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Matters

Matter Profile Tab

The matter
Profile
tab shows details about a matter and is the starting point for matter actions such as viewing or submitting outside counsel evaluations; or cloning, closing, or deleting matters. Fields and sections that you see on this page are determined by the matter type template that was used to create the matter.
Opening a matter opens the matter's
Profile
tab:
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. Select the hyperlinked name in the
    Matter/Group Name
     column.

Using This Page

The toolbar provides access to functions such as closing and editing the matter.
  1. Clone
    creates an exact copy of this matter.
  2. Edit options
     lets you change parameters, such as the type template or firm access, or to assign this matter to a group.
  3. Edit
    lets you update the matter information.
  4. Select the ellipsis button to access the following:
    • Add to favorites
      : Marks the matter as a favorite. Your favorite matters are marked in the matters list with an asterisk.
    • View history
      : Opens a page that shows the actions that have been performed on a matter, the date, and the name of the user.
    • Close matter
      : Select this option to close the matter.
    • Delete
      : Select this option to delete the matter.
    • Westlaw
      ,
      Westlaw Next
      : If your system administrator has configured this option, you can select these links to go directly to your Westlaw account.
      This setting is configured on the Miscellaneous matter options page.

Managing Matters

Edit the matter profile
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. Find and open the relevant matter.
  3. On the toolbar, click
    Edit
    .
  4. Make the appropriate changes.
    Field Help
    Company & Setup Section
    Use the fields in this collapsible section to specify information about the company.
    • Full Matter Name/Parties Involved:
      • The description of the matter or the parties to the matter. For Litigation/Dispute matter types, this field should include the full case caption. For Patent Prosecution matter types, this field should include the full invention name used by your company.
      • The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 3000 characters.
    • Short Matter Name
      :
      • A unique, brief description of the matter. The short matter name displays in your list of matters and in your law firms' list of matters.
      • The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 100 characters. In your list of matters, only 35 characters display.
    • Lead Company Person
      : A Tracker matter role assigned to the company user who will manage a matter and who will be included on the invoice approval route for the matter. Tracker defaults to assigning the Lead Company Person role to the company user who creates the matter, but this role can be assigned to any company user.
    • Organizational Unit
      : A Tracker matter role assigned to the company user who will manage a matter and who will be included on the invoice approval route for the matter. Tracker defaults to assigning the Lead Company Person role to the company user who creates the matter, but this role can be assigned to any company user.
    • Practice Group
      : The internal team in the legal department (for example, the Litigation team) that works on a matter.
    • Matter ID
      : The matter identifying number is created automatically.
    • Purchase or Sale
      : Use the Select button and select an option to identify whether this matter is related to a purchase or a sale.
    Matter Information Section
    Use the fields in this collapsible section to define details about the matter. The specific fields on this page depend on the matter sub-type you selected on page 1.
    Field
    Description
    Template Type
    Substantive Law
    The area of law applicable to a matter. The list of substantive laws is created by your company's Tracker Coordinator.
    Use the
    Select
    button to open the list and select the option you want to apply.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • Filings
    • 3rd Party Actions
    • Miscellaneous
    • Legal Center Template
    Start Date
    The date the matter began. When creating a matter, the date is automatically populated with the matter creation date, but can be changed.
    Use the calendar icon to select the date.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • Filings
    • 3rd Party Actions
    • Miscellaneous
    • Legal Center Template
    Summary of Dispute (Cause of Action)
    A description of the matter. This is the description that displays in the matter profile and certain views and reports. We suggest you avoid copying the matter name. A useful, informative description is preferred.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Case Summary for Audit letter
    A brief description of the matter that your company can use in its audit letters.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Claims
    A brief description of the matter that your company can use in its audit letters.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Key Issues
    The primary issues affecting resolution of a matter.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • Filings
    • 3rd Party Actions
    • Miscellaneous
    Adverse Firm(s) & Attorney(s)
    The adverse firms and attorneys. The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 1500 characters.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • 3rd Party Actions
    Country
    The country applicable to a matter. When the country is not
    United States
    , the
    State
     field is replaced with the
    Province/Region
     field.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • Filings
    • 3rd Party Actions
    • Miscellaneous
    State
    The state applicable to the matter or the province or region applicable to the matter. The
    State
     field is replaced with the
