the business of law in a litigation and business representation firm?

[Heywood Jah]

For a busy well established litigation and business law representation firm that is in change, can anyone enlighten me as to a marco perspective of the model for the business functions of practicing law? specifically for the case where a partner has retired, another partner is assuming the lead of the firm, and while busy, the firm, in nearly every aspect, is sorely in need of modernization with regard to the operating procedures. The best way to move the work from the front door...to the file closing: the workflow through the firm, the books, the recording, the management.... basically the system flow structure. what standard operating procedures should be implemented? Looking to transition technologies for practice management, time and billing/ firm accounting. The software suite aspects I understand, What is the biz model / office operating processes; day2day,records;to manage the office and the business of this business. Can anyone show a crash course in firm accounting and SOP's? ------

[Barry H]

You have a complex problem. To answer I am going to assume that you are the new managing partner.Don't expect to be an expert in all things.Find through executive search firm or referral an office manager who can move the firm out of the 19th century. There are a series of steps to implement the process.The most important advice that I can give you is that your paper system must work before you convert to a computer based system (work flow). Map it out and decide if that is the best method. If it doesn't work now it will be a bigger mess when you convert.There are numerous software packages available for a legal firms. Let your new office manager do the research and make the recommendation to you. After all they have to live with it day to day. The software companies will give the all the information you will ever want to know on the work or system flow. After all that is the basis of their software package and expertise.Do you really want to be an accountant? Talk to your CPA firm and get their recommendation. Remember, the current CPA firm may still be in the 19th century too.This is not something to decide on price it is your lively hood on the line. Do it right the first time. If you try to do it all you will no longer be producing income and you will become overhead. ------