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The slides were presented to Law firm stakeholders at a seminar in London on 14th May 2013.
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Sandie Craciun, Director of ConsultingKonsept Consultingsandie.craciun@konseptconsulting.co.uk07738 499738
Denis Simpson, Director Career Legal020 7382 4232denissimpson@careerlegal.co.uk
Ed Turner, Managing PartnerTaylor Vinters+44 (0)1223 225124Ed.turner@taylorvinters.com
Chrissie Easom, HR DirectorTaylor Vinters+44 (0)1223 225155Chrissie.easom@taylorvinters.com
Caroline Fuller, Secretarial Services ManagerTaylor Vinters+44 (0)1223 225252Caroline.fuller@taylorvinters.com
Drew Winlaw, SolicitorTaylor Vinters+44 (0)1223 225126Drew.winlaw@taylorvinters.com
Breaking down the Barriers
Legal market trends
• More for less*– Clients can’t afford traditional legal services– Clients demanding more but paying less– Greater pressure on fee earners to deliver
* Tomorrow’s lawyer: Richard Susskind, OUP, 2013
Legal market trends
• Relaxation of legal market– New types of legal businesses– Alternative business structures– Greater competition at lower costs– Need for more commercial practices
Legal market trends
• Advent of technology– Growth in use of technology– Automation of basic processes– Innovation on new processes
July 2002
….now is the ideal time to rethink secretarial strategies…..
Modern secretarial role
Secretarial tasks30
151214
8
21
TypingData & FinanceOrganisationFile ManagementCommunicationBasic Admin
Average data taken from 14 law firms between 2012/13
65% on basic tasks35% on higher level tasks
Secretarial ratios Average ratio across
practice areasHighest ratio across other
firms
Lowest ratio across other firms
Corporate 5.7 11* (6.6) 3.5
Real Estate 3.6 6.3 3.2
Finance 4.4 7.4 3.8
Regulatory 3.9 5.8 2.9
IP/IT 4.6 8.5 3.0
Litigation & Arbitration 3.8 7* (6) 3.5
Employment 4.0 8* (7) 3.2
Total 4.4 7.7 (6.8) 3.3
What changes to make?
Keeping control
Can the culture change?
Future roles
Multiple approaches
• Shake • New roles, new structure, assessment, selection, potential
redundancies
• Rattle• New roles, new structure, assessment, roles for all
• Roll• Gradual implementation of new structure
Proof….
EnablingInnovationCollaboration &Communication
The Case for Change
• Get your context right
• Ensure your senior management team know their role
• Plan your communication
Formulating Change
• Know your drivers
• Consult with key stakeholders and seek input from external experts
• Make your decision and plan
Implementing Change
Announce Changes Assessment Allocate
Roles
Communicate and Engage
Train Go Live
Driving ChangeFo
unda
tion
for C
hang
e
Impr
oved
Cla
rity
Co-ordinated &
Consistent Implementation
Proactive & Effective
Management Team
Focused Lawyers
Focused Support Team
Co-ordinated Feedback
Consistent Communication
Best Practice
Identify Improvements
Visibility
Enabling InnovationLe
adin
g th
e w
ay to
Inno
vatio
n
Culture
Process Review &
Improvements
High Performance Envi-
ronment
IT Systems &
Infrastructure
Staff Engagement
Structure
Client Excellence
Fully Serviced Secretarial Role
Structure
Client Lawyer
Before Supervising Partner
Shared Team Secretary Diaries & Client Liaison
Transcription & Typing
Client & Matter Inception
Maintain Physical Files
Database UpdatesLawyer
Experience?Client
Experience?
