Risk reviews work best when they give a team a shared view of each matter. Start with information you can verify, record what remains unknown, and decide who will follow up.
Start with a few useful signals
- Time: What is due next, and who owns it? Include court dates, contract milestones, and client commitments.
- Complexity: Which legal, factual, or procedural questions still need review?
- People: Are instructions, approvals, and client expectations clear?
- Capacity: Does the assigned team have time and the right experience for the next stage?
- Information: Are important documents missing, outdated, or inconsistent?
Review at natural decision points
Run a short review at intake, after a significant filing or negotiation, when new facts arrive, and before a handoff. A weekly scan of open matters can surface changes between those points.
Make the result actionable
For each signal, record the source, the person responsible, the next action, and a review date. A risk label alone is less useful than a clear decision about what happens next.
Five-minute review
- Confirm the next deadline and owner.
- Check for missing documents or unanswered questions.
- Review workload and client communication.
- Assign an action and a date for the next check.
Adapt the questions to your practice area and jurisdiction. The goal is a consistent conversation that supports professional judgment.