    Province/Region
     field when the
    Country
     field is set to a country other than the United States.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • 3rd Party Actions
    Court/Forum
    The state applicable to the matter or the province or region applicable to the matter. The
    State
     field is replaced with the
    Province/Region
     field when the
    Country
     field is set to a country other than the United States.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • 3rd Party Actions
    Trial Date
    The state applicable to the matter or the province or region applicable to the matter. The
    State
     field is replaced with the
    Province/Region
     field when the
    Country
     field is set to a country other than the United States.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Case Number
    The claim or registration number for the applicable filing.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • 3rd Party Actions
    Filing Date
    The date the complaint, application, or documentation was filed.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Filings
    3rd Party Actions
    Claim Number; Claim/Registration Number
    The claim or registration number for the applicable filing.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Notes/Misc
    Use this field to provide additional notes or information about a matter.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • Transactions & Deals
    • Advice & Counsel
    • Filings
    • 3rd Party Actions
    • Miscellaneous
    Date Served
    The date papers, such as a summons, petition or request for order, were served.
    • Litigation/Dispute
    • 3rd Party Actions
    Date of Loss
    The date on which the loss occurred.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Date of Notice of Loss
    The date the company received notice that the loss or damage occurred.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Case Assessment Memo
    The case assessment memo for a matter. The maximum file size for a case assessment memo is 20 MB.
    The Lead Company Person or head of litigation at the law department typically determines the expected format, content and timing of the case assessment memo.
    When uploading a case assessment memo, the file is not uploaded until after
    Save & close
     is clicked. A timeout will occur if a file upload takes longer than 10 minutes to complete.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Trial Strategy Memo
    The trial strategy memo for a matter.
    The Lead Company Person or head of litigation at the law department typically determines the expected format, content and timing of the trial strategy memo.
    When uploading a trial strategy memo, the file is not uploaded until after
    Save & close
     is clicked.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Patent Title
    The title of the patent from the patent application. The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 500 characters.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Custom Fields section
    If your organization has created custom matter fields, they appear in this section.
    Financial Information
    Use the fields in this section to set up financial information for the matter.
    Field
    Description
    Template type
    Amount Claimed Against Company (Exposure)
    The total amount of damages claimed (for example, in a complaint or cross claim) by the opposing party in a matter. Do not include speculative or uncertain damages.
    The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 12 characters.
    Currency formats used by Tracker include:
    • thousands separated by commas
    • amounts less than a single currency unit followed by a period
    For example, 10,000, 10,000.00 or 10000.00 are acceptable, but 10.000, 10.000, 00 or 10000,00 are not allowed.
    To specify a negative amount, use a minus sign in from of the amount or enclose the amount in parenthesis. For example, -10000 or (10000).
    Litigation/Dispute
    Company Liability Estimate
    Probable
    or
    Reasonably possible
    , you may be prompted to estimate the liability for this matter.
    If you select
    Yes
    for
    Is the amount of liability reasonably estimable?
    , additional fields appear.
    • Best estimate:
       Enter your best estimate of potential liability.
    • Range:
      Use the fields to enter minimum and maximum estimates of potential liability.
    If you select
    Remote
     no further action is necessary and you are not required to enter a dollar amount for estimated liability.
    For details about liability estimates in Tracker refer to the Matter Liability Estimates article.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Reserve Amount
    The amount of funds set aside to cover future expenses, losses, or claims related to a matter.
    0
     (zero) indicates that a matter does not involve a reserve amount.
    The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 12 characters.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Insurer/Reinsurer
    Use this field to track insurance policies that cover potential losses or damages from a matter. To add an insurer or reinsurer, contact your company's Tracker Coordinator.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Amount Claimed by Company (Recovery)
    The total amount of damages claimed, such as in a complaint or cross claim, by the company in a matter. Do not include speculative or uncertain damages.
    The maximum number of characters that can be entered in this field is 12 characters.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Company Recovery Estimate
    For Litigation/Dispute matters, the total cash or cash-equivalent amounts estimated to be received by the company in settlement or judgment of a matter.
    0
     (zero) indicates that a matter does not involve a potential recovery.
