stop-doing” checklist to identify tasks that drain your time and provide minimal value.
• A decision matrix for quickly assessing whether to delegate, delay, or dive into a task.
• A script for setting expectations with stakeholders who demand immediate attention for low-priority items.
• A risk assessment framework to identify and rank potential legal pitfalls.
• A checklist for streamlining recurring tasks and freeing up your time for strategic initiatives.
• A language bank of phrases to use when pushing back on unrealistic deadlines or scope creep.

What This Guide Is and Isn’t

• This is: A practical guide to prioritizing tasks effectively as a Staff Attorney.
• This isn’t: A theoretical discussion of time management principles or a generic productivity guide.

Prioritization Scorecard: Weighing Impact and Urgency

Use this scorecard to evaluate incoming requests and determine their priority level. This helps you avoid getting bogged down in less important tasks.

Assign points based on the following criteria:

• Financial Impact: (High = 3 points, Medium = 2 points, Low = 1 point) – How much revenue or cost is directly affected? For example, negotiating a key contract has a high financial impact.
• Legal Risk: (High = 3 points, Medium = 2 points, Low = 1 point) – What is the potential for legal repercussions if this isn’t addressed? Addressing a compliance issue has high legal risk.
• Stakeholder Importance: (High = 3 points, Medium = 2 points, Low = 1 point) – How critical is this to key stakeholders (e.g., CEO, CFO, key clients)? Addressing a request from the CEO is high importance.
• Time Sensitivity: (High = 3 points, Medium = 2 points, Low = 1 point) – Is there a strict deadline or immediate need? Responding to a litigation deadline is high time sensitivity.

Total Score Interpretation:

• 9-12 Points: High Priority – Address immediately.
• 5-8 Points: Medium Priority – Schedule for the next 1-2 days.
• 4 Points or Less: Low Priority – Delegate, delay, or decline.

Stop-Doing Checklist: Eliminating Time Drains

Identify tasks that consume your time but provide minimal value. Ruthlessly eliminate or delegate these to free up your capacity.

Ask yourself:

1. Is this task truly necessary? Could the outcome be achieved in a simpler way?
2. Could someone else do this just as well? Delegation is key.
3. Does this task contribute to a key business objective? If not, it’s likely a time drain.
4. Am I the only person who can do this? If not, delegate.
5. Is this task reactive or proactive? Focus on proactive tasks that prevent problems.

Use this when you’re auditing your weekly tasks.

Example Checklist Items:

• Attending meetings without a clear agenda or defined outcomes.
• Answering repetitive questions that could be addressed with a FAQ document.
• Manually tracking information that could be automated with a tool like Salesforce or Power BI.
• Revising documents multiple times due to unclear initial instructions from [stakeholder].

Decision Matrix: Delegate, Delay, or Dive In?

Use this matrix to quickly assess how to handle incoming requests. This prevents analysis paralysis and ensures efficient task management.

Consider these factors:

• Expertise Required: Do you need specialized knowledge to complete this task?
• Time Commitment: How much time will this task take?
• Impact on Key Objectives: How directly does this contribute to critical goals?

Decision Rules:

• High Expertise, High Time, High Impact: Dive in immediately.
• Low Expertise, Low Time, Low Impact: Delegate if possible.
• Medium Expertise, Medium Time, Medium Impact: Delay and schedule for later.

Script for Setting Expectations: Managing Stakeholder Demands

Use this script to communicate effectively with stakeholders who demand immediate attention for low-priority items. It’s crucial to manage expectations and protect your time.

Use this when a stakeholder is pushing for immediate action on a low-priority task.

Subject: Re: [Request]

Hi [Stakeholder],

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’m currently focused on [high-priority task] which directly impacts [KPI] and is due by [date]. I can address your request on [date], or I can delegate it to [colleague] who can handle it sooner. Please let me know your preference.

Best,

[Your Name]

Risk Assessment Framework: Identifying Legal Pitfalls

Identify and rank potential legal pitfalls to prioritize risk mitigation efforts. This is crucial for protecting the company from liability.

Consider these factors:

• Likelihood of Occurrence: How likely is this risk to materialize?
• Potential Impact: What is the potential financial or reputational damage?
• Mitigation Cost: How much will it cost to mitigate this risk?

Risk Prioritization: Focus on risks with high likelihood and high impact. For example, a data breach has high likelihood and high impact in the current regulatory environment.

Checklist for Streamlining Recurring Tasks: Freeing Up Your Time

Identify recurring tasks and look for opportunities to automate, delegate, or streamline them. This frees up your time for strategic initiatives.

