The Agile Attorney Podcast 103. Bottlenecks in Law Firms: Fixing Flow Without Heroics [Agile Lawyering Part 3]
Jan 20, 2026
Discover how visibility in workflow can transform bottlenecks into smoother legal processes. Learn the importance of distinguishing between unfinished work and actual waiting time. Explore how to pinpoint the most critical bottlenecks, such as client homework and quality reviews. Embrace a team-oriented approach to process improvement, moving away from personal heroics. Delve into three essential levers for relieving bottlenecks: focusing on finishing tasks, empowering others, and enhancing upstream quality. Optimize your legal practice for better flow!
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Visibility Reveals System Truths
- Making in-progress work visible reveals how much is stuck and why it feels overwhelming.
- That view is empowering because it surfaces system-level problems rather than personal failings.
Unfinished Work Is Delivery Debt
- Unfinished work equals unfulfilled promises and creates 'delivery debt' that carries ongoing costs.
- The goal is to keep delivery debt manageable, not to eliminate it entirely.
Reduce Waiting Not Working Time
- Flow efficiency compares active working time to total elapsed time and shows waiting dominates legal work.
- Reducing waiting time yields far larger delivery improvements than shaving working minutes.
