Matters

A buyer instructs the firm on a property purchase. The coordinator opens a matter with its counterparty, organization, subject, jurisdiction and owner. The team can follow the record from intake through conflict review, active work, review and closure without treating the counterparty as the matter itself. Each record remains attached to the matter or organization that gives it context. Staff can return to the relevant register when a decision or date changes, and the named owner can explain why the current state is correct.

• Working record. Start from Matter Register and open the record that needs attention. Confirm the matter and organization before changing an item.
• Ownership. The Matter Coordinator prepares the file; the Supervising Attorney handles independent review. The Auditor can follow the evidence trail within authorized access.
• Evidence. Keep dates, references and reasons on their own records so later readers can trace an action without relying on a private message.

Check the record number, opening date, agreed fee and engagement reference with the file owner. Agree who can change the owner and when a matter should enter review. Keep declined matters distinguishable from closed work. Choose a pilot matter with a real counterparty and test who may see its evidence. Decide which source system supplies external confirmations and which staff member checks them.

Set the handoff point between preparation and review. A coordinator should be able to identify the current owner and pending work; a reviewer should see the exact record and supporting material. If the record belongs to another organization, check the access boundary before expanding the pilot.

Use a purchase or lease file that has a named client, a matter owner and at least one dated event. Ask the coordinator to show the current record in Matter Register. Then have the supervising attorney compare the linked evidence with the matter, note any discrepancy and record a reason for the decision where applicable. Return to the register and confirm the resulting state is visible to the right staff.

For a later correction, retain the relevant revision, date or receipt. That makes it possible to distinguish the original action from the correction during audit. Rehearse an incomplete case too: the reviewer should ask for the missing evidence rather than infer that a field was checked.

• Matter Register — Find working matters by status, owner and counterparty.
• My Matters — Let an assigned owner focus on their own matter files.
• Matter Status Board — Compare matter states across the active register.

Follow the first handoff and the related process. Keep the data model at hand when importing records and use the role guide when testing access.