CHALLENGE - Organizing Complexity into Clarity

Law firms manage an overwhelming volume of information—documents, financials, contacts, and timelines. This administrative burden often distracts attorneys from their primary role: providing sound legal counsel.

Our goal was to create a streamlined, intuitive case management experience that allows legal professionals to access the most critical information instantly.

The challenge was to transform complex case data into a transparent, structured system while ensuring:

• Consistency – Key data categories need uniform placement across matters for quick reference.

• Narrative Flow – Information should tell a story, with notes, contacts, documents, and key dates naturally guiding decision-making.

• Thoughtful Interactions – Small usability improvements should reduce friction and enhance efficiency.

• Accessibility – The system had to be intuitive and usable by all legal professionals.

• Scalability – A long-term, structured approach would ensure design consistency across the platform.

The result was a redesigned Matter Page that provided attorneys with a centralized, organized view of their case data, reducing time spent searching and increasing time spent strategizing.

APPROACH - Understanding the User’s Mental Model

We conducted extensive user research with corporate and external attorneys and legal support staff to design a system aligned with real-world legal workflows.

• User Interviews – First-hand feedback helped prioritize pain points and define a more intuitive workflow.

• Card Sorting Exercises – Attorneys and staff categorized legal data into meaningful groups, shaping the hierarchy of the Matter Page.

• Journey Mapping – We visualized key interactions to ensure the interface reflected how attorneys naturally work.

Key Findings

• 79% of users preferred a clear separation between case-related and administrative data.

• 82% of attorneys wanted a single source of truth for case status to eliminate redundant searches.

• 91% of users prioritized “Key Dates” over general calendar views for managing deadlines.

These insights guided our design decisions, ensuring that the Matter Page structure aligned with attorneys’ thinking and working styles.

A Case Management System Built for Efficiency

With research-driven priorities in place, we designed a Matter Page that centralized key case information in a clear, structured format.

• Centralized Case Information – A single source of truth for case status, eliminating redundant searches.

• Clear Data Hierarchy – Information was grouped into structured categories, reducing cognitive load.

• Quick-Access Key Dates – A dedicated deadline section, replacing the clutter of general calendar views.

• Streamlined Search & Navigation: Attorneys can instantly find critical details such as contact information, billable hours, and document status.

• Mobile-First Design – Ensured seamless usability across devices, eliminating the need for a separate mobile app.

OUTCOME - Gains in Efficiency & User Adoption

To validate our approach, we built a high-fidelity interactive prototype and tasked attorneys with real-world actions:

• Locate the timeline for the Exclusivity Agreement and determine its completion date.

• Identify who is working on a critical document.

• Find billable hours associated with a case.

• Locate Kendra Olson’s contact information.

• Change the priority of a Due Diligence document.

The results confirmed the impact of a structured, intuitive interface:

• The user task success rate improved by 62%, significantly reducing the time spent searching for case data.

• Case preparation time decreased by 48%, allowing attorneys to focus on legal strategy instead of administrative tasks.

• User satisfaction scores increased by 36%, with users praising the streamlined design and reduced friction.

After launch, the system quickly became a core tool for legal teams:

• 89% of users adopted the new system within three months, citing ease of use and improved data accessibility.

• Search time for key case data was reduced by 54%, enabling attorneys to retrieve critical information almost instantly.

• Unnecessary clicks were eliminated, and case status updates and financial tracking were streamlined.

• The hierarchy was refined to focus on key dates rather than general scheduling, aligning with user priorities.

LESSONS - What Worked & What Didn’t

What Worked

• A research-backed structure ensured attorneys could find what they needed with minimal friction.

• Prioritizing key dates over general scheduling significantly improved time management for legal teams.

• A mobile-first design provided seamless accessibility, eliminating the need for a separate app.

What Didn’t Work (and What We’d Do Differently)

• Some early iterations placed too much emphasis on customization, leading to complexity rather than efficiency. Simplifying the default layout significantly improved this.

• While the new system improved organization, some users still relied on old habits. Additional onboarding support could have accelerated full adoption.

Why It Matters: A Smarter, More Efficient Legal Workflow

This project proved that great design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about function. By understanding attorneys’ mental models and workflows, we created a case management system that eliminated inefficiencies, reduced frustration, and helped legal teams focus on what matters most: providing legal counsel.

With measurable gains in efficiency, adoption, and user satisfaction, the redesigned Matter Page became more than just a feature—it became an essential tool in modern legal practice.