Practical Law Office Management

by Roper, Brent

• ISBN13: 9781418029708
• ISBN10: 141802970X
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-24
• Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning

Summary

This is a practical, hands-on text designed for paralegal courses that cover day-to-day law office management topics. The text focuses on such important topics as client relations and communication skills; legal fees, timekeeping, and billing; client trust funds and law office accounting; calendaring, docket control, and case management; legal marketing; and file and law library management. A demonstration version of Thomson's Elite full featured ProLaw software, a deep time and billing, accounting, document management, and case management program, is included along with in depth software tutorials. Special features of this revision include an expanded focus on technology and ethics; up to date charts and graphs that present material in an easy to understand context; Internet sites and Internet exercises in each chapter; quotes from practicing legal assistants that provide current and real-life commentary; and an emphasis on hands-on, practical exercises including projects, cases, practical problems, and Excel tutorials for timekeeping and billing and trust accounting.

Table of Contents

Preface	xix
The Legal Team, Law Practices, and Law Firm Governance	1	(50)
The Legal Team	2	(18)
Attorney	4	(1)
Legal Administrators	5	(1)
Legal Assistants	6	(4)
Legal Assistant Roles, Responsibilities, and Employment	10	(1)
Legal Assistant Compensation	11	(5)
The Judicial System's Recognition of the Legal Assistant Profession	16	(2)
Legal Assistant Profitability for Law Offices	18	(1)
Office Manager	18	(1)
Law Clerk	18	(1)
Law Librarian	19	(1)
Legal Secretaries	19	(1)
Clerks	20	(1)
Other Legal Team Members	20	(1)
Types of Law Practices	20	(10)
Corporate Law Practice	21	(1)
Government Practice	22	(1)
Legal Services Offices	22	(2)
Private Law Practices	24	(1)
Sole Practitioner	25	(1)
Law Firms	26	(2)
Plaintiff/Defense Firms	28	(1)
Law Firm Mergers and Acquisitions	29	(1)
Geographic Service Areas	29	(1)
Law Practice Organization Structures	30	(5)
Legal Forms of Private Law Firms	30	(1)
Private Law Firm Management Structures	31	(3)
Corporate, Government, and Legal Aid Organization Structures	34	(1)
Summary	35	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	36	(1)
Suggested Reading	37	(1)
Key Terms	38	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	38	(1)
On the Web Exercises	39	(3)
Projects	42	(1)
Questions and Exercises	42	(1)
Notes	43	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	44	(1)
Case Review	45	(4)
Exercises	49	(2)
Legal Administration and Technology	51	(82)
Legal Administration Principles	52	(2)
Dispelling a Myth	53	(1)
Why Legal Assistants Need to Know Legal Administration	53	(1)
Practice Management v. Administrative Management	54	(1)
Functions of Legal Administration	54	(2)
Practice Management	56	(7)
Defining the Law Firm's Practice	56	(1)
Defining the Law Firm's Services	57	(1)
Defining the Law Firm's Practice System Needs	57	(1)
Quality and Total Quality Management	58	(1)
What Is TQM?	59	(1)
What Are Specific TQM Philosophies?	60	(2)
What Are the Benefits of the TQM Philosophy?	62	(1)
How Is TQM Implemented?	63	(1)
Leadership	63	(1)
Controlling	64	(1)
Financial Management	64	(1)
Human Resources Management	65	(17)
The Hiring Process	65	(5)
Performance Evaluations	70	(6)
Compensation and Benefits	76	(1)
Training and Development	76	(1)
Personnel Policies	76	(1)
Current Personnel Law Issues	76	(1)
Employment-At-Will Doctrine	77	(1)
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993	78	(1)
Fair Labor Standards Act	79	(1)
