Legal Support Staff Skills Training
Issues covered include: exceeding expectations, plain English techniques, business acumen, resilience and wellbeing
Description
If a legal team wants a matter or even the entire office to run smoothly and efficiently, the catalyst is often a skilled support staff. If you want to be that skilled support staff member that the team relies upon day in and day out, you must consistently demonstrate top notch communication skills, effective writing abilities, a keen business sense and an ability to navigate the challenges of a career in the legal profession. Master each of these areas to secure your place as an indispensable team member.
This seminar was recorded in NSW on 28 May 2019
Chair: Penny Johnston, National Legal Support Manager, Clyde & Co
9.00am to 9.45am: Exceeding Expectations: Keeping the Boss and Their Clients Happy
The primary objective of a legal support team is to assist the legal team to provide outstanding service to clients. In this session, you will explore ways in which you can add value on a daily basis to ensure a united, seamless service is provided to clients.
- Adding value: ways to reduce the administrative workload of your solicitors
- Practical tips in dealing with multiple tasks and competing priorities
- Crisis management: coping when it all goes wrong
- Playing the role of ‘gate keeper’
- Dealing with difficult and upset clients and other stakeholders
Presented by Leica Gilbert, Legal Support Manager, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
9.45am to 10.30am: Introduction to Plain English Techniques for Legal Support Staff and Paralegals
Everyone seems keen on the idea of plain English in law. But how well is it done? And what problems does it pose for legal writing? This session outlines the key techniques for effective plain English and considers some of the difficulties it can pose for legal support staff and paralegals.
Presented by Emeritus Professor Peter Butt, University of Sydney – Law School and Founding Director of the Centre for Plain Legal Language; co-author, Modern Legal Drafting, Cambridge University Press
10.30am to 11.45am Morning Tea
10.45am to 11.30am: Building your Business Acumen
- What is business acumen?
- Know your firm and the person(s) to whom you report
- Be conversant with firm protocols and procedures
- The importance of good file management and billing
- New client costs and retainer agreements
- Disclosure of fees to the client and other mandatory issues to be disclosed
- Promoting the firm
Presented by John Snelgrove, Principal, Rockliff Snelgrove Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Business Law
11.30am to 12.15pm: Developing Your Personal Resilience and Wellbeing
- Exploring the importance of personal well-being in the legal profession
- Raising your self-awareness and personal resilience
- Strategies to recognise wellbeing concerns in others
- Understanding how to use these skills to enhance colleague and client relationships
- Practical tips and practices to implement
Presented by Kellie Wade, National Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager, King & Wood Mallesons
Venue
Cliftons Sydney
Level 3, 10 Spring Street
Sydney 2000
NSW
Australia