Practice Management - Law Society of Alberta

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Practice Management

This competency requires a lawyer to run their business practice in compliance with all legislative requirements and to manage office staff, files and finances.

Returning to Practice

Leaving the Practice of Law

Resource	Summary
15 Myths of Small Firm Practice	The goal of marketing is to get more work, lawyers don’t need to do market research, single-shot advertising strategies can work and more…
20 Red Flags of Bad Cheque Fraud You Should Recogniz e	Lawyers in all areas of practice continue to be the frequent targets of bad cheque scams. These scams involve debt collections, business loans, IP licensing disputes or spousal support payments.
A Lawyers’ Guide to Video Conferencing	To help you get started with video conferencing, this guide will walk you through the basics on how to install and use two of the most popular video apps: Zoom and Skype.
Annual Milestones for Regular Financial Year	Financial milestones for March – December.
Avoid the Penalty Box	The top recent insurance claims trends (inspired by the names of NHL teams).
Basics of Cloud Computing	A brief overview of the essentials for cloud computing, including risks, benefits and other resources to help you choose a cloud provider.
Checklist When Moving Law Offices	This checklist is for lawyers moving to new office space, whether they are transferring to a new firm or moving their practice.
Considerations for Opening a Law Office	Before you take this bold step, you need to ask yourself: Are you prepared? Do you understand the challenges that you face? Do you understand yourself?
Contingency Fee Issues	Law Society of Alberta audits have disclosed a wide range of methods for calculating contingency fees, many of which result in overpayments to lawyers.
Contingency Planning Video	This video shares some helpful tips and resources to build a contingency plan for your law practice, including our When Bad Things Happen to Good Lawyers: A Contingency Planning Guide.
Computer/Network Security Checklist	Security in the law office context is more than just a locked door and secure file cabinet.
CPD Tips: Practice Management	Keeping busy workloads under control can be a big challenge. Practice management is a competence to be honed and developed throughout a lawyer’s career.
Crossing the Border with Electronic Devices	Prepared by the Policy Counsel Counterpart Group, Federation of Law Societies of Canada With travellers at Canadian airports and border crossings subject to increasing scrutiny, it is important for lawyers to have an understanding of how the privacy interests of their clients may be impacted by legislation and policies developed to address public safety issues.
Debt and the Small-Firm Lawyer	Many small-firm lawyers have clients with limited resources. Those who aren’t firm about payment often end up with problems caused by excessive unbillable time, high accounts receivable and exorbitant write-offs.
File Retention and Document Management	File storage and retention is of concern to practicing lawyers, particularly due to the cost of storing original file materials and the attractive alternatives offered by technology.
Fraud Fact Sheet – Cybercrime and Bad Cheque Scam	Cybercrime and bad cheque scams are some of the most common, significant and costly problems for lawyers.
Fostering a Healthy Workplace for the LGBTQ Community	Lawyers, law firms, and law societies seeking to create a culture of inclusion and to support LGBTQ colleagues, staff, or clients, may find these tips helpful.
Get a Practice Plus-One	If you practice on your own, you may also have noticed how hard it is to take a vacation or just step back from the details of practice for a while.
Goods on Going Solo WEBINAR	Professionalism and Policy staff cover topics such as: law office must-haves (hardware/software requirements), what to include in your law office manual, and best practices for file, time and financial management.
Giving Independent Legal Advice	A person seeking independent legal advice is as much your client as any other.
Guide for Law Firms: Returning to the Office after COVID-19	This comprehensive guide details key considerations for returning to the office after the COVID-19 pandemic, including government relaunch information, assessing the risk, planning tips and more.
Independent Legal Advice Checklist	Sample form.
Interactive Non-Engagement Letter Guide	A non-engagement letter confirms to a potential client, after a consultation or phone conversation, that the firm is unable to act on the matter.
Interactive Retainer Letter Guide	Retainer letters are recommended practice in Alberta for non-contingency retainers.
Law Firm Closure Milestones	Milestones for an approximate 180 day process.
Law Firms and Security Strategies for Today’s World	There is no time like the present to assess your office security and mail handling procedures.
Law Firm Startup Trust Safety Milestones	Milestones from day one to the fourth month.
Leaving the Practice of Law	This guide is intended to help lawyers navigate retiring or taking a leave of absence from practice. It does not apply to resignation applications for lawyers engaged in the conduct process.
Limitations Software: Software Options What to Look For	Limitations errors can generally be avoided with the help of a well-constructed limitations system. Limitations software assists lawyers in organizing and monitoring deadlines.
Mastering Client Files	One of the key tools or techniques recommended is a Master Client File List. This list provides key pieces of information about each active file.
Mentorship in times of crisis	Learn about the mentorship opportunities at the Law Society and how to carry out mentorship relationships in this new landscape of physical distancing that we find ourselves navigating.
Non-Lawyer Representation of Corporations in the Courts	In some cases, non-lawyer agents may be permitted to appear for parties in civil matters before the Provincial Court, or in certain summary offence matters.
OPCA Litigants – The Phenomenon of Freemen on the Land	The Law Society continues to hear concerns regarding “Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Argument” litigants (OPCA litigants), and specifically Freemen on the Land. Consequently, we want to remind lawyers of their obligations when dealing with OPCA litigants.
