# The Law Firm Calendar and Docketing Checklist: Deadlines, Court Dates, Reminders, and Ownership

Disclosure: Some links may become affiliate links after approval. This guide is educational software research, not legal advice or docketing advice.

Audience: solo and small law firms that need reliable court-date tracking, statute/deadline reminders, task ownership, consult scheduling, staff visibility, and fewer deadline surprises.

## Score the calendar layer before demos

| Workflow | What to verify | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Matter-based dates | Are deadlines tied to the correct matter, client, court, and owner? | ___ / 5 |
| Date verification | Who confirms that a new date or changed date was entered correctly? | ___ / 5 |
| Reminder rules | Are reminders early enough for preparation, filing, service, and client notice? | ___ / 5 |
| Ownership | Does every deadline have one responsible owner and a backup path? | ___ / 5 |
| Weekly review | Can the firm review upcoming risk dates without exporting spreadsheets? | ___ / 5 |
| Consult scheduling | Are sales/consult appointments separated from legal deadline tracking? | ___ / 5 |
| SOP documentation | Is the calendar process written so a new staff member can follow it? | ___ / 5 |

## Questions to answer before demos

1. Which dates are legal deadlines versus client meetings or internal tasks?
2. Who is allowed to add, edit, verify, or close critical calendar items?
3. How far ahead should reminders fire for statutes, court dates, filing deadlines, and routine tasks?
4. What happens if the assigned owner is out sick or misses a reminder?
5. Which practice areas need rules-based docketing instead of basic calendar/task features?

## Starter tools to compare

- Clio, MyCase, or PracticePanther as the matter-based calendar and task hub.
- Calendly for consult booking, with conflict-check and intake guardrails.
- Lawmatics for intake follow-up reminders before a matter is opened.
- Zapier only for documented handoffs that do not create hidden deadline risk.
- Notion for internal calendar SOPs and weekly review checklists, not as the system of record.

Affiliate links are placeholders until Andrew approves applications and the site is live.