Are Your Office Services Supporting Attorney Productivity or Slowing It Down?

Every law firm wants to support attorney productivity. But not every firm realizes just how much productivity depends on the performance of its office services.

From document prep to records handling, print to scanning, these behind-the-scenes functions are essential to the day-to-day work of attorneys. When they’re misaligned, under-resourced, or poorly managed, the cost isn’t invisible; it shows up in lost time, rework, and attorney frustration.

Productivity Isn’t Just About Workload

When attorneys are slowed down, it’s often not because of the legal work itself; it’s the bottlenecks in how that work gets supported. Delayed document turnaround, inconsistent support coverage, or unclear task ownership can grind productivity to a halt.

These problems don’t always show up in performance dashboards. But they show up loud and clear in partner meetings, attorney complaints, and rising internal costs.

Common Gaps That Create Drag

We see recurring warning signs in firms of all sizes:

• Attorneys bypassing office services to “just get it done”

• Administrative staff are duplicating work or operating without clear workflows

• Inconsistent service levels across offices or practice groups

• Support teams are unclear on who owns which tasks

Often, these issues are less about people and more about structure. The model simply hasn’t evolved to match how the firm actually operates today.

Don’t Confuse Cost-Cutting with Efficiency

It’s tempting to equate leaner service models with smarter ones. But if your cost savings come at the expense of usability, forcing attorneys to double-handle work or submit repeat requests, you haven’t solved the problem. You’ve just shifted it downstream.

The best models control cost and deliver high-functioning support. Getting there takes operational clarity and better data.

What to Evaluate

A productive support model starts with the right questions:

• Do attorneys consistently receive the support they need, where and when they need it?

• Is staffing aligned with actual request volume and complexity?

• Are service levels tracked and reported?

• Are vendors (or internal teams) held to performance standards with real accountability?

If the answers are unclear or inconsistent, your office services may be holding back firm performance.

Case in Point: Aligning Office Services to Improve Attorney Output

A 250-attorney litigation-focused firm approached Mattern after attorneys repeatedly flagged slow turnaround and uneven support across offices. A performance review revealed fragmented workflows, outdated service models, and a lack of standardization.

We helped the firm redesign its office services model, implement consistent SLAs, and transition to a hybrid outsourced structure. Within six months, the firm reduced turnaround time by 36%, eliminated duplicative staffing, and saw marked improvements in internal satisfaction scores. The support didn’t just get faster, it got measurable.

The Mattern Perspective

Office services may operate behind the scenes, but their impact is felt across every matter and client interaction. Firms that view them as a strategic enabler, not just a cost center, are improving productivity, controlling costs, and delivering better results for attorneys and clients alike.

If it’s time to evaluate how your support model is functioning, reach out to info@matternassoc.com.