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Getting Work Done: The Simpler, Smarter Way to Grow Your Firm

By Kris Altiere |
December 4, 2025

Getting Work Done: The Simpler, Smarter Way to Grow Your Firm

The following article was contributed by Kris Altiere, US Head of Marketing for Moneypenny.

Law firms are busier than ever. With new systems, dashboards, and automation tools launched in the name of efficiency, you’d think productivity would be soaring. Yet for many, the opposite is true. Complexity creeps in, admin increases, and clients still end up waiting for answers.

At Moneypenny, we’ve learned that true progress doesn’t come from doing more, it comes from doing what matters. Our philosophy is simple: Get work done, don’t just perform, don’t just present. Instead deliver, clearly, quickly, and with care.

Whether it’s a client seeking reassurance, a paralegal managing a mounting caseload, or a partner steering firm strategy through change, the goal should always be the same: solve the problem and move forward.

Efficiency might be driven by data, but in law, trust and momentum are still powered by people.

The Trust Factor

Clients don’t just want results; they want to know their matter is in good hands. The best partnerships, whether between a legal firm and its clients or between colleagues, are built on accountability and trust.

Getting work done isn’t about checking boxes or sending updates for the sake of optics. It’s about ownership. Doing what you say you’ll do, every single time. Following through with integrity. In short: treat people how you’d like to be treated. That’s how client confidence is built and why trust remains a competitive differentiator for firms now and in the future.

Focus on What Only You Can Do

Law firms today face growing operational pressures: administrative backlogs, client onboarding delays, endless meetings. Many assume the answer is to do more in-house, hire more people but the most successful firms know when to outsource to a trusted partner.

That doesn’t mean losing control, however. It means surrounding your firm with trusted partners who amplify your capabilities and free your team to do what only they can do, advise clients and win cases. When done right, it creates focus.

At Moneypenny, we see this daily. We handle client calls, live chats, and digital communications for thousands of businesses in the legal industry. We take care of the admin that slows teams down so they can accelerate the work that matters most: serving clients and growing their firm. It’s partnership in its purest form: freeing their people to deliver their best.

Pragmatism Over Perfection

Grand digital transformation projects often sound impressive, but the real progress comes from consistent, pragmatic improvement. The best firms are selective about innovation. They adopt technology not for the headlines, but for the results.

These are the firms that deliver, time and again, because they know progress isn’t about chasing every new idea, it’s about using the right ones well.

They ask simple, powerful questions:
• What’s the work that needs to be done?
• Who’s best to do it?
• How can we do it well?

It’s a balanced approach, blending smart innovation with everyday pragmatism and one that turns productivity from a KPI into a true competitive advantage.

Tech That Enables, Not Overcomplicates

Technology has enormous potential to streamline legal operations but only when used intentionally. Too often, new systems add friction instead of removing it.

The smartest firms blend automation with human oversight, letting technology enable people rather than replace them. For example, at Moneypenny, our AI Receptionist handles routine client inquiries with speed and accuracy. But when a conversation requires empathy, nuance, or reassurance, one of our experienced receptionists steps in seamlessly. 

The result is humans and AI together, each doing what they do best. Because in the end, emotional intelligence, the ability to listen, reassure, and build trust, remains a uniquely human strength, even as AI continues to evolve at a rapid rate.

Four Rules for Getting Work Done

This philosophy isn’t about going backwards or simplifying for the sake of it. It’s about cutting through the noise, building with intention, and putting resources where they’ll have the most impact.

It’s about following four simple objectives:

  1. Focus on what only you can do.
    Concentrate on the work that truly requires your expertise.
  2. Outsource with trust.
    Partner with people who treat your clients as their own.
  3. Use technology to enable, not to replace.
    Automation is a tool — not a solution in itself.
  4. Measure outcomes, not optics.
    Progress is about results, not noise.

Clarity Over Complexity

Getting work done isn’t flashy but it is how great firms grow. One resolved issue, one clear decision, one satisfied client at a time.

Because when brilliant legal teams are supported by smart technology and the distractions fall away, exceptional things happen. Clients feel the difference, teams perform at their best, and the firm builds a reputation for service and sustained excellence. 

For law firms navigating the fast-changing landscape, success will come from what matters most. Clarity over complexity. Trust over busyness. Action over appearance. And that is how law firms will truly move forward and stay ahead of the crowd.

