Why you need this policy: One of the thorniest challenges of managing a law office is the handling of client files. It's not just an administrative issue. Retention and destruction of client files are subject to legal and ethical requirements, including the ABA Rules of Professional Conduct. How this policy helps you: It's crucial to establish a written policy that explains how … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Client file retention and destruction
Information security
Model Policy: Reduced schedule and flexible work arrangements
Why you need this policy: Once upon a time, the belief was that an individual could be an attorney or a primary caregiving parent but not both. Attitudes—and laws—have changed this thinking and opened the door to all kinds of flexible work arrangements allowing attorneys to balance their professional and parental obligations. How this policy helps you: Every law office needs a … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Reduced schedule and flexible work arrangements
How long should you keep client and practice records?
A lot of questions come up about the most basic elements of maintaining and destroying client records. And that's because to many of those questions "there's no hard and fast answer," says Washington, DC, attorney and record management consultant Teresa Schoch is also a past member of the Michigan Bar Association's ethics committee. Here are seven such issues. The 10-year … [Read more...] about How long should you keep client and practice records?
Employees fired for social networking offenses
Here are a few examples of cases in which a court or arbitrator upheld the decision to fire an employee for social network abuses. Note that the existence of a clearly written, specific social networking policy was a factor in each of these cases: OK to fire employee for: Why termination upheld: Disparaging Co-Worker in Blog: Nurse makes highly … [Read more...] about Employees fired for social networking offenses
An ever changing policy on using social media
“The reality is that people are going to use social media.” So more than two years ago, the 65-attorney firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein took the position “that we were going to be tuned in to social media to promote business development,” says Frederick J. Esposito, Jr.,CLM, CFO and director of administration at the firm’s New York … [Read more...] about An ever changing policy on using social media