Matter pictures
Matter tracking visualisation programme
A time-limited programme that turns live-file lists, ageing, and fee-earner load into a set of charts partners can read in a Monday meeting.
Most firms already know, file by file, who is doing what. The difficulty is seeing the whole book at once: which matters have sat without a chargeable hour, which associates are carrying three heavy trials at once, and which closed files still show work in progress that nobody has billed.
The programme begins with questions, not charts. We sit with the practice manager and agree what the partnership actually needs to see before the next billing meeting. Typical questions include matter ageing by department, utilisation against the firm's own target hours, and the spread of live files per fee-earner.
We then work from an export the firm already produces. Names can be coded if the compliance team prefers. The first draft is a paper-and-PDF pack, annotated in plain language, so a partner who does not live in spreadsheets can still follow the argument.
The work ends in a briefing, not a login. We walk the pictures, note where the export was thin, and leave a legend so the same views can be rebuilt at the next cycle by the firm's own staff if they wish.
How this work is delivered
- Who it is for
- Practice managers, managing partners, and heads of legal operations in UK firms and in-house teams who already keep time and matter records but cannot see the caseload as a whole.
- What you leave with
- A bound and digital pack of matter-status and utilisation pictures, presented to partners, with a short legend so the charts can be reused at the next billing cycle.
- Scope
- One firm or one practice group. Typical span: six to eight weeks from first conversation to partner briefing.
- Provider
- Desktop Craftline, working from Grays, with visits across the South East by arrangement.
- Process
- Enquiry, scoping call, data-handling note, export, first draft, partner briefing.
- Duration
- Six to eight weeks. Rush work for an away-day can be discussed if the export is already clean.
- Where
- Discovery can be remote. The briefing is in person unless the firm sits outside reasonable travel from Grays.
- Preparation
- Nominate a sponsor, name the practice group, and confirm who may release a time-recording export without client names if that is the firm's policy.
- Limits
- We work from figures the firm already holds. We do not invent utilisation targets or alter time sheets.
- Fees
- Quoted against the number of fee-earners and practice groups in scope. See Rates for starting figures.
- Next step
- Write with the practice group name and a rough headcount; we reply with a scoping note.
Included
- Two discovery conversations with the practice manager and one partner sponsor
- A written list of the questions the pictures must answer (ageing, live vs closed, fee-earner load, court dates)
- Help extracting a safe export from the firm's existing time-recording or practice-management records (spreadsheet or CSV)
- Draft charts, a comment round, and a final pack of eight to twelve pictures
- A ninety-minute briefing at the firm's offices or at Lammas Street
Not included
- Replacement of the practice-management system
- Hosting or daily updating of a live screen
- Advice on individual client matters or advocacy