Equal Employment Opportunity	79	(1)
Americans with Disabilities Act	80	(1)
Sexual Harassment	80	(2)
Planning	82	(6)
Why Legal Assistants Need to Learn to Develop Plans	82	(1)
The Mission Statement and Strategic Plans	83	(4)
Ideas on How to Plan Effectively	87	(1)
Marketing Management	88	(1)
Organizing, Policies and Systems	89	(5)
Law Practice Policies and Procedures---the Staff Manual	89	(3)
What Systems or Subjects are Included in the Staff Manual?	92	(1)
Drafting Policies and Procedures	92	(1)
Staff Manuals from an Ethics Perspective	93	(1)
Staff Manuals on the Law Office Intranet	93	(1)
Facilities Management	94	(5)
Property Acquisition	94	(1)
Moves/Construction/Remodeling	94	(1)
Space Planning/Office Design/Furniture	95	(1)
Parking	96	(1)
Cleaning/Maintenance/Grounds	96	(1)
Common Areas	96	(1)
Environmental Considerations	96	(1)
Security and Workplace Violence	96	(3)
Office Services Management	99	(3)
Mail Room	100	(1)
Copy Machines	100	(1)
File/Records Management	100	(1)
Telecommunications	100	(2)
Video Conferencing	102	(1)
Technology and Information Systems Management	102	(13)
Legal Assistants and Technology	103	(2)
Hardware	105	(1)
Software	106	(2)
E-Mail in the Legal Environment	108	(2)
E-Mail Encryption and Digital Signatures	110	(1)
E-Mail Errors	111	(1)
E-Mail Confidentiality	112	(2)
Telecommunications	114	(1)
Summary	115	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	116	(1)
Suggested Reading	117	(1)
Key Terms	118	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	118	(1)
On the Web Exercises	119	(1)
Projects	120	(1)
Questions and Exercises	121	(1)
Notes	122	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	123	(1)
Case Review	123	(1)
Questions	124	(1)
Case Review	124	(7)
Exercises	131	(2)
Ethics and Malpractice	133	(68)
Why Are Ethics and Malpractice Important?	134	(1)
Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility	135	(7)
Ethical Standards for Attorneys	136	(1)
Attorney Ethical Rules Not Directly Applicable to the Legal Assistant	137	(2)
Voluntary Ethical Codes Established by Legal Assistant Associations	139	(3)
Criminal Statutes Regarding the Unauthorized Practice of Law	142	(1)
The Unauthorized Practice of Law	142	(7)
Giving Legal Advice	143	(2)
Misrepresentation of Status	145	(1)
Representing Clients in Court Proceedings	145	(1)
Performing Legal Analysis and Preparing Legal Documents	146	(1)
Evaluating a Case, Selecting or Rejecting a Case, and Selecting an Appropriate Course of Action	146	(1)
Setting a Fee and Sharing a Fee	147	(1)
Legal Technicians, Freelance Legal Assistants, and the Unauthorized Practice of Law	147	(1)
How to Avoid the Unauthorized Practice of Law	147	(2)
Competence and Diligence	149	(8)
Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege	151	(2)
The Attorney-Client Privilege Rule of Evidence	153	(1)
Ethical Prohibitions on Revealing Client Communications	153	(1)
How to Avoid Confidentiality Problems	154	(3)
Conflict of Interest	157	(10)
Conflict Checking	158	(3)
The Ethical Wall	161	(1)
Legal Assistant Conflict of Interests	161	(2)
How Legal Assistants can Avoid Conflicts of Interest	163	(1)
Resolving Ethical Problems	163	(4)
Answers to Common Legal Assistant Ethical Questions	167	(1)
Malpractice and Malpractice Prevention	168	(3)
Summary	171	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	172	(1)
Suggested Reading	173	(1)
Key Terms	173	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	173	(1)
On the Web Exercises	174	(1)
Projects	174	(1)
Questions and Exercises	175	(2)
Notes	177	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	178	(1)
Case Review	178	(7)
Exercises	185	(1)
Case Review	185	(7)
Exercises	192	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: ProLaw---Conflict of Interest Checking	193	(1)