Restructure + Technology
Client Lawyer
Supervising Partner
Shared Team Secretary Diaries & Client Liaison
Transcription & Typing
Client & Matter Inception
Physical Files
Database Updates
Document Production
Records Management
Fully Serviced Secretarial Role
Transcription & Typing
Client & Matter Inception
Database Updates
Secretarial Services
Management
Actionable Dashboard for Lawyers
Naming Convention and Filing Automation
Delivery Automation
Virtual FilesVirtual FilesMaintain Physical Files
PREPARATION• Print and distribute WIP lists to lawyers
COVERING LETTERS FOR BILLS• Prepare draft covering letter (Locate template, save as new file name,
tailor, save again, print, deliver for checking)• Amend covering letter (Locate saved document, perform amendments,
save again, print again)• Print report detailing Fees, VAT, Disbursements, VAT and totals by matter
(CommDis only)• Retype into covering letter, the Fees, VAT, Disbursements, VAT and totals
as a costs update (CommDis only)
BILLS• Request draft bills for lawyers• Print draft bills and deliver to lawyer for checking• Amend time narratives on instructions for lawyers (sort order different
between printout and screen)• Amend other detail on bills such as whether or not to include timesheet
narrative• Insert Purchase Order detail (Property and CommDis)• Apply rules for trainee time (PI only)• Organise for bills to be accepted and sent for approval • Organise for bills to be approved by partners• Deal with queries on bills raised by Accounts Team• Wait for printed copies of bills to be delivered by Accounts and chase if not• Prepare duplicate word copy of bill for clients in Liquidation / Administration
(Corporate portion of)
COLLATION• Collate multiple copies of printed covering letter with multiple copies of
printed bill• Deliver collated documents to partner for signature• Collect signed documents from partner• Sometimes extract printed timesheet narrative so it is not included with
document to client• Fold client copy of bills and insert into envelope• Deliver to services for posting• Prepare file copy of bill and covering letter for filing or scanning as
appropriate (usually concertina)
FILING• File physical copy of bill in physical file. Hole punch document. Locate file.
Open File. Insert document. Close File. Return File.• Scan physical copy of bill on MFP to email• Rename scan of bill according to naming convention and save to relevant
workspace• File scanned bill and covering letter documents into concertina for staged
shredding
BILLS• Print hardcopy bills in triplicate• Sort printed documents by lawyer and team• Deliver printed documents to each team
CREDIT CONTROL• Print W2, W3, W3A, W4 - two copies• Check data in various places as to whether or not to send• Liaise with lawyers about sending escalated credit control correspondence• Fold client copy of letter and insert into envelope• Deliver to services for posting• Holepunch and file the file copy of each W2, W3, W3A, W4 in lever arch
files by client
PREPARATION• Marking up WIP list and returning to TA
COVERING LETTERS• Marking up draft covering letter and returning to TA• Checking version and further markups if necessary• Liaise with TA to finalise Covering Letter• Sign covering letter (partner)• Initial file copy of covering letter (partner)
BILLS• Instructions to TA for billing• Insert FAO name in blank field• Request assistance in relation to complex allocation and reallocation of
fees• Liaise with TA to finalise bill• Sign bill (partner)• Initial file copy of bill (partner)
+ Process design & task elimination
Early Tangible Returns
Attribute Before As at May 2013
Matters without physical files 0% 20% - 80%team dependant
Engagement Info & Invoices by email and autofile
0% >70%
PII Insurance Big Number Big Number less 30%
Client payment record Y days Y less 5 days
Support Costs Z Z
Early Intangible Returns
underlying compliance
staff engagement
client experience
capability for further process improvement
A responsive support service function that can flex to meet the
needs of the business
Structure ~ Process ~ Technology
Client Lawyer
May 2013 Supervising Partner
Shared Team Secretary Diaries & Client Liaison
Transcription & Typing
Client & Matter Inception
Physical Files
Database Updates
Document Production
Records Management
Secretarial Services
Management
Virtual Files
Client Experience?
Support Team Experience?
Lawyer Experience?
Trends in LegalRecruitment
Stepping back in time…
• Poor performers ‘slipping through the net’
• Stagnation
• More Team focussed• Enhanced soft skills• Continuing Career
Development
The here and now
Developing the Talent Pool
• A ‘fresh approach’
• Breaking down boundaries by focussing on ‘mindset’ and ‘potential’
Looking to the future…
• Secretaries who embrace change will thrive
• Enhanced role will attract better candidates, often from outside of the legal sphere
• Secretaries making an increasing contribution to their firms
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