Law Society Setting up a Practice

Practice notes represent the Law Society`s perspective on good practices in a particular area. They should not be the only standard of good practice that lawyers can follow. You don`t have to follow them, but it will make it easier to hold regulators accountable for your actions. In this article, we present our top tips for starting a new law firm in 2021. And just to emphasize, in case you`re wondering, that not all of the recommendations made here are motivated by self-interest – they`re really supposed to be useful. At the beginning of your practice, you may be able to perform any task yourself, both legally and administratively. However, you should plan to hire support staff when your law firm is established so that you can use your time more efficiently. Paying for non-legal support staff services can be one of the highest costs you incur in running your law firm. Therefore, it is very important to create a plan to find, hire, and use support agents effectively.

The Law Society also recognizes three practice agreements involving non-licensees: multidisciplinary partnerships, memberships and civil society organizations. A multidisciplinary partnership (MDP) is a partnership between a lawyer and an unlicensed person who practices a profession that supports or complements the provision of legal services (e.g. accountant, accountant, trademark and patent attorney, etc.). The lawyer and the non-licensee must conclude a partnership agreement. An affiliation is a corporate structure that allows a lawyer or group of lawyers to partner with an affiliate (such as an accounting firm) in the provision or promotion and provision of the legal services of the lawyer or group of lawyers and the non-legal services of the affiliate. However, unlike a CDM, the activities of the lawyer and the affiliate are not integrated. A civil society organization (CSO) is a registered charity under the Income Tax Act (Canada), a not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the laws of Ontario, or a not-for-profit corporation authorized to operate in the province under the laws of Ontario. To determine the most appropriate structure or arrangement for your practice, you should consider a variety of factors, including: Everything you need to know about your area of expertise is likely to be Lexis, Practice Law or Westlaw. The Law Society publishes a wide range of practice-specific texts, usually around £70. While the benefits of a particular networking relationship may not be immediate, any lawyer opening a law firm should consider networking to increase their professional and personal visibility.

The new rules also allow in-house lawyers within an organization to sell “unconditional” legal services to the public (e.g., most aspects of wills, employment law, and general legal advice). For certain types of work and organizations with an existing network of prospects, this could be a good option. However, if you want to do reserved legal work with others, or if you just want the credibility that comes with calling yourself a law firm, then starting a new law firm or alternative business structure (ABS) might be right for you. You can learn more about the SRA`s new rules on its website. To open your law firm, in addition to your computer system, you must choose furniture and equipment that meets your needs and those of your employees in the office spaces you choose. You will also need to design an appropriate layout for them and procure other office supplies to support your practice. If you have any questions or comments about these practical tips, please contact our practical tips. Mentoring is an integral part of the legal profession. A mentor can give you the necessary support, advice, and knowledge that your family, friends, and colleagues may not be able to provide as you open and grow your law practice. Whether it`s for a short-term or long-term relationship, a mentor can give you advice: not to be confused with marketing, networking refers to building relationships with others. Networking can lead to more business for your law firm and help you avoid self-isolation, to the detriment of your health and your business.

Networking can also offer broader benefits, including the ability to communicate with May – an option to fulfill your obligations or manage your practice. Other options may be available and the option you choose depends on the type of practice, client or mandate. You may need to justify why this was an appropriate option for oversight bodies. Testamentary letters, estate administration, employment law, pre-litigation, legal advice, general commercial and corporate practice – these are all examples of legal services that are typically provided by regulated law firms, but do not need to be. As you can see above, there is a lot to consider. If you need the help of an expert to set up your law firm, whether it`s a traditional law firm or an alternative business structure (ABS), contact us below. We would be happy to discuss your options for obtaining SRA approval. To open a law firm, you need to know in which jurisdiction and in which city or region of Ontario you want to provide legal services.

However, in order to create a proper business plan, you may need to further define your practice. This includes identifying your target customers, the services you will provide, and where you plan to offer them. First, you may need to offer a wider range of services to a wider customer base than you would in the long run. To succeed in the long run, you need a strategy at the beginning and during the development of your law firm that defines your field of activity and your target market. Are you starting with a comprehensive practice and case management system? Or is it exaggerated for you at the kitchen table? Maybe you can hack low-cost software (e.g., Office365, Google Workspace, Dropbox) to do 80% of what you need and optimize it later. From a data protection perspective, new law firms have a great opportunity to shape how they handle personal data before they do so. You need to think about what kind of personal data you`re going to process (this varies greatly depending on your field of activity and whether you employ or outsource employees), who you share it with, how long you should keep it, and how you`re going to delete the data once you no longer need it. When starting or acquiring a new law firm, it is important to lay a solid foundation for the future. Equip your law firm with a clearly defined business structure from the first few days and have a financial plan that will stand the test of time. Be sure to apply for your BN after you commit to opening your own practice, but before creating accounts or hiring staff.

“Open Your Law Practice” is a free biannual seminar for new lawyers, those returning to private practice or starting their own business. The program covers resources for establishing a law firm, creating customer service and satisfaction systems, client development and marketing, client case management, professional liability insurance, professionalism, fiduciary accounting and legal ethics, legal software and equipment, and accounting and taxes for law firms. However, buying an established business or succession practice comes with other challenges. The default is that you assume all responsibilities, including for past claims. And it can be operationally difficult to walk into an old company as a foreigner and change things. If you are in the rare position of buying a commercial property to accommodate your practice, be sure to consult with the appropriate professionals for advice and guidance on the transaction, including considering consulting with a chartered accountant, tax lawyer or corporate lawyer to discuss the possible pros or cons of any business structure or practice agreement. to make sure you choose the best structure or arrangement for you. The SRA FA1 Law Firm Licensing Form asks you to confirm whether the law firm you are creating is a “recognized organization,” an “accredited organization,” or a “recognized individual firm.” So you need to decide before you go too far in the SRA law firm approval process. A recognized law firm simply refers to a more traditional legal practice where all the people who are partners/directors and all the owners of the firm are legally qualified. Whereas an approved company refers to an alternative corporate structure, or ABS, where a “non-lawyer” must hold at least some degree of ownership or be a partner/director in the law firm. So, if you intend to have a non-legal investment or control in the law firm, you need to apply to become an alternative business structure.