Welcome to Johnson and Sullivan	193	(1)
Getting Started	193	(8)
Introduction	193	(1)
Lesson 1: Introduction to ProLaw	194	(2)
Lesson 2: Entering Contacts	196	(2)
Lesson 3: Conflict of Interest Searching	198	(3)
Client Relations and Communication Skills	201	(64)
Why Do Legal Assistants Need to Foster Good Client Relationships and Communicate Effectively?	203	(1)
Ethical Duty to Communicate with Clients	203	(3)
Client Relationships	206	(14)
Fostering Positive Client Relationships	207	(2)
Know Your Client	209	(6)
Resolving Client Dissatisfaction	215	(4)
Clients and Technology	219	(1)
How to Lose Clients	219	(1)
Dealing with Difficult Clients	219	(1)
Communication Skills	220	(14)
General Communication	221	(2)
Nonverbal Communication	223	(1)
Improving Your Communication Skills	223	(3)
Use Proper Telephone Techniques	226	(1)
Leadership and Communication	227	(2)
Group Communication	229	(1)
Communication in Interviewing Clients, Witnesses, and Third Parties	229	(5)
Summary	234	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	235	(1)
Suggested Reading	235	(1)
Key Terms	236	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	236	(1)
On the Web Exercises	236	(1)
Projects	237	(1)
Questions and Exercises	237	(1)
Notes	238	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	239	(1)
Case Review	239	(13)
Exercises	252	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: ProLaw---Client Relationship Management	253	(1)
Welcome to Johnson and Sullivan	253	(1)
Getting Started	254	(11)
Introduction	254	(1)
Lesson 1: Introduction to ProLaw	254	(2)
Lesson 2: Entering New Matters/Cases, Part 1	256	(3)
Lesson 3: Entering New Matters/Cases, Part 2	259	(2)
Lesson 4: Retrieving and Printing Client Event Reports	261	(1)
Lesson 5: Case Management Notes	262	(3)
Legal Fees, Timekeeping, and Billing	265	(98)
The Difference Between Timekeeping and Billing	266	(1)
Why Do Legal Assistants Need to Know Timekeeping and Billing?	267	(1)
Kinds of Legal Fee Agreements	267	(12)
Hourly Rate Fees	267	(4)
Contingency Fees	271	(2)
Flat Fee	273	(1)
Retainer Fees	273	(5)
Court-Awarded Fees	278	(1)
Prepaid Legal Services	278	(1)
Value Billing	279	(2)
The Ethics of Timekeeping and Billing	281	(11)
Billing from the Corporate and Government Perspective	281	(1)
Ethical Considerations Regarding Legal Fee Agreements	282	(1)
Fee Agreements Should be in Writing	282	(3)
Only a ``Reasonable'' Fee can be Collected	285	(4)
Many State Bars' Rules Provide for Oversight/Arbitration on Fee Issues	289	(1)
Fraud and Criminal Charges	289	(1)
Ethical Problems	290	(2)
Legal Expenses	292	(2)
Timekeeping	294	(9)
Manual Timekeeping	294	(2)
Computerized Timekeeping	296	(1)
Billable v. Non-billable Time	296	(2)
Timekeeping for Legal Assistants	298	(1)
Recording Time	299	(1)
Timekeeping Practices	300	(3)
Billing	303	(12)
Billing For Legal Assistant Time and Profitability	303	(2)
Leveraging and How Hourly Billing Rates Are Determined	305	(1)
Functions of a Successful Billing System	305	(2)
Manual Billing Systems	307	(1)
Computerized Billing Systems	307	(1)
The Computerized Timekeeping and Billing Process	307	(4)
Bill Formats	311	(1)
Management Reports	311	(4)
Electronic Billing	315	(1)
Summary	315	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	316	(2)
Timekeeping and Billing Software	318	(1)
Suggested Reading	318	(1)
Key Terms	319	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	319	(1)
On the Web Exercises	320	(1)
Projects	320	(1)
Questions and Exercises	321	(4)
Notes	325	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	326	(1)
Case Review	326	(10)
Exercises	336	(1)
Case Review	337	(1)
Exercises	338	(1)
Case Review	338	(2)
Exercises	340	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: ProLaw---Timekeeping and Billing	341	(1)