About the author

Kris Altiere

Kris Altiere

Commercial

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Commercial

Federal Judiciary Advisory Committee Moves Forward with Litigation Finance Transparency Rules

By John Freund |

A federal judiciary advisory committee agreed on Tuesday to develop transparency obligations for third-party litigation funders, advancing one of the most closely watched rulemaking efforts in U.S. civil procedure. The decision came despite what participants described as "vehement" opposition from segments of both the defense and plaintiffs' bars, underscoring how contentious disclosure of funding arrangements remains within the legal community.

As reported by Law360, the committee, which shapes the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, signaled that it will continue drafting specific disclosure requirements rather than shelving the project, as some stakeholders had urged. Alongside the litigation finance item, the panel also advanced proposed updates to subpoena rules addressing remote testimony and service of process.

For funders, the development marks a significant shift in the regulatory conversation. Industry groups have long argued that existing discovery tools are sufficient to address concerns about control and conflicts, while proponents of disclosure contend that parties and courts need a clearer view of who stands to benefit from a case. The committee's decision indicates that federal rulemakers are prepared to put that debate to the test with concrete drafting, even as both sides continue to press their positions.

Next steps will involve developing rule text and further public input before any proposal moves up the Judicial Conference's rulemaking chain. Market participants will be watching closely, as any federal disclosure rule would likely influence how funders structure deals, negotiate with claimants, and manage portfolios across U.S. commercial litigation.

Commercial

Judge Preska Orders Argentina’s Economy Minister to Produce Texts in YPF Enforcement Fight

By John Freund |

A U.S. federal judge has ordered Argentina's economy minister to turn over text messages sought by plaintiffs pursuing enforcement of the multibillion-dollar YPF judgment, the latest development in one of the most prominent litigation finance-backed cases in the world. The ruling expands the discovery footprint available to creditors working to collect on the landmark award against the Republic of Argentina.

As reported by Bloomberg, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska ruled on Tuesday that plaintiffs backed by Burford Capital are entitled to messages from Argentina's sitting economy minister. The decision continues a pattern in which Judge Preska has pushed Argentina to produce internal communications and financial information as the plaintiffs seek to identify attachable assets and pierce through sovereign defenses.

Burford, which funded the underlying claims brought by former YPF minority shareholders, has pursued a sprawling enforcement campaign following a 2023 judgment of approximately $16 billion plus interest. Argentina has resisted enforcement on multiple fronts, appealing the merits ruling and contesting asset-identification discovery, while the plaintiffs have sought turnover of Argentina's interest in YPF itself.

For the litigation finance market, the order is another marker of how far-reaching post-judgment discovery can be in high-stakes sovereign enforcement — and how central funder-backed plaintiffs have become to the mechanics of collecting against state defendants. The decision is likely to intensify the ongoing standoff between Argentina and its creditors in the U.S. courts.

Commercial

South Korea Recovers Record ISDS Legal Costs After Schindler Pays 9.6 Billion Won

By John Freund |

South Korea has recovered a record amount in investor-state dispute settlement legal costs, with Swiss elevator manufacturer Schindler paying approximately 9.6 billion won to satisfy a cost award following its unsuccessful arbitration claim against the Korean government. The payment marks the largest ISDS cost recovery in the country's history and offers a notable data point for parties evaluating the downside risk of treaty-based claims.

As reported by Chosunbiz, Jo Ara, head of the international investment disputes division at South Korea's Ministry of Justice, confirmed the recovery during a briefing on the government's handling of the case. Schindler had pursued a long-running claim tied to its investment in Hyundai Elevator, which the tribunal ultimately declined to sustain, exposing the investor to a substantial cost-shifting order.

The outcome highlights the growing willingness of tribunals to allocate costs against unsuccessful claimants in investor-state proceedings, a trend that has direct implications for litigation funders active in the international arbitration market. Cost awards of this scale can materially affect the economics of funding ISDS claims and are increasingly a factor in underwriting decisions.

For the broader litigation finance community, the Schindler payment underscores why funders evaluating treaty claims closely monitor both merits risk and cost exposure. As more states pursue aggressive recovery strategies after successful defenses, the downside profile of funded ISDS portfolios continues to evolve.