How We Can Help You
Web4Law is the leading authority on law firm risk and quality management issues. As such, our areas of expertise include:
- Commercial Risk and Quality Standard (CRQS)
- Risk Management
- Cyber-Risks
- Lexcel
- Management Advice
- Services for the Bar
- Management Training
Commercial Risk and Quality Standard (CRQS)
Web4Law has piloted a new risk and quality management standard for adoption by major commercial practices. CRQS can link into ISO 9001 where required, but also incorporates issues not addressed by that business standard such as risk management. For more details, please e-mail Matthew Moore at matt@web4law.biz.
Risk Management
Calls for risk management programes have been commonplace for the last few years. Risk management is also one of the areas that needs to be addressed through management ‘arrangements’ under rule 5.01(l) of the Code of Conduct. There is now ample evidence that the adoption of a risk strategy will lower the premium that might otherwise apply and increase the prospect of gaining adequate cover. With predictions of a steadily hardening (or sellers’) market the time to act is now.
Web4Law can provide:
- Initial advice on the most appropriate programme and external certification, if any
- Full project management or provision of specialist advice to the partner or manager in charge
- Implementation training - fee earner and staff training sessions to ensure commitment to the quality programme
Cyber-Risks
Web4Law provides particular expertise in the emerging area of computer use risk in law firms. There is disturbing evidence that the majority of practices are non-compliant with many of the new regulations applying to all businesses, risking considerable fines in some cases and reputational loss from resultant publicity. The creation of a risk management structure allowing law firms to manage, eliminate, tolerate or transfer risk is the key to the management of cyber-risks.
- Identification of technological, legal and managerial risks, and delivery of resulting strategies
- Development of e-mail and internet policies
- Data protection strategies and solutions
- Risk management infrastructures
Lexcel
Web4Law advisers have worked with many of the largest firms thus far to have attained recognition under Lexcel as well as with smaller and medium-sized practices. Web4Law are the authors of the Lexcel Office Procedures Manual and also contributed heavily to the Lexcel Assessment Guide - these two publications comprising the Law Society’s Practice Excellence Kit.
"Your expert advice on the application of the Lexcel standard to the firm enabled us to succeed at the first attempt with all the advantages that we had hoped for."
MICHELMORES
Management Advice
Web4Law can call on many years' experience of advising law firms of all descriptions on a wide range of management developments. In this specialist field expertise, experience and confidentiality are vital. Whether facilitating a partnership conference, reviewing strategic or marketing plans or devising new management structures, you will find no greater expertise than Web4Law's.
Areas of particular expertise include:
- strategic reviews, often including facilitation at partnership weekend meetings and prior individual consultation with partners and staff
- partnership appraisal schemes and advice on systems and implementation training for those concerned
- partnership reward and profit sharing schemes
- succession planning and advice
"A good deal of the progress that we achieved at our weekend strategy meeting was attributable to your facilitation of our discussions."
TRETHOWANS
Services for the Bar
Continuing reform within the Bar requires counsel and chambers to consider management and administrative issues in much greater detail than before, and often in greater detail than they would like!
Downward pressure on fee structure, increasing competition for diminishing volumes of work and pressure to improve administration exerted by the public funding authorities all force members of the Bar to review their decision-making procedures, financial controls and chambers' administrative systems.
Web4Law has the practical experience and knowledge to help barristers in addressing these issues, allowing them to concentrate on developing their practices. We include within our ranks consultants with practical experience of chambers' management, and can:
- advise on suitable management and decision-making structures,
- facilitate the preparation of strategic business, marketing and budgetary plans; and
- provide training in management, motivation and implementation skills.
Barmark is the quality assurance scheme introduced by the Bar Council in 1999 to assess compliance with the Bar Council's Practice Management Standards. With practical, hands on experience of Barmark implementation, including the vital function of facilitating change through effective liaison between counsel, clerks and managers, Web4Law can help chambers in tackling the design and delivery of Barmark-compliant procedures, and guide chambers through the accreditation process itself. This service is particularly valuable for those sets that may have begun moving towards accreditation, but have become mired in the implementation process.
Management Training
Web4Law provides a range of management courses which are already tried and tested in law firms. Details of current courses can be found on this website.
We are pleased to develop new areas or tailor existing courses for any particular requirements. Our practical management experience ensures maximum impact from our courses. We are a registered provider under the Law Society CPD scheme: all courses are available in half or full day programmes with timings to suit the group concerned.
For further details, please contact Matthew Moore.