Welcome to Johnson and Sullivan	341	(1)
Getting Started	342	(9)
Introduction	342	(1)
Lesson 1: Introduction to ProLaw	342	(2)
Lesson 2: Entering Time Sheets	344	(2)
Lesson 3: Using the Timer Feature and Entering Expense Slips	346	(2)
Lesson 4: Producing Pre-bills, Final Bills, and Reports	348	(3)
Hands-On Exercises: Microsoft Excel (All Versions)	351	(1)
Getting Started	351	(1)
Overview	351	(1)
Introduction	351	(1)
Overview of Excel	351	(3)
Worksheet	351	(2)
Numbers and Formulas	353	(1)
Before Starting Lesson 1---Setting the Tool and Menu Bar	354	(9)
Lesson 1: Creating a Client Settlement Worksheet	355	(5)
Lesson 2: Creating a Fee Projection Worksheet	360	(3)
Client Trust Funds and Law Office Accounting	363	(82)
Why Legal Assistants Need a Basic Understanding of Law Office Accounting	364	(1)
Client Funds---Trust/Escrow Accounts	364	(8)
No Commingling of Client and Law Office Funds	366	(1)
Examples of How a Trust Account Is Used	366	(1)
Ethics and Trust Accounts	366	(1)
Trust Funds and Office Operating Funds Cannot Be Commingled	367	(2)
Commingling of Client Funds Is a Common Problem	369	(3)
Budgeting	372	(4)
Budgeting and Planning	372	(2)
Steps in the Budget Process	374	(2)
Collection/Income	376	(2)
Internal Controls	378	(4)
Lawyers and Nonlawyers Cannot Share Fees	382	(1)
Summary	383	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	383	(2)
Financial and Trust Accounting Software	385	(1)
Suggested Reading	385	(1)
Key Terms	385	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	386	(1)
On the Web Exercises	386	(1)
Projects	386	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	387	(1)
Questions and Exercises	387	(3)
Notes	390	(1)
Case Review	391	(18)
Questions	409	(1)
Case Review	409	(1)
Exercises	410	(1)
Case Review	411	(5)
Exercises	416	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: ProLaw---Client Trust Funds	417	(1)
Welcome to Johnson and Sullivan	417	(1)
Getting Started	417	(6)
Introduction	417	(1)
Lesson 1: Introduction to ProLaw	418	(2)
Lesson 2: Entering Trust Deposits	420	(1)
Lesson 3: Entering Trust Checks	421	(1)
Lesson 4: Printing Trust Reports	422	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: Microsoft Excel (All Versions)	423	(1)
Getting Started	423	(1)
Overview	423	(1)
Introduction	424	(1)
Overview of Excel	424	(21)
Worksheet	424	(2)
Numbers and Formulas	426	(1)
Before Starting Lesson 1---Setting the Tool and Menu Bar	427	(1)
Lesson 1: Building a Budget Spreadsheet---Part 1	428	(3)
Lesson 2: Building a Budget Spreadsheet---Part 2	431	(5)
Lesson 3: Building a Complex Budget Spreadsheet	436	(2)
Lesson 4: Client Trust Account---Checkbook Register	438	(3)
Lesson 5: Client Trust Account---Client Registers	441	(2)
Lesson 6: Client Trust Account---Client Summary Ledger	443	(2)
Calendaring, Docket Control, and Case Management	445	(52)
Calendaring, Docket Control, and Case Management Definitions	446	(1)
Appointments	447	(1)
Deadlines and Reminders	448	(1)
Hearings and Court Dates	449	(1)
Receiving Documents, Following Court Rules, and Calculating Deadlines	450	(3)
Receiving Documents	450	(1)
Know the Local Court Rules	451	(1)
Calculating Deadlines	451	(1)
File Date v. Document Receipt Date	452	(1)
Due Date---File Date v. Mail Date	453	(1)
Ethical and Malpractice Considerations	453	(4)
Ethical Considerations	454	(3)
Conflict of Interest	457	(1)
Legal Malpractice Considerations	457	(1)
Manual Docket Control Systems	458	(1)
Types of Computerized Docket Control Systems	459	(1)
Generic Calendaring and Personal Information Manager Programs	460	(1)
Overview of Computerized Legal Case Management and Docket Control	460	(6)
Monthly, Daily, and Weekly Calendar Views	460	(1)
Event Entry Screen	460	(2)
Perpetual Calendars	462	(1)
