Law Firm Practice Management

The Practice Management Service provides firms with an alternative to recruiting an in-house practice manager. It offers firms a cost-effective solution to recruitment and the ability to work with an experienced manager to assist with the running of the firm generally, relieving Partners from some of the day-to-day burden.

Our Practice Managers have extensive experience of working within law firms of all types and as a result, the firm can access a wealth of experience that will add true value to their firm, in a role which can be difficult to recruit.

As the firm will only pay for the time they need to fulfil their own individual requirements, the Practice Management Service provides a cost-effective solution compared to all the associated costs of recruiting a member of staff, with savings of up to 50% on the cost of an employed manager.

In addition, the work our Practice Managers undertake is time recording, allowing you to see how time (and your money) is being spent, putting you in control.

We recognise that outsourcing practice management will be a significant decision for a firm to make, but the first step to assess your options and establish if our Practice Management Service is right for your firm, is to talk to us so we can explain how the service works and to answer any initial questions or concerns you may have.

Whether we are working in conjunction with other managers in the firm or providing the sole practice management, we possess the experience and resources to deliver.

For more information about our Practice Management Service you can call us on 0203 911 9710 or you can email us at info@thestrategicpartner.co.uk. You can also download our brochure by clicking on the link below.

Practice Management – The Detail

Our Practice Management Service has been designed to provide law firms with a bespoke solution for the day-to-day management of their firm.

We provide you with a dedicated practice manager to work for your firm, who ensures that key tasks and functions are taken care of under your direction, allowing the owners of the firm to focus their attention on other elements such as supervision, client service and finances, whilst maintaining a level of control.

The Strategic Partner’s Practice Management Service is fully comprehensive and is tailored to meet the exact needs of each firm – you can pick and choose what you would like the Practice Manager’s role to involve.

Engagement with our service will replace the need for a full-time Practice Manager. It therefore provides a cost-effective solution, giving firms the necessary support that would be traditionally provided by a Practice Manager, by working with you both remotely and on-site as needed.

Our Practice Management Service

We have extensive experience in managing law firms and the firms who work with us benefit from the knowledge we possess.

The inclusion of a Practice Manager within a firm’s infrastructure enables the owners and decision-makers to focus their attention on what is key to them, whilst gaining the comfort and knowledge that the day-to-day needs of the firm and its staff are being managed effectively.

Although every law firm is different, there are consistent elements to the running and management of a firm. Our service is tailored to meet the needs of each firm and from the list below, a firm can delete or add to a function, ensuring that they obtain the full support needed.

The service includes:-

• Provision of a dedicated firm email address to maintain effective communication.
• Provision of a dedicated phone number for internal staff and suppliers.
• A monthly management report, outlining core activity undertaken in the month and detailing the recommended focus for the following month.
• Assistance with accreditations and quality kitemarks, including applications, pre-audits and renewals. For example:

1. • CQS
   • WICS
   • Lexcel
   • Specialist Quality Mark
   • Professional Indemnity Insurance renewal

• Maintaining quality standards and memberships database to ensure renewal dates are managed effectively.
• Maintenance of the office manual.
• Maintenance of the employee handbook.
• Review of Management Information and reporting (at practice and individual level), to include, but not limited to (and subject to available data): –

1. • Billing
   • WIP
   • WIP write-off
   • Disbursement control and write-offs
   • New cases opened
   • Cases closed
   • Unpaid bills
   • Bad or doubtful debt
   • Creditors List
   • Money in
   • Money out

• Comparisons of actual performance against plans and projections.
• Credit control and management of unpaid or disputed bills.
• Register of contracts and key suppliers, with the management of renewals, including service and price negotiation.
• Holiday and sickness monitoring.
• Discussing day-to-day issues with staff and resolving where possible, or deferring to the Partners/Directors where needed.
• Staff performance reviews as required. (Recommended quarterly or six-monthly)
• Recruitment including:

1. • Writing job description/person specification for approval
   • Writing job adverts for approval
   • Posting of job adverts
   • Liaising with any recruitment agencies
   • Collation of CV’s and shortlisting candidates
   • Organising interviews
   • Attending interviews
   • Making job offers and negotiations

• Organising new starters process:

1. • Offer letter
   • Issuing contracts
   • Holiday calculation
   • Setting up HR files

• Managing HR files with relevant information
• Processing Leavers:

1. • Notifying Payroll
   • Notifying IT to remove access
   • Ensuring firm equipment is returned
   • Conducting any required exit interviews

• Managing Disciplinaries and Grievances:

1. • Receiving and collating evidence
   • Issuing letters
   • Recording outcomes
   • Attending meetings as needed

• Direct Management of supplier relationships as needed and monitoring of performance against contracts and agreed service levels.
• Management and control of the firm’s business continuity plan.

If a firm has specific tasks that it would like performed by its Practice Manager, these can be factored into the overall role.

This is an interactive service that ensures firms, their owners, and staff receive the required service on an ongoing basis.

No action will be taken without pre-approval of the Partners/Directors or except in accordance with prior agreed instructions.

Reporting

Each month, the Partners will be sent a monthly report that will provide information on:

1. An overview of core activity in the month.
2. Focus for next month.
3. Highlighting key issues or decisions required.
4. Trend analysis reporting of common issues arising.
5. Overview of core management information for Partners/Directors Meetings.

The report is an essential document to establish and demonstrate ongoing, effective management of the firm.

Enquiries

For more information about our Practice Management Service, you can call us on 0203 911 9710 or you can email us at info@thestrategicpartner.co.uk.

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Call us: 0203 911 9710

Email us: info@thestrategicpartner.co.uk