Turn a vague matter plan into SMART milestones
Rewrite vague matter milestones into specific, measurable, assigned, realistic, and time-bound commitments.
The move: convert intention into inspectable commitments. SMART criteria keep matter plans from becoming polite wishes. In a law firm, vague work often sounds professional: advance diligence, prepare the witness outline, coordinate with tax, update the client. Those phrases describe direction, not management. A manager needs to know what work product exists, who owns it, how quality will be judged, and when review can happen. Specific Name the deliverable: exception log, first-pass memo, witness outline, closing checklist, client-ready summary. Measurable Define completion: number of documents reviewed, issues tagged, questions answered, or draft standard met. Assigned and realistic One owner does…
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