No black box. This is the exact engagement rhythm CTD runs with new firms — what we do, what you see, what you decide, what you sign. If a step here makes you uncomfortable, that’s the conversation we should have on the discovery call.
The partnership signs off on: scoping document, target client list, role profiles, byline drafts, hire approvals, vendor changes, and every external communication that uses the firm’s name. CTD never sends anything to a client, candidate or journalist without your written approval.
The fastest way to kill an engagement is ambiguity about ownership. Here is the matrix — R = Responsible (does the work), A = Accountable (signs off), C = Consulted, I = Informed.
| Activity | CTD | Managing Partner | Partners | Firm Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping & engagement letter | R | A | C | I |
| Partner interviews (month 1) | R | A | R (participate) | C |
| Internal audit & diagnostic | R / A | I | C | I |
| Target client list approval | R | A | C | I |
| BD outreach (sending) | R | A | C | I |
| Client meetings & pitching | C (prep) | I | R / A | I |
| Role profile + JD drafting | R | A | C | I |
| Hiring interviews | C (calibration) | I | R / A | C |
| POSH ICC refresh + filings | R / A | I | C | I |
| Content drafts & bylines | R | A | C (subject expert) | I |
| Press / journalist comms | R | A | I | I |
| Crisis communications | R | A | C | C |
| Workflow / SOP design | R / A | C | C | R (implement) |
| Vendor renegotiation | R | A | I | C |
| Monthly report | R / A | I | I | I |
| Quarterly business review | R | A | C | C |
Firm Sponsor = the in-house person (usually office manager, head paralegal, or junior partner) who is CTD’s day-to-day point of contact for operational matters. Critical role — without it, escalations stall.
Below is a preview of the artefacts CTD produces. Real engagements get redacted versions of these as samples on the discovery call.
One row per opportunity. Stage, owner, last touch, next step, expected value, probability. Reviewed every Monday with partners.
One-pager covering: responsibilities, success criteria, must-have skills, nice-to-have, compensation band (benchmarked to Vahura), mentor, ramp milestones.
One row per month, per partner, per channel: topic, channel (byline / LinkedIn / panel), draft date, publish date, status.
Single page partners can open: open matters, avg cycle time, partner utilisation, billable vs non-billable hours, overdue tasks.
Status of every statutory obligation: POSH (ICC, training, annual report), DPDP (DPO, breach log), EPF/ESI returns, professional tax, S&E renewal.
2-3 pages. Headline numbers, what moved, what didn’t, what changed in the market, what we recommend, what we need you to decide. Sent first Monday of each month.
No mystery, no upsells, no scope creep. Three engagement shapes, fixed fees, agreed at signing.
Single pillar or integrated engagement. Fixed monthly fee. Includes all monthly deliverables, weekly check-ins, monthly report, quarterly review.
Defined deliverable, defined timeline. Recruitment drive, ops audit, PR campaign, peer-review readiness, DPDP audit. Fixed fee at scope sign-off.
Partner-level strategy sessions as-needed. Monthly minimum, hourly thereafter. For firms not ready for retained engagement but wanting Muskan’s input.
Pricing depends on firm size, pillars engaged, and pace. You’ll have a concrete number within 48 hours of the scoping call — written, fixed, in the engagement letter.
No success fees, no contingent BD commissions, no revenue-share. Professional fee only. That is the line that keeps the engagement clean.