Ep3 Maximise Meeting Productivity: Tips and Tricks for Legal Professionals
Want to transform meetings from a dreaded obligation into energising, impactful sessions?
In this solo episode of Legal Lightbulbs, Verity White dives into the art of designing productive meetings that leave you and your team aligned, energised, and ready to tackle the next steps. Verity shares her personal journey from corporate in-house legal teams to running Checklist Legal, where she mastered the ability to make meetings purposeful and engaging.
You’ll discover:
How to set the tone with fun, creative meeting names that spark curiosity.
The importance of clear agendas and how to ask for one when it’s missing.
The ultimate 5-step meeting structure: Top of Mind, Progress, Problems, Plans, Actions.
Clever calendar hacks, like starting meetings five minutes past the hour to give everyone a breather.
Whether you're the one leading the meeting or just attending, these practical tips will help you turn meetings into a source of collaboration, creativity, and clarity.
🔗 Ready to level up your meetings? Visit https://www.checklistlegal.com/podcast for show notes, templates, and more resources to help you succeed.
Connect with Verity!
Verity White: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verityw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checklistlegal
"A successful meeting isn’t just productive. It leaves you energised and aligned."
— Verity White, Legal Director, Checklist Legal
In Episode 03 of Legal Lightbulbs, Verity White shares practical strategies to transform meetings into energising and productive sessions. Verity dives into the importance of structure, preparation, and fostering alignment to ensure every meeting has a clear purpose and outcome.
The episode begins at [00:39] with Verity describing what makes a meeting successful — leaving attendees feeling energised, aligned, and ready to take the next steps. At [01:59], she explains how fun and engaging meeting names can set the tone and encourage participation while still being clear about the meeting’s purpose.
By [03:00], Verity highlights the value of preparation and agendas, offering tips on how to politely request an agenda or ensure attendees come prepared. She also introduces a clever trick: starting meetings five minutes past the hour to give everyone time to reset and prepare.
At [06:00], Verity outlines her 5-step structure for running effective meetings:
Top of Mind: Capture key priorities or concerns at the start.
Progress: Review what’s been achieved since the last meeting.
Problems: Identify blockers or challenges needing attention.
Plans: Outline next steps and strategies to move forward.
Actions: Summarise decisions with clear accountability — who will do what and by when.
The conversation transitions at [07:00] to the importance of pleasantries and creating a positive atmosphere in meetings, with Verity sharing a humorous anecdote about team preferences for small talk.
Finally, at [09:00], Verity teases her after-meeting email template, a tool that has been invaluable for tracking actions, decisions, and follow-ups to keep projects on track.
If you’ve ever left a meeting feeling drained or unclear about the next steps, this episode will provide the tools you need to change that.
#LegalLightbulbs #InHouseLegal #MeetingMastery #ProductiveLawyers #LegalInnovation
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Let’s recap the secrets of productive contracts
1. BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITIES
The “how” of lawyering: managing processes, reporting, and working with law firms. Align team priorities with organisational goals.
2. FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS
Don’t jump straight to tech. Focus on team priorities and processes first.
3. START WITH SCALABLE PROCESSES
Use tools like SharePoint to centralise templates and precedents. Make it easy to navigate and use.
4. EMBRACE CONTRACT DESIGN
Communicate early, train in small steps, and involve the team. Build trust in new systems.
5. REFLECT & LEARN
Assume no budget. Identify pain points, show ROI, and include hidden costs like training and IT time.
6. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MATTERS
Define success and track metrics (e.g., template usage or contract speed). Use simple tools like Excel to monitor trends.
Episode Highlights
Go-To Productivity Tool: Verity’s after-meeting email template is a must-have for capturing actions, decisions, and follow-ups. Stay tuned for the next episode, where she’ll break it all down.
Advice for In-House Lawyers: Meetings don’t have to drain your day. With proper preparation, structure, and a focus on outcomes, they can become a highlight of your workweek.
Recommended Resource: Verity’s 5-Step Meeting Structure Template, available above in the show notes to help you streamline your meetings and maximise productivity.
Legal Light Bulb Moment:
"A successful meeting isn’t just productive. It leaves you energised and aligned."
LINKS
Connect with Verity!
Verity White: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verityw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checklistlegal
Head to the The Checklist Boutique for access to the other templates and examples mentioned in the show.