Recurring Entries	462	(1)
Date Calculator	462	(1)
Scheduling Conflict Alert	462	(1)
Scheduling Multiple Parties	463	(1)
Centralized and Decentralized Systems	463	(1)
Automatic Reminders	463	(1)
Calendaring a Series of Events from a Rule	464	(1)
Reporting	464	(2)
Searching	466	(1)
Advanced Case Management Features	466	(4)
Case Contacts	466	(1)
Synchronizing with PIMs/PDAs	466	(1)
Case Diary/Notes	467	(1)
Document Assembly/Generation	468	(1)
Other Features	468	(2)
The Docket Cycle	470	(1)
Centralized Docket Control Cycle	470	(1)
Decentralized Docket Control Cycle	470	(1)
Combined Docket Control Cycle	470	(1)
Summary	471	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	471	(1)
Docket Control and Case Management Software	472	(1)
Suggested Reading	472	(1)
Key Terms	473	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	473	(1)
On the Web Exercises	473	(1)
Projects	473	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	474	(1)
Questions and Exercises	474	(1)
Notes	475	(1)
Case Review	476	(7)
Questions	482	(1)
Case Review	483	(4)
Exercises	487	(1)
Hands-On Exercises: ProLaw---Docket Control	488	(1)
Welcome to Johnson and Sullivan	488	(1)
Getting Started	488	(9)
Introduction	488	(1)
Lesson 1: Introduction to ProLaw	489	(2)
Lesson 2: Making Docket Entries	491	(2)
Lesson 3: Docketing by Rules and Searching and Retrieving Docket Entries	493	(4)
Legal Marketing	497	(28)
Legal Marketing	498	(2)
Why Is Marketing Important to Legal Assistants?	498	(1)
Marketing Goals	499	(1)
Basic Restrictions on Marketing	499	(1)
The Legal Marketing Plan	500	(15)
Typical Law Practice Marketing Options and Strategies	504	(8)
The Role of the Rainmaker	512	(1)
Marketing---An Ethics Perspective	513	(2)
Summary	515	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	515	(1)
Suggested Reading	516	(1)
Key Terms	516	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	516	(1)
On the Web Exercises	517	(1)
Projects	517	(1)
Questions and Exercises	518	(1)
Notes	519	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	519	(1)
Case Review	520	(4)
Exercises	524	(1)
File and Law Library Management	525	(46)
Why Legal Assistants Need an Understanding of File and Law Library Management	526	(1)
Introduction to File Management	527	(1)
Filing Methods and Techniques	528	(9)
Each Legal Matter Is Maintained Separately	528	(1)
Alphabetic Systems	528	(1)
Numerical Systems	528	(1)
Bar Coding	529	(1)
The ``Paperless Office''---Electronic Document Management	529	(2)
Corporate, Government, and Legal Aid Filing Methods	531	(1)
Centralized v. Decentralized	531	(1)
Opening Files	531	(3)
File Format and Internal File Rules	534	(1)
Color Coding	534	(1)
Checking Files Out	535	(1)
Closing, Storing, and Purging Files	535	(1)
Organization of Files---A Major Legal Assistant Duty	536	(1)
File Management and Ethics	537	(1)
Client Property	537	(1)
Duty to Turn Over File When Client Fires Attorney	537	(1)
Destruction of Records of Account	538	(1)
Confidentiality	538	(1)
Introduction to Law Library Management	538	(5)
Developing a Library Collection	539	(1)
CD-ROM Legal Databases	540	(1)
Advantages and Disadvantages of CD-ROM Legal Libraries	541	(1)
Cataloging and Classifying the Collection	542	(1)
Technology and the Law Library	543	(10)
Computer-Assisted legal research (CALR)	543	(1)
Westlaw	544	(1)
LexisNexis	544	(1)
The Internet	544	(9)
Summary	553	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	553	(1)
Suggested Reading	554	(1)
Key Terms	554	(1)
Test Your Knowledge	554	(1)
On the Web Exercises	554	(1)
Projects	555	(1)
Questions and Exercises	555	(1)
Notes	556	(1)
Answers to Test Your Knowledge	557	(1)
Case Review	557	(1)
Exercises	558	(1)
Appendix
Succeeding as a Legal Assistant	559	(12)
Glossary	571	(8)
Index	579