FLOWCHART OF LITIGATION CASE

I. Referral by client
1. General Retainer
2. Walk-in
3. Third Party referral

II. Set and Meet Client: interview to get facts and economic
objective

 Team System
o 2-man (Partner and Associate)
 Simple cases
 To save cost
o 3-man
 Normal, run-of-the-mill cases
o ALL FIRM
 Complicated and Big Cases
 Roles of Each Party
o Junior Associate
 Sets the interview
 Coordinates time
 All “”dirty” work
o Senior Associate
 “Take Charge Guy”
 Sets the STRATEGY according to client objective
o Partner-in-charge
 Makes the final decision
 Distributes work
o Name Partner
 Not part of the team
 Part of the routing
 Primarily monitors the status of cases

A. Gist of referral in General – client relates nature of case (civil,

criminal, administrative, corp., labor, arbitration, etc.)

B. Client Objective: economic, revenge, neutralize, destroy, etc.

C. Get “unsanitized” or total facts: relevant, irrelevant, “chismis,”

impressions

1. Parties Involved: plaintiff, defendant, related interests

2. Methodology of facts obtention
 Who asks questions: Partner, Senior Associate, Junior
Associate
 Who takes notes: Junior Associate/Senior Associate
 a. Chronological - present
b. Historical - past
c. Flashback/Semi

3. Get Relevant Documents, Papers, Possible Witnesses

OBJECTIVE
 Law Office: determine complexity, difficulty, magnitude,
gains for client for billing purposes
 Client: first impression to expect bill
o Amount: big, moderate, modest
o Nature of Billing: Time Charges, Package,
Contingent, Per Appearance, Per Work Per
Pleading, Milestoning, etc.

4. Determine client capacity to pay

5. Draft engagement proposal – Junior Associate drafts in
coordination with the Partner

 General Rule: Proposal comes before the drafting of

Memorandum of Facts and Law
 Exception: Partner immediately directs the drafting of the
Memo of Facts and Law – unsanitized
a. Facts/Proofs/Basis
b. Laws and Jurisprudence applicable
c. Objective or Proposed Legal Alternative
d. Legal Recommendation - personal