👀 Stage 1: Visual Progress with Matter Stages

Think of Matter Stages as your firm’s roadmap. They’re like a Kanban board you customize for each practice area. Instead of wondering, “Where is this case at?”, you can literally see it.

Picture this:

• A Personal Injury case might move through Intake → Pre-Suit → Filed → Discovery → Negotiation → Trial → Post-Judgment.
• An Insurance Defense matter could follow Assignment Received → Investigation → Pleadings → Discovery → Trial Prep → Trial → Close.

Each stage is visible, and matters get dragged from one column to the next. It’s simple, visual, and suddenly, everyone in the firm is on the same page.

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✅ Stage 2: Do the Right Work at the Right Time with Task Lists

Of course, knowing what stage a case is in is just step one. The real magic comes from tying checklists of work to those stages.

Enter Task Lists. Instead of recreating the same to-dos over and over, you build reusable task templates with relative due dates. Then, with one click, you apply them to a matter.

Example: Let’s say a PI case enters Pre-Suit. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel every time, so you apply a “Pre-Suit Task List” that might include:

• Order police report (due 3 days after stage entry)
• Request medical records (due 1 day after stage entry)
• Confirm PIP benefits (due 2 days after stage entry)
• Set 30-day case review (due 30 days after stage entry)

Now the right work shows up at the right time, assigned to the right people. Nothing falls through the cracks.

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⚡ Stage 3: Connect the Dots with Automated Workflows

Here’s where it gets fun: Clio can do the connecting for you.

With Automated Workflows, you can tell Clio:

• “When a new matter is created, add the ‘Intake’ Task List.”
• “When a matter moves to the Discovery stage, apply the ‘Discovery Task List.’”

That means your system doesn’t just show you the process — it runs the process. Less manual work for your team, fewer missed steps, and more predictable progress.

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📊 The Payoff: Reporting Without the Headaches

Because your matters now have structured stages and tasks, your weekly review goes from detective work to a quick scan of the board. Need to see how many cases are in Negotiation? Or filter matters by a custom field like case type or attorney? Two clicks and you’re there.

Instead of hunting for status updates, you’re making decisions.

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📝 Try This Today

Want to see how this plays out in your firm? Here’s a simple starting point:

1. Sketch your stages on a whiteboard (or a napkin — doesn’t matter).
2. Build those stages in Clio Manage.
3. Create one Task List per stage.
4. Add an Automated Workflow that assigns the right Task List when the stage changes.

In just a few hours, you’ll have turned scattered steps into a working pipeline.

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🚀 Where 2b1 Inc. Fits In

At 2b1 Inc., we help firms go from whiteboard sketches to fully functioning pipelines inside Clio. We’ll work with you to design stages, build Task Lists, and set up automations that match your practice.

Pro tip: If you also use Clio Grow, remember that its workflows are for intake, while Clio Manage’s tasks handle active casework. They don’t sync directly, which makes planning your full process even more important.

Because when the work moves, your firm moves with it.

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👋 Ready to Make Clio Work for You?

If your whiteboard (or stack of sticky notes) could use an upgrade, let’s talk.

👉 Fill out the form below and we’ll help you turn “what’s next?” into “what’s done.”

Or, put another way: stop managing chaos — start managing with Clio.