Effective practice management doesn’t just take care of itself. It requires constant work. Practice leaders should regularly review the health of their firm, the quality of its work and look for ways to improve. To give practitioners a baseline, LPLC has developed a free online, self-assessment tool to help them take the pulse of their firm.
The tool takes around 10 minutes to complete, asks a series of questions and once completed, will give you a written guide to the key things to implement and links to additional resources. LPLC insured firms also have an opportunity to confidentially discuss the written guide with an experienced legal practice manager from LPLC. The discussion will help you prioritise key things to work on and practical ways to implement them.
So, what are some of the important practice management things you might see recommended or the changes you can implement to get the most benefit for your firm, its people and clients?
They include:
| Business plans – have a good business plan that sets out where you want to go and how you will get there. | ||
Management roles - Understand that the principal of the firm must allocate time to the firm’s management, including:
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| Managing work intake – to ensure the work and clients that are accepted fit the business plan and can be looked after well. | ||
| Systems, precedents and processes – to ensure the work is done efficiently, and effectively. | ||
| Technology – that suits the needs of the firm and are used safely and securely. |
The Practice Health Check tool is anonymous and there is nothing to lose in doing it. If your firm’s written guide confirms you are doing all the recommended things, you will have some peace of mind knowing the basics are covered.
We encourage LPLC insured firms to do the online Practice Health Check and then, if needed, discuss implementation of your priorities with Stephen Bubb, Risk Manager.
