Paralegals are relied upon in law offices to perform many tasks and office procedures

necessary for the efficient running of the office. Understanding the key aspects and

principles require for the successful management of a law office is important for paralegals and others working or intending to work in a law office. The course aims to introduce students to the key aspects and principles required for the general management of a law office.

The course introduces students to the key aspects and principles required for the general

management of a law office in Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean. Students will learn the role and responsibilities of paralegals, as well as the typical competencies required of paralegals, in a law office. The functional aspects of law office management such as fees, billing, timekeeping, ethical requirements, accounting, budgeting, and facilities management will be discussed. The delivery of the course will be practice-oriented to ensure that students have a good, practical working knowledge of what is required to manage a successful law office, including handling of the office and its day-to-day operations. This course is divided into three parts.

The first part (Units 1 and 2) examines the legal marketplace, the several different types of law offices, the people that comprise the law office and the considerations both within the firm and external to it that impact the success of the office.

The second part (Units 3 and 4) is devoted to a discussion of the basic functions of the law office including business planning, marketing and advertising, as well as managing the lawyer-paralegal-client relationship.

The third part of the course (Units 5 and 6) deals with the systems that make law offices work, including records management, file management and

financial management.

At the end of this course students should be able to: 

• Understand the primary role of the paralegal in a law office;
• Display the skills required to successfully manage a law office;
• Assist practicing attorneys in the effective management of their law offices.
• Discuss the structures and types of law offices.
• Describe the attorney-client relationship and how the paralegal supports it.
• Understand the role of the paralegal in the management of a modern law office.
• Apply various techniques of law office management and administration to a variety of scenarios, including time, billing, accounting, and records management.
• Understand the business planning aspects of a law office, including marketing and advertising.