Case Deadlines

As a litigation associate, the quickest way to build ownership of a file is managing (monitoring and maintaining) the calendar (aka “docketing”).

Some firms have internal docketing teams and processes.

Trust them, to a reasonable degree, but always check and confirm.

When you join a file, confirm every pending deadline and make sure it is on your calendar.

As you work on a file, confirm and update every new/adjourned deadline and make sure it is docketed for every team member.

No system is perfect.

Find what works for you with trial and error.

I use:

📅 The firm's docketing system;

📅 My own Outlook calendar reminders and appointments;

📅 A master case chart with all upcoming deadlines listed for each matter; and

📅 A paper calendar that I update every month (or every time I'm overwhelmed and want to double check things).

Even with these in place, I find myself checking, re-checking, double-checking, and triple-checking dates and times for hearings.

Again: No system is perfect, but these help me feel confident (most days).

How else do you monitor deadlines?

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