Would you like to:

• Reduce write-offs while doing legal work within a fixed budget (fixed fees, capped fees, hard estimates etc.) expected by clients these days?
• Manage a more predictable flow of legal work so that you and your colleagues can enjoy some work-life-balance?
• Enjoy more what you do best - the legal work at the heart of a matter - instead of doing low-value work such as chasing after other people, putting out fires or dealing with last-minute surprises?
• Provide better client service by being able to ask clients high-value questions about their goals, concerns and expectations at the beginning of a matter, thus being able to tailor your advice to their specific risks and expectations (no “overlawyering”)?
• Establish and maintain closer client relationships by finding ways to evaluate your work with them regularly and in a structured way?

If your answer is “yes” to any of the above questions, your place is at the AIJA SCILL Law Practice Management conference in Sofia.

Where ancient meets modern and tradition blends with innovation – Sofia (derived from the word “wisdom” in Greek (σοφία)) is the perfect venue to talk about managing the legal business of tomorrow. A city dating back to 7000 BC, Sofia is currently a vibrant, rapidly evolving destination, which offers booming opportunities for networking, learning and development. The Bulgarian capital fascinates with enchanting historic buildings, Roman remains and great urban parks, sparked up by newfangled corporate and commercial developments. A thriving cultural hotspot, with dynamic nightlife and the home to inspiring internationally recognized startups, Sofia is an increasingly preferred spot for young people and for businesses. As the perfect expression of a bridge between the past and the future, Sofia will be the host of AIJA’s “How to effectively manage a legal business (of tomorrow)?”.

We will learn about Legal Project Management, which is a toolbox for managing legal matters – any legal matter, regardless of the size or area of your legal practice. Every legal matter is a project by definition (“a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result” according to the Project Management Institute). The toolbox is scalable: use just the basic tools for small matters and the whole toolbox for more complex legal matters. We will learn to apply carefully selected and proven project management techniques to legal matters in order to scope projects, engage stakeholders, lead successful teams, plan tasks, draft budgets and manage the work within such budget, track progress and manage risks. LPM helps lawyers to increase client value (“more for less”) and establish close client relationships, thereby to achieve their business goals with regard to retaining clients and protecting profitability.

We will learn from the best: With over 20 years of experience as a lawyer, Marion Ehmann is an LPM expert and trainer certified as Legal Project Practitioner by the Internal Institute of Legal Project Management (www.iilpm.com) and has been training lawyers (both law firm and in-house) in the field since 2014. She is a lecturer for LPM at the Executive School of Management, Technology and Law at the University St. Gallen, and she will run most of the program. We will also have 2 panels of experienced AIJA members and alumni sharing their personal experience.