a survival guide for legal practice managers.

As Practice Managers, General Managers, Office Managers — let's be honest, it's JOBS not job. Whilst we won’t be able to assist with most of your other responsibilities, we can try and assist you with the decisions you have to make around your firm’s technology requirements and how to better work with your IT provider to hopefully let you hang up that one hat.

The current pandemic is without precedent, particularly for businesses. However, the differences between Australia’s east coast versus west coast response to COVID conditions could provide WA law firms with some silver linings in innovation!

Stapling is the prevention of unintended multiple accounts (otherwise known as “stapled funds”). Simply put, this means that an employee’s superannuation account will stay with them when they change employers. If an employee changes jobs, their new employer is required to pay Super Guarantee (SG) payments into the employee’s stapled fund unless the employee completes a ‘Choice of Fund’ form nominating a different super fund. If an employee does not have a stapled fund (for example, when an employee first enters the workforce) and does not make a ‘Choice of Fund’ selection, the employer may make the SG payments into an account set up with the employer’s default fund.

One of the trickiest problems law firms face is how to grow their firm in a crowded market. This post (and the resources within) gives an evidence-based framework to build up a steady flow of clients online. It will also share easy and sustainable alternatives to spending big on Google Ads.  

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccinations across New Zealand in 2021 has caused disruption and unease across all sectors and the legal industry has not been immune to this disruption. The NZ Committee decided to canvas the views of members as they relate to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations within firms.

As a volunteer led Association, these Branch Committee Members have given their time and services, over multiple years, to members within their local community by arranging learning and development seminars, workshops, and networking events. We thank them for their dedication and support during their terms and for furthering ALPMA’s purpose.

Thanks to BigHand, who conducted a global Legal Workflow Management survey in May 2021, we now have a better understanding of how firms were impacted by the pandemic with a comprehensive report outlining the global measures seen and the steps firms have taken to combat these challenges as a result. 

Fee-related questions are amongst the trickiest a solicitor needs to answer confidently. This is true whether you view these questions from the clients’ perspective of value-for-money. Or for your firm’s profitability. Before you quote a price to clients you need to answer some really important questions.

From 1 July 2021, Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rates increased from 9.5 percent of ordinary time earnings to 10 percent. The SG rate is scheduled to continue to increase until it reaches 12 percent from 1 July 2025 onwards.