In 2020, as companies were scrambling to adapt to a new normal, Campbell Teague was planning a revolution in the legal field. Advertising two open positions for “Legal Project Manager,” Campbell Teague was looking for self-reliant, revenue generating, take-charge people who could and would take things off the lawyer’s plate and drive a project to completion in the most efficient way. They hired Chloe and me for the job. While we aren’t the the world’s first project managers, we like to think of ourselves as the ‘OGs’ of Legal Project Management.
So, what is the job of a project manager? We prioritize. We practice effective communication, because there is a way to email concisely (in 1-2 sentences) at a frequent rate to keep clients in the loop. We are accountable collaborators. We may not have gone to law school, but we bring a new perspective and a different outlook to the legal world. Critically, we know the expertise of our team and who is best suited to handle a project. Each attorney in our office has ample intelligence to handle whatever is thrown his or her way, of that I have no doubt; but knowing how to utilize our ‘toolbox’ of staff ensures that all matters are distributed to the most knowledgeable attorney in the field of question.
The addition of project managers to an office brings the kind of value that will never be questioned by those who benefit from its work product. Of course, I hold no bias, but view this as an absolutely necessary position requiring high priority amongst any business that seeks to work as team-based. There is a positive impact that reverberates beyond delivery of the finished work product when a project has steady management and clear goals. Every detail, every correspondence with the client, every follow-up once the work is done, is living proof that your client can trust you. In the business world, your time is worth nothing…unless someone wants to pay for it. Make sure that what they are paying for is worth every penny, and then some.
