When I first began working in the legal profession, I thought a good litigation calendar was one that captured every deadline. Hearing dates? Check. Filing deadlines? Check. Discovery cutoffs? Check.
It looked perfect.
There was only one problem.
Every date on that calendar represented the point at which something had to be finished, not the point at which someone had to make a decision. Over the years, I came to realize that this is one of the biggest differences between simply maintaining a calendar and truly managing a case.
A Deadline Is the End of the Story
Most people look at a litigation calendar and ask one question: “When is this due?” Experienced legal professionals ask a different question: “What has to happen before this can possibly be due?” That single shift in thinking changes everything.
A filing deadline is not the beginning of your work; it’s the finish line. If your calendar only reminds you of the finish line, you’ve already missed dozens of opportunities to keep the case moving smoothly.
The Calendar Behind the Calendar
Imagine you have an opposition brief due on July 15. An inexperienced calendar might simply contain one entry:
- July 15 – Opposition Due
Technically, that’s correct. But it isn’t particularly helpful. An experienced legal professional sees something very different. Before that opposition can be filed, someone has to decide whether the motion should be opposed. The attorney needs time to review the issues. Research must be completed. Declarations have to be drafted and signed. Exhibits must be identified, organized, and finalized. The brief needs to be proofread, revised, and prepared for filing.
Suddenly, that single July 15 deadline has become a series of decision points:
- Is additional research needed?
- Do we need supporting declarations?
- Have we received all of the necessary documents from the client?
- Is an extension necessary?
- Does opposing counsel need to be contacted?
- When does the attorney need the first draft?
- When should final revisions be completed?
Those are the dates that truly matter.
Every Filing Creates New Work
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that every filing creates new responsibilities. For example, a complaint is served. Now what?
Do we remove the case to federal court?
Should we file a demurrer?
Is an answer more appropriate?
Do we need an extension of time?
Has the client provided all necessary information?
Should a litigation hold be issued?
Who needs to be notified?
The calendar should immediately begin answering those questions, not simply reminding us when the responsive pleading is due. Every procedural event creates reaction points. Those reaction points are where experienced legal professionals provide tremendous value.
Calendaring Is Really Risk Management
People often think calendaring is an administrative task. I respectfully disagree. Calendaring is one of the most important risk management tools in a law office. Missed deadlines rarely happen because someone forgot to write down a date. They happen because there wasn’t enough time built into the process for thoughtful decision-making.
Waiting until the filing deadline to begin drafting is stressful.
Waiting until the week before trial to organize exhibits is stressful.
Waiting until discovery responses are due to gather client documents is stressful.
None of those situations should become emergencies.
As I’ve often told students over the years: Emergencies that happen all the time are system failures. A well-designed calendar creates breathing room. It gives attorneys time to think, clients time to respond, and legal professionals time to produce quality work.
Think Beyond the Deadline
One of the habits I encourage newer legal professionals to develop is this simple question:
“What decision needs to be made today so tomorrow’s deadline doesn’t become a crisis?”
That question changes the focus from reacting to planning. Instead of waiting for reminders, you begin anticipating needs. Instead of managing dates, you begin managing workflow. Instead of checking boxes, you begin contributing strategically to the success of the case. That is where legal professionals become indispensable.
The Difference Between Maintaining a Calendar and Managing a Case
Calendars will always be an essential part of legal practice. But calendars, by themselves, don’t move cases forward. People do.
The most effective legal professionals I’ve worked with throughout my career don’t simply record deadlines. They identify the conversations that need to happen, the decisions that must be made, and the work that needs to be completed before those deadlines ever arrive. In other words, they don’t wait for the calendar to tell them what to do next.
They use the calendar to help the entire legal team stay several steps ahead. Because, in the end, the best legal professionals don’t calendar dates. They calendar decisions.
Categorized in: Legal Procedure
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