Choosing the right Jira template for your legal team

Efficient management of documents, contracts, and requests is really important in the fast-paced and complex landscape of legal operations. As legal teams grapple with an increasing volume of work, having streamlined processes is not just a convenience but a necessity.

In this blog post, we will look at the significance of managing legal workflows efficiently and explore three customizable Jira templates.

By comparing these templates, we aim to provide insights into choosing the most suitable one for your team's unique needs.

Why efficient management matters

In the legal domain, precision and timeliness are non-negotiable. Managing documents, contracts, and requests efficiently ensures that legal professionals can focus on substantive work rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks.

Delays in contract reviews, mishandling of legal requests, or overlooking critical documents can have far-reaching consequences. This underscores the importance of adopting tools that not only facilitate but enhance the management of legal processes.

Jira's contribution to legal efficiency

Jira, a widely used project management tool, offers a lifeline to legal teams through its purpose-built templates. These templates not only serve as a centralized hub for managing various legal tasks but also provide customizable workflows that align with the unique needs of legal professionals.

Now, let's explore three Jira templates specifically designed for legal departments and assess their strengths and limitations.

1. Legal service management

Product: Jira Service Management

Recommended for: Legal teams looking for a clear and central way to track and manage their work.

Request types: Questions for legal, contract review requests, email requests.

Key features:

• Streamlines stakeholder management, including contracts, policies, and legal requests
• Offers built-in legal requests and workflows
• Allows customization to create a tailored template for your team's legal process
• Internal service desk for managing employee legal requests
• Automated approvals for routine tasks

Pros:

• Centralized service desk for managing various legal requests
• Streamlined contract and policy management
• Efficient handling of employee requests
• Automated approvals to reduce workload

Cons:

• May require customization for specific legal processes not covered by built-in workflows

2. Document approval

Product: Jira Work Management

Recommended for: Legal and finance teams

Issue types: Document

Workflow: To do, draft, in review, second review, approved, resolution

Key features:

• Ideal for managing policies, contracts, or any critical documents
• Provides an audit trail for document management
• Allows you to see all documents in a single view
• Customizable workflow stages to fit your team's needs
• Detailed document tracking and reporting

Pros:

• Comprehensive document tracking with customizable workflows
• Ability to see all documents in a single view for easy monitoring
• Customizable reports for workflow statistics
• Suitable for various document-centric processes

Cons:

• More document-focused and may not handle other legal requests as effectively

3. IP infringement

Product: Jira Work Management

Recommended for: Legal teams

Issue types: Claim, task, sub-task

Workflow: Claim, legal review, recommendation, resolution

Key features:

• Simplifies the process of identifying and tracking IP infringement claims
• Keeps supporting documents in one place for timely action
• Customizable workflow for aligning with your team's needs
• Priority and due date settings for timely task completion
• Easy information gathering through customizable forms

Pros:

• Streamlines IP infringement claim tracking
• Offers flexibility with customizable workflows
• Prioritizes tasks efficiently with due dates and assignments
• Simplifies information gathering through customizable forms

Cons:

• Primarily designed for IP infringement claims and may not handle other legal processes effectively

Understanding your needs

Choosing the right Jira template for your legal team is a critical decision that hinges on understanding your specific needs and workflow.

While "legal service management" in Jira Service Management excels in handling service requests, "document approval" and "IP Infringement" templates in Jira Work Management provide customizable workflows and document-focused features for more specialized tasks.

Evaluate your team's requirements thoughtfully to make an informed choice that enhances your legal operations, paving the way for increased efficiency and collaboration.

Jira templates can also be used to improve efforts in other departments.