Making Meetings Matter: A Lawyer’s Guide to Productive Collaboration and Time Management

In the high-pressure world of legal practice, time is one of the most valuable resources. Yet internal meetings, which are intended to enhance collaboration and strategic focus, often fall short of their purpose. Lawyers at every level find themselves caught in meetings with unclear agendas, vague outcomes, and limited relevance to their work.

For senior lawyers, these inefficiencies take time away from client work, business development, and leadership responsibilities. Junior lawyers, on the other hand, risk disengagement when they are expected to attend meetings that offer little learning value.

The issue is not unique to the legal sector. Across industries, forward-thinking organisations are reimagining how meetings are structured. Legal professionals can adopt similar approaches to ensure their time is spent effectively and meaningfully.

The True Cost of Ineffective Meetings

Unproductive meetings carry both visible and hidden costs:

• Valuable time is diverted from client work, strategic projects, and upskilling.

• Long or unfocused discussions cause mental fatigue and reduce performance.

• Frustration builds when meetings feel like box-ticking exercises.

• Junior lawyers may miss more relevant learning opportunities.

• Senior lawyers face operational overload, leaving less time for high-value tasks.

What High-Performing Organisations Do Differently

Some of the world’s most influential business leaders have adopted unconventional but effective meeting strategies:

• Jeff Bezos promotes deep preparation through structured memos that are read silently at the start of meetings.

• Elon Musk encourages employees to walk out of meetings where they are not learning or contributing.

• Satya Nadella champions inclusive dialogue with a clear purpose.

These practices show the power of preparation, participation, and outcome-focused discussion.

Before the Meeting: Set a Clear Intent

Every meeting should begin with two fundamental questions:

• What is the purpose? (e.g. decision-making, brainstorming, alignment, or updates)

• Who needs to attend? (Only those who will contribute meaningfully)

Sharing an agenda or a short context note beforehand helps participants prepare and engage more fully.

Attending with Purpose

Every participant should be clear on:

• Their role in the meeting

• The value they are expected to bring

Junior lawyers should feel comfortable asking why they are invited and what is expected of them. Senior lawyers should foster a culture that respects and encourages contributions from all levels.

Rethinking Attendance

Meeting attendance should be driven by relevance, not seniority. Ask yourself:

• Will I add value or learn something important?

• If not, can I catch up via summary or notes?

Encouraging a time-conscious culture respects both productivity and professional development.

Designing Smarter Meetings

Some practical guidelines for improving meetings include:

• Keep it short by default: Aim for 25 to 30 minutes unless more time is truly needed.

• Stick to scheduled times: Avoid overruns by keeping the discussion on track.

• Avoid back-to-back meetings: Leave space for reflection and action.

• Invite fewer people: Smaller groups usually foster sharper dialogue.

• Define clear roles: Assign a facilitator, timekeeper, and note-taker if needed.

• End with action: Summarise decisions, assign responsibilities, and set deadlines.

Leading the Change

Senior lawyers are key to reshaping meeting culture. They can:

• Regularly evaluate whether recurring meetings still serve a purpose

• Test alternatives such as shorter meetings or written updates

• Invite honest feedback, especially from junior team members

Meetings as Strategic Tools

Whether managing internal time or keeping pace with regulatory change, legal professionals must act with purpose. Meetings should become tools of progress, not distractions. Similarly, compliance with new regulations requires planning and adaptability.

By embedding clarity, discipline, and strategic focus into both internal processes and external obligations, legal teams position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly dynamic legal and commercial landscape.

For further information, contact us.

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This material is provided for general information only. It should not be relied upon for the provision of or as a substitute for legal or other professional advice.