About Practice Management
There’s more to running a law firm than being good at law. If you want to succeed in today’s tough legal landscape you have to manage your business effectively. That means strategic planning, business planning, financial management, risk management, talent management, operational management, knowledge management, HR, IT, tax, pensions, business development, health & safety, learning & development and facilities.
Human resources (HR)
If you have a HR department or not, this topic can be a reference tool or way to understand why HR is important, what a firm needs to do, and how. We combine relevant employment law with practical HR guidance.
Health & safety (H&S)
Every business needs to be compliant with H&S legislation. Law firms often outsource this area due to a lack of knowledge. We can demystify these requirements and help firms do what they need to do themselves.
Lexcel Practice Management Standard
Any law firm that has or wants to get Lexcel accreditation (the Law Society’s practice management standard) will find this subtopic invaluable. Get practical pre-assessment, assessment day, and post-assessment guidance.
Running a firm
There's more to running a firm than being a good lawyer. If you want to succeed in today's tough legal landscape you have to manage your business effectively. Strategic planning, finances, business development and more.
Our Practice Management Experts
Jon Whittle
Louisa Winning
Jennifer Oswin
Alex Storer
Larry Cattle
Latest Practice Management News
The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has published a report evaluating the UK’s parental leave system. It identifies key shortcomings, including...
Pensions analysis: Building on the government’s wider Make Work Pay agenda, there are a number of reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme...
Law360: The government could be considering the removal of tax breaks on workplace pensions salary-sacrifice plans, experts have warned, as part of an...
Law360: The government proposes making all maternity, shared parental and adoption leave automatically pensionable for members in the Local Government...
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has authorised Garfield.Law Ltd as the first purely AI-driven law firm to provide regulated legal services...
Latest Practice Management Practice Notes
How to develop and implement an absence management strategy—law firmsThis Practice Note explains how to develop and implement a strategy to reduce...
Creating a persuasive proposal documentCreating a persuasive proposal document requires more than good writing skills. A number of different processes...
Pitching for businessPitching for business has increased in significance. Many clients have limited funds for instructing lawyers and want to achieve...
Developing a pipelineThis Practice Note explains what a pipeline of new clients and new business is and how to set about developing one.The need for a...
Continuous improvement—law firms—step 1—identify and define the problemThere are five key steps to improving efficiency:•identify (define) what...
Latest Practice Management Precedents
Proposal evaluation sheet—final evaluation—legal servicesEach member of the procurement project team should complete this form in respect of each...
Pitch team kick-off—meeting agendaGeneralDate of meeting[Insert date]Chair/lead[Insert name and role]In attendance[Insert names and roles]Date of...
Continuous improvement business case—worked example1Executive summary1.1This report analyses why the firm loses 35% of new clients within the first...
Letter—long-term sickness absence (6): to employee confirming dismissal on notice (following final written warning)[To be typed on headed notepaper of...
Invitation to tender—template1Introduction1.1Invitation to tenderThis is an invitation to tender to provide the Services in accordance with [insert...
Latest Practice Management Q&As
Featured Practice Management content
What is pro bono?
What is pro bono?Many lawyers recognise it is a privilege to be able to provide legal advice and representation and be a part of the legal system....
Corporate social responsibility—CSR—regulatory requirements
Corporate social responsibility—CSR—regulatory requirementsThis Practice Note considers regulatory requirements relating to corporate social...
The importance of good time recording
The importance of good time recordingThis Practice Note is intended for law firms. It explains why time recording is so important. It also explores...
How to read and understand the financial accounts of a law firm
How to read and understand the financial accounts of a law firmThis Practice Note provides information about how to read and understand the financial...
Qualifying work experience (QWE)
Qualifying work experience (QWE)From 1 September 2021, there is a new route to qualification for aspiring solicitors—the Solicitors Qualifying...
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)Until 31 August 2021, the main route to solicitor qualification (training contract route) required...
The structure of a negotiation
The structure of a negotiationWhen entering into any negotiation, be it a multimillion pound business deal or an agreeing the office coffee rota,...
Attendance review meetings (ARMs)—FAQs—law firms
Attendance review meetings (ARMs)—FAQs—law firms1. Does an attendance review meeting (ARM) mean I’m being disciplined for my absence?No. An ARM does...
Health and safety in the workplace—regulatory requirements
Health and safety in the workplace—regulatory requirementsThis Practice Note covers regulatory requirements relating to health and safety in the...
Lexcel pre-assessment—top tips for all staff
Lexcel pre-assessment—top tips for all staffWhat is Lexcel?Lexcel is a Law Society quality accreditation, which is only awarded to solicitors who meet...
How to manage health and safety in the workplace
How to manage health and safety in the workplaceAn organisation has a duty to ensure it manages the health and safety risks in its workplace...
Time recording FAQs
Time recording FAQsFAQsThese FAQs supplement our Time recording policy, which can be found [state where, eg on our intranet].What is [matter-related...
Formulating a learning and development—L&D—policy
Formulating a learning and development—L&D—policyThis Practice Note provides information on formulating a learning and development (L&D)...
Fee sharing agreement—law firms
Fee sharing agreement—law firmsThis Agreement is made on [insert date]Parties1[insert name of company] [of OR a company incorporated in [England and...
How to conduct a health and safety risk assessment
How to conduct a health and safety risk assessmentHaving in place a well-thought-out and accessible structure on health and safety could help enable...
Step 6: Creating a business development plan
Step 6: Creating a business development planHow to produce a business development planBy way of a summary, you should follow this basic strategic...
Drafting an appraisal form
Drafting an appraisal formThis Practice Note provides guidance on drafting an appraisal form which can be used to assess and review an individual’s...
How to formulate a strategic plan—law firms
How to formulate a strategic plan—law firmsWhat are strategic aims?A strategic aims document is also sometimes known as a strategic plan. It sets out...
Associated legal terms
Company records
A broad term referring to the various information that a company is required to maintain and make available for inspection. Records include various statutory registers including the register of members and register of directors; various non-statutory registers such as a register of transfers; and other information such as records of resolutions, instruments creating charges, etc. The relevant regulations are the Companies (Company Records) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/2006) (CR Regs) and they, together with the relevant provisions of CA 2006, deal with the location, inspection and copying of company records.
Director’s service contract
A director’s service contract is a contract under which a director of a company undertakes personally to perform services (as director or otherwise) for the company or one of its subsidiaries. This includes contracts of service (ie employment contracts), contracts for services (eg consultancy agreements) and directors' letters of appointment.
Network provided (NP) number
A number stored in the network and applied as the calling line identification (CLI) of an outgoing call it can be either a network or a presentation number.
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