1. Document the process: Write down every step involved in the task. This helps identify bottlenecks.
2. Identify automation opportunities: Can any steps be automated with technology (e.g., DocuSign for contract approvals)?
3. Delegate where possible: Can any steps be delegated to other team members?
4. Create templates: Develop templates for recurring documents to save time.
5. Standardize the process: Establish a standard process to ensure consistency and efficiency.

Language Bank: Pushing Back on Unrealistic Demands

Use these phrases to communicate effectively when faced with unrealistic deadlines or scope creep. This helps protect your time and maintain reasonable expectations.

Use these phrases when negotiating deadlines or scope.

• “To meet that deadline, we’d need to deprioritize [critical task], which could impact [KPI]. Is that acceptable?”
• “That falls outside the original scope of the agreement. We can accommodate it with a change order for [additional cost] and [extended timeline].”
• “I understand the urgency, but rushing this could increase the risk of [potential legal issue]. I recommend we allocate [extra time] for due diligence.”
• “My current workload doesn’t allow me to complete this by [date]. I can prioritize it for [later date], or delegate it to [colleague].”

What a hiring manager scans for in 15 seconds

Hiring managers quickly assess if you can handle the prioritization challenges of a Staff Attorney. They look for specific signals that indicate your ability to manage workload and make sound judgments.

• Clear examples of risk assessment: Shows you understand potential legal pitfalls.
• Experience with stakeholder management: Indicates you can effectively communicate and negotiate.
• Evidence of streamlining processes: Demonstrates your ability to improve efficiency.
• Quantifiable results: Highlights your impact on key business objectives.

The mistake that quietly kills candidates

Failing to demonstrate prioritization skills is a major red flag. It suggests you’re unable to manage competing demands and focus on what truly matters.

Use this when describing your approach to managing multiple projects.

Weak: “I’m a great multitasker and can handle anything thrown my way.”

Strong: “I prioritize tasks based on their financial impact, legal risk, stakeholder importance, and time sensitivity. For example, when [situation] arose, I used a scorecard to determine the priority and allocated resources accordingly.”

FAQ

How do I prioritize tasks when everything seems urgent?

Use the prioritization scorecard to objectively assess each task based on its impact and urgency. This helps you avoid getting caught up in less important demands. Remember to communicate your priorities clearly to stakeholders.

What are some common time drains for Staff Attorneys?

Common time drains include attending unnecessary meetings, answering repetitive questions, and manually tracking information that could be automated. Identify these tasks and look for opportunities to eliminate or delegate them.

How can I effectively manage stakeholder expectations?

Communicate your priorities clearly and set realistic deadlines. Use the provided script to push back on unrealistic demands and negotiate reasonable timelines. Be transparent about your workload and the impact of prioritizing different tasks.

What metrics should I use to measure my prioritization effectiveness?

Track metrics such as the number of tasks completed on time, the impact of your work on key business objectives (e.g., revenue, cost savings, risk mitigation), and stakeholder satisfaction. Regularly review these metrics to identify areas for improvement.

How do I handle scope creep in legal projects?

Clearly define the scope of each project upfront and establish a change control process. Use the provided language bank to communicate the impact of scope changes on cost and timeline. Obtain formal approval for any changes that fall outside the original scope.

What are some best practices for delegating tasks?

Choose the right person for the task, provide clear instructions and expectations, and empower them to make decisions. Offer support and guidance as needed, but avoid micromanaging. Follow up to ensure the task is completed successfully.

How do I avoid burnout when faced with a heavy workload?

Prioritize self-care and set boundaries. Delegate tasks where possible, take regular breaks, and disconnect from work outside of business hours. Communicate your workload to your manager and seek support when needed.

What’s the best way to say “no” to a request without damaging relationships?

Be polite but firm, and explain your reasoning clearly. Offer alternative solutions or suggest other team members who may be able to assist. Use the provided language bank to communicate your decision effectively.

How can I improve my time management skills as a Staff Attorney?

Start by tracking how you spend your time each day. Identify your most common time drains and look for ways to eliminate or reduce them. Use the prioritization scorecard and decision matrix to manage your workload effectively. Consider using time management tools or techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique.

Should I always prioritize legal risk over business objectives?

Not necessarily. A Staff Attorney needs to understand the business objectives and access the legal risk associated with them. The best move is to work with stakeholders to balance the risk and the objectives so that the business can move forward without excessive risk. This means sometimes you will decide that the risk is low enough to move forward.

How can I stay organized with multiple ongoing projects?

Use a project management tool like Asana or Trello to track your tasks, deadlines, and progress. Create a system for organizing your files and documents. Regularly review your project list and prioritize tasks based on their impact and urgency.

What role does communication play in effective prioritization?

Communication is essential for setting expectations, managing stakeholder demands, and coordinating efforts with other team members. Clearly communicate your priorities, deadlines, and any potential roadblocks. Be transparent about your workload and the impact of prioritizing different tasks.

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