Chapter Two: Legal Admin and Tech

Question 1

practice management

Answer 1

Management decisions about how a law office will practice law and handle its cases.

Question 2

administrative
management

Answer 2

Management decisions relating to operating or managing a law office, including financial and personnel matters.

Question 3

management

Answer 3

The administration of people and other resources to accomplish objectives.

Question 4

total quality management (TQM)

Answer 4

Management philosophy of knowing the needs of each client and allowing those needs to drive the legal organization.

1) Management has an overriding duty to ensure that the law firm provides quality legal service.

2) Quality service involves every person in the law firm, and everyone must be involved and committed.

3) Quality service is based not on management’s or our own perception of quality, but on the perceptions of the client.

4) Quality service depends on the individual’s, the team’s, and ultimately the organization’s performance.

5) Improve systems constantly.

Question 5

leadership

Answer 5

The act of motivating or causing others to perform and achieve objectives.

Question 6

controlling

Answer 6

The process of determining whether the law practice is achieving its objectives, holding stakeholders accountable for their goals and making strategy adjustments as necessary so the firm achieves its objectives.

Question 7

financial management

Answer 7

The oversight of a firm’s financial assets and profitability to ensure overall financial health.

Question 8

human resources
management .

Answer 8

Hiring, evaluating, compensating, training, and directing law office personnel

Question 9

negligent hiring

Answer 9

Hiring an employee without sufficiently and reasonably checking the employee’s background.

Question 10

coaching technique

Answer 10

Counseling that focuses on the positive aspects of the employee’s performance and explores alternative ways to improve his or her performance.

Question 11

management by objectives

Answer 11

A performance program in which the individual employee and the employer agree on goals for the employee.

Question 12

employment-at-will doctrine

Answer 12

Doctrine that states that an employer and employee freely enter into an employment relationship, and that either party has the right to sever the relationship at any time without reason

Question 13

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)

Answer 13

Legislation that allows employees in certain circumstances to receive up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave from their jobs for family-or health-related reasons.

Question 14

equal employment opportunity

Answer 14

Concept that requires employers to make employment-related decisions without arbitrarily discriminating against an individual.

Question 15

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Answer 15

Legislation that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, or gender.

Question 16

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Answer 16

Legislation that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants with disabilities.

Question 17

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

Answer 17

Legislation that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees and applicants on the basis of age when the individual is 40 or older.

Question 18

Equal Pay Act of 1963

Answer 18

Legislation that prohibits employers from paying workers of one sex less than the rate paid to an employee of the opposite sex for work on jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility and that are performed under the same working conditions.

Question 19

bona fide occupational qualification

Answer 19

An allowable exception to equal employment opportunity, for example, for an employee to perform a specific job, the employee must be of a certain age, sex, or religion.

Question 20

reasonable
accommodation

Answer 20

Accommodating a person with a disability, which may include making existing facilities readily accessible, restructuring the job, or modifying work schedules.

Question 21

sexual harassment

Answer 21

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that create an intimidating, a hostile, or an offensive working environment. Exhibit 2-13 contains a sample antiharassment policy.

Question 22

planning

Answer 22

The process of setting objectives, assessing the future, and developing courses of action to achieve these objectives.

Question 23

mission statement

Answer 23

A general, enduring statement of the purpose or intent of the law practice.

Question 24

strategic planning

Answer 24

Determining the major goals of a firm and then adopting the courses of action necessary to achieve those goals.

Question 25

Gantt chart

Answer 25

A plan or timeline of the projected begin and end dates of a project.

Question 26

organizing

Answer 26

The process of arranging people and physical sources to carry out plans and accomplish objectives.

Question 27

system

Answer 27

A consistent or an organized way of doing something.

Question 28

marketing

Answer 28

The process of educating consumers on the quality legal services that a law office can provide.

Question 29

substantive task

Answer 29

A task that relates to the process of actually performing legal work for clients.

Question 30

administrative task

Answer 30

A task relating to the internal practices and duties involved with operating or managing a law office.

Question 31

policy

Answer 31

A specific statement that sets out what is or is not
acceptable.

Question 32

procedure

Answer 32

A series of steps that must be followed to accomplish a task.

Question 33

policy

Answer 33

A specific statement that sets out what is or is not
acceptable.

Question 34

procedure

Answer 34

A series of steps that must be followed to accomplish a task

Question 35

facilities management

Answer 35

Encompasses planning, designing, controlling, and managing a law office’s building or office space.

Question 36

disaster recovery plan

Answer 36

A disaster recovery plan includes information on how the law office will rebuild and recover from a total disaster.

Question 37

office services
management

Answer 37

It refers to the
administration of a number
of internal systems and services in a law office. These include mail, copy, fax, and telecommunication services, among others.

Question 38

document assembly software

Answer 38

Creates powerful standardized templates and forms.

Question 39

extranet

Answer 39

A network designed to provide, disseminate, and share confidential information with clients.

Question 40

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

Answer 40

Legislation that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees and applicants on the basis of age when the individual is 40 or older.

Question 41

Equal Pay Act of 1963

Answer 41

Legislation that prohibits employers from paying workers of one sex less than the rate paid to an employee of the opposite sex for work on jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility and that are performed under the same working conditions.