AGENQUOBegin before the matter is opened
Capture the prospective instruction, client identity supplied through the approved intake process, related parties, matter type, source and the immediate next action. Intake does not mean that the instruction has been accepted.
Keep professional decisions explicit
The system can organise the information required for conflict review, engagement and onboarding. It should record the responsible professional, review status, source and outcome; it must not decide whether a conflict exists or whether the firm should act.
Create one operational matter record
Once approved, connect the client, relevant organisations and people, activities, documents, deadlines, responsibilities, time, expenses, provisions and fee visibility to the matter. Avoid scattering the operating history across personal inboxes and disconnected task lists.
Treat deadlines as professionally controlled data
Record the date, source, responsible person, verification status and reminders required by the firm's approved process. A general operating system should not calculate jurisdiction-specific legal deadlines automatically.
Give every active matter a next action
Stage labels describe position; next actions create movement. Each active matter should have one clear owner, one specific next action and one appropriate date.
Close deliberately
Use an approved closure checklist to confirm outstanding work, documents, balances, client communication, retention requirements and archive status. Closure should be an operational event with evidence, not simply the absence of new activity.