Information Sheets > The Law Society's Practice Management Standards

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS
Practice Management Standards (PMS) are the Law Society's interpretation of the areas which ought to be addressed for the efficient management and administration of legal practices. Taken as a whole, the Standards become a quality management system. Unlike the Franchising Specification, Practice Management Standards apply to the Practice as a whole and to the management of all cases in every area of the law in which the Practice operates.

The Standards cover such subjects as the management structure, business planning, financial management, administration of staff and the office, casework, and dealing with complaints. Please note that Allery Scotts can provide additional Client Information Sheets on and the comparison between, the Franchising Specification, Practice Management Standards and ISO 9000.

THE STANDARDS ARE AIMED AT THE SYSTEM NOT AT THE SERVICE
Practice Management Standards state WHAT must be done - not HOW it is to be done. All practices operate differently, therefore there can be no "off the shelf" solution. The key is to build on existing good practices - not to re-invent the wheel. Having developed your own method of working (in accordance with the Standards) then adherence assures a constant and consistent level of service for your clients.

HOW WE CAN HELP
We can help you and your staff to focus quickly on those few elements of your systems that may need to be improved to meet the requirements of Practice Management Standards.

STEP ONE WE ASSESS YOUR EXISTING PRACTICES
Our first task is to review your existing practices to establish where they already meet the requirements of the Standards. Most firms are surprised to learn that they are much closer to the requirements than they think.

STEP TWO WE DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN AND PROGRAMME
The action plan and programme outlines the steps necessary and the time required to bring the quality system up to standard and identifies the people who will need to be involved.

STEP THREE DOCUMENTATION
Experience shows that this will be the area requiring most attention, even if you have already taken the trouble to write a Practice Manual. However, we will avoid bureaucratic systems by helping you to keep documentation to the essential minimum, otherwise your staff will not use it.

STEP FOUR IMPLEMENTATION
As each part of the system is developed it must be introduced into operation and any snags removed. In this way you will be sure that you have got it right prior to certification by the Law Society.

STEP FIVE DUMMY AUDIT
Having an independent auditor for a final review phase (just prior to formal certification) has proved to be extremely useful so that everyone knows what to expect.

THE BENEFITS OF PRACTICE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS
By implementing Practice Management Standards, a legal practice will see benefits in many areas. Clients will see the Firm's commitment to them in the provision of a quality service, and members of staff will see the commitment of Partners to the improvement of working practices. Some of the major benefits are indicated below:

• Improvement in financial performance.
• Reduction in the expectation gap between what the client expects the solicitor to do and what the solicitor has agreed to do.
• Reduction in lost time due to ineffective practices.
• A defined level of service which can be objectively measured.
• Improved responsiveness to client needs.
• Better communication structure.
• A demonstrated commitment to providing a quality service.
• Higher repeat business/referrals due to a satisfied client base.
• Reduced probability of claims against the practice.

An additional benefit will be that of moving closer towards the internationally recognised Standard, ISO 9000. However, it has to be said that to fully comply with ISO 9000 and attain registration, there are a further nine subjects to be addressed.