An Introduction to the Legal Practice Management

• Scheduling  of cases
• Records management
• Fast tracking
• Civil & criminal case management
• Customer service
• Enforcement
• Human rights
• Liaison with other agencies in the criminal & civil justice system
• The use of statistics

The Record Management Practice

• Practicing certificates
• Supervision of the office
• Legislative & regulatory controls on the care of legal records
• Establishing record keeping standards
• Determining retention periods
• Ensuring appropriate preservation and access
• The relationship between court functions and records

Client Care

• Information about others
• Complaints against solicitors
• Breach of code
• Action to be taken by the practice
• Responding to the needs of vulnerable witnesses

Management Systems & Record Management

• Requirements to maintain records
• Methods of record keeping
• Control, indexing and retrieval mechanisms
• Electronic management systems
• Automatic case file management
• Legal admissibility and evidential weight of electronic records
• Practical approaches to enhancing the efficiency of the system

Communication Skills

• Internal communication
• Communication with clients
• Listening & questioning
• Non-verbal communication

Interviewing & Advising

• Objectives of a lawyer interview
• Common failings
• Ingredients for success-skill and structure
• The skills
• Structure and management

Negotiation

• Aims of negotiation
• The ethical aspects of negotiation
• Negotiation styles
• Preparation - the opening, the middle phase (discussing & bargaining) and the end (closing & negotiation)
• "Dirty tricks"

Advocacy

• Skills and the basics
• Opening your case
• Examination-in-chief
• Re-examination
• Closing the case
• Ethical issues

Planning

• Strategic planning
• Change management
• Measuring performance & identifying priorities for improvements
• Responsibility

Strategic Management

• Strategic & operational management
• Corporate planning
• Leadership & motivation
• Team building and team work

Managing the Legal Department

• Office management
• Budgeting & budgetary control

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