Password Managers: Practice Management Tool	Poor password habits have become a target for cybercriminal activity, instead of a line of defense. There are practical things you can do to restore the protective function of our passwords.
Paying Practice Debts	A lawyer has a duty to carry on the practice of law and discharge all responsibilities to clients, tribunals, the public and other members of the profession honourably and with integrity.
Planning for Retirement	There are a number of things that have to happen before you can lock the doors to your office and walk away into the sunset.
Practice Transition Videos	These webinars guide lawyers through important information, options and resources related to transition of their legal careers. The videos provide general information to lawyers who are starting their own firms; moving to another firm; planning to become inactive; or seeking to reinstate, retire or resign.
Preparing for Parental Leave	Preparing for maternity or parental leave may be a cause of stress and anxiety for both lawyers and law firms.
Protecting Client Confidentiality and Data Security While Working Remotely	With COVID-19 creating unprecedented health risks around the globe, criminals are taking advantage of the disruption to phish, hack, steal and ransom their way into computer networks.
Rarely a Borrower Be	When you are starting a new law firm, you will likely need to borrow some money, or at least establish a line of credit. Paying back the debt will be a growing pain you will have to endure.
Recording Virtual Court Proceedings	Virtual examinations and trials afford great opportunities to deliver legal services in an efficient, client-centered way. Lawyers need to be mindful of their ethical obligations during these proceedings.
Returning to Practice	This guide is intended to help you navigate the reinstatement process. You may also review the Law Society’s practice transition webinars.
Returning to Active Practice	Whether you are a seasoned stay-at-home mom who has taken a few years off, you have taken time to care for a loved one, or you have worked outside the legal profession, returning to active practice after an extended hiatus can be daunting.
Requesting Consent for Cloud Usage and Email Communication in your Retainer Agreement	Communication is essential to effective client service. Retainer agreements provide a first opportunity to communicate the scope of your engagement and the associated fees.
Slow Death from Exposure	The irreducible reality is that you have to lay money out for overhead and disbursements before you can bill your clients. You may get paid right away, or you may have to wait for your money.
Software Comparison Chart and Software Data Preservation Options	To help you choose the package that is right for you, our Practice Management team has prepared a handy comparison chart detailing features and pricing options. All of the packages we looked at meet the Law Society’s trust safety filing requirements. With input from the providers, we have also put together a comparison chart detailing data preservation options for both active and expired licences for each type of software.
Start-Up Kit	This resource is provided by the Professionalism & Policy Department of the Law Society of Alberta to help Alberta lawyers with practice management.
Surviving the Pandemic: Your Firm’s Financial Well-being	Learn some practical tips and actions you can take to protect your financial health during these uncertain times.
Tips for Successful Succession Planning	The following checklists have been provided to serve as a starting point in developing a succession strategy for a law practice: Planning for the Unexpected Selling Your Law Practice Closing Down Your Law Practice
To File or Not to File	File retention practices are changing due to the cost of storing files and the attractive alternatives offered by technology.
Top 10 Things to Include In Your Law Office Manual	This “Top 10” list is a starting point to tailor a manual for your firm. Remember to update the manual regularly, and engage colleagues and staff in its development and revision.
Top 10 Ways to Secure Your Online World	A top priority for all law firms and corporate legal departments is to ensure that online activities are protected.
Top Five Ways to Avoid Falling Into the Mortgage Fraud Trap	Given the recent economic climate, fraudsters may be on the lookout for ways to target unsuspecting lawyers.
Trust Accounting Glossary	An explanation of common trust accounting terminology.
Two Email Tips to Save You From Heartache	Email communication is effective and efficient in many ways, but we have all experienced moments when our heart skips a beat.
When a Lawyer Leaves A Firm	Lawyers are no longer committed to the same firm for their whole careers, and regularly move to new firms or leave to start their own practices.
Why I Self-Referred to the Practice Management Department	The time to look carefully at the holes in your practice is on the sunny days. Waiting until someone makes a complaint to the Law Society, or sues you, or some other crisis happens, means you are responding to those problems in the context of that crisis.
When Bad Things Happen to Good Lawyers: A Contingency Planning Guide	Every lawyer, whether working as a sole practitioner or in a firm, as a sole proprietor or through a professional corporation, needs to consider the impact should the unthinkable occur.
Working Remotely – Applying the National Mobility Rules	In the past, with limited exceptions, lawyers could only practise in a given province if they were members of that province’s law society. The result was a fragmented legal system with costly barriers to the delivery of legal services. This changed with the National Mobility Agreement.

*Educational resources in this section are intended for the legal profession as an aid and are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice. Readers must exercise their professional judgment about the accuracy, utility and applicability of the material. The Law Society of Alberta and Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA) accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions in any resource. If you find any information that is unclear, inaccurate or outdated, please send an email with details to Education.

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