    For all other matters, the estimated total cash or cash-equivalent amounts (including future amounts) to be received by the company in resolution of a matter. For example, the amount of a license royalty payment for a license royalty.
    0
     (zero) indicates that there is no amounts.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Estimated Timing of Resolution
    The phase during which a matter will most likely be resolved.
    Litigation/Dispute
    Estimated Date of Resolution
    The estimated date a matter will be resolved. Contact your Tracker Coordinator if this field does not apply to a matter.Click
    View/edit details
     if you want to add or change information about this date. For example, you can add a comment.
    All template types
    Invoice Processing Information Section
    • Invoice Approval Route
      : The chain of individuals responsible for any invoices that are posted for approval to the matter. Use the
      Select
      button to locate and select the invoice approval route for the matter.
    • AP Route
      : AP routes determine how approved invoices are delivered to the AP department. Use the Select button to locate and select the AP route for the matter.
    • Pre-Configured Allocation
      : A pre-configured allocation allows for selecting accounting code allocation strings that are appropriate to many matters. For example, all of your Human Resources matters are coded to cost center 123, GL account 456. This accounting code string can be selected from a list.
    • Default Accounting Code Allocation
      s:
      • A pre-configured allocation allows for selecting accounting code allocation strings that are appropriate to many matters. For example, all of your Human Resources matters are coded to cost center 123, GL account 456. This accounting code string can be selected from a list.
      • Company system administrators and accounting code reviewers can change the definitions of the pre-configured allocation or the values used for the default accounting code allocations at any time. Allocations from previously submitted invoices are not affected.
      • Use
        Select
         to locate and select the allocation to use.
    • UTBMS Audit Set
      :
      • Select the UTBMS audit set to apply to this matter.
      • You can have multiple audit sets and can apply a particular audit set to a matter, depending on the UTBMS guidelines you want to apply. For help with setting up audit sets, refer to the Create UTBMS Audit Sets article.
      • Use
        Select
         to find and choose the audit set you want to use. If only 1 audit set is defined, it is named
        Primary
         by default.
  5. On the toolbar, select
    Save & close
    .
Cloning a matter
Required role | Only a Company System Administrator, Office System Administrator, or Matter Creator with access to the matter can clone that matter.
If you need to create multiple matters that are similar to each other, you can use the Clone Matter function to save time. You can choose to copy just the matter profile data, or the matter profile data and the participants with access to the matter. The cloned matter retains the matter options selected for the original matter.
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. Locate and click on the matter to open it.
  3. On the toolbar, click
    Clone
    .
  4. Edit the copied information fields as necessary.
  5. On the toolbar, select
    Save & close
    .
Closing a matter
After a matter is fully resolved, it must be closed. Closed matters no longer appear on a user's list of open matters. Similarly, closed matter do not appear on reports that include open matters only, although firms can still post invoices for the number of days defined in the matter options (
Settings
>
Miscellaneous Matter Options
). Matter information can be edited and invoices posted to a matter for a limited time after it is closed.
When a matter is closed, Tracker sends an e-mail notification to any law firm user whose matter role is Matter Administrator or Matter Editor, or who is a participant with billing-only access; and any firm user who has posted an invoice in the last 12 months.
Required role | Only a company matter administrator can close a matter.
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. From the Matter list, select the relevant matter.
  3. On the toolbar, click the three small dots icon, then select
    Close matter
    .
  4. In the confirmation message, click
    OK
    .
  5. Complete the Closing Matter Information page.
  6. On the toolbar, select
    Save & close
    .
Closing HighQ-linked matters
Company matter administrators and HighQ site administrators receive notifications when a matter is closed that is attached to a HighQ site.
When you close a HighQ linked matter, Tracker displays a reminder that there are linked HighQ sites.To verify that you want to close the linked matter, click
OK
.
The HighQ site owner also receives a message in HighQ that a matter linked to the site has been closed.
Deleting a matter
Required role | Only a Tracker Coordinator can delete a matter.
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. Find and open the relevant matter.
  3. On the toolbar, click the three small dots icon, then select
    Delete matter
  4. In the confirmation message, click
    OK
    .
  5. On the toolbar, select
    Save & close
    .
View the historical log for a matter
Tracker maintains a historical log of changes that have been made to a matter. The historical log includes the date and time a change was made and the name of the user who made the change.
Tracker also maintains a list of matters that have been deleted.
Required role | Only a company matter administrator can view information about matter audits and about deleted matters.
  1. Select
    Matters
    >
    Matter list
     in the left navigation.
  2. Click the name of the matter for which you would like to see a historical log.
  3. From the toolbar, click the three small dots icon, then select
    View history
    .

This article applies to:

  • Product: Legal Tracker
  • Subject: Matter
  • Audiences: Company