Paralegal Practice Review Resource List

• Contingency Planning Guide
• Practice Management Guidelines - Financial Management  - see Disaster Plans, and Planning for Death, Disability and Business Interruptions
• Guide to Closing your Practice
• Contract Registry
  • The Sample Contract
  • Scenarios
  • Ethical Issues 
• Parental Leave Assistance Program
• Managing Practice Interruptions (LawPRO)
• Vulnerabilities Assessment Chart (pdf) (LawPRO)

Note: Vulnerabilities Assessment Chart is also available in Excel format on the LawPRO site

• Guide to Opening Your Practice
• "Preparing Your Practice for the Unpredictable" - located on same webpage as the Managing Practice Interruptions Booklet (LawPRO article)
• ABA Surviving a Disaster - A Lawyer's Guide to Disaster Planning
• "Contingency Planning - Because It Might Happen To You - A Guide to Being Practical," by Durward, M.,(June 3, 2010) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/
• Canadian Bar Association - Legal Ethics in a Digital Context (cba.org)
• Practice Management Guideline - Technology

• Section 3.3, 3.4 and 7.6, 7.8.1, Rules of Professional Conduct
• Professional Management - see Practice Arrangements
• Business Structures

• Section 3.4-11.1 to 3.4-11.3 and 3.4-16.1, Rules of Professional Conduct
• Subsection 3(2) of By-Law 7.1
• By-Law 7, Part IV
• Great Library Stacks - Precedent Partnership Agreement for a Law Firm - Ontario Bar Association, 2008 (KF 318 A2 0583 2008)
• Great Library Stacks - Model Partnership Agreement, Kellough (KF 318 M62 1990)
• Great Library Stacks - Managing Your Law Firm, 2000 Update (KF 318 M369 1996 ST), chapter 7, "Partnership Agreement for a Small Firm"
• "Divorcing your Partners: Surviving a Firm Break-Up", by Hardie, R. (May 9, 2008) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/
• Annotated Business Agreements - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/- see "Annotated Partnership Agreement", by Manzer, A. (September 18, 2008)
• Sample Associate Agreement (in PDF and MS Word on LawPRO's practicePRO website)

• Section 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 (Marketing Legal Services), Rules of Professional Conduct
• Professional Corporations - scroll to Information for Lawyers - Law Firm Name Guidelines
• Guide to Opening Your Practice

• Confidentiality
• Confidentiality Agreement

• By-Law 7.1
• Client Service and Communication and Sample Client Memorandum: Billing Information
• Practice Management Guidelines - see or go to Financial Management, Billing Methods and Charges and Resources (e.g. Litigation Cost Estimate Template)
• Retainer or Non-Engagement
• Retainers and Fees Toolkit (cba.org)

• Client Service and Communication
• Conflicts of Interest
• Steps for Dealing with the Joint Retainer Rules - Lawyers and Sample Joint Retainer Acknowledgement and Consent 
• www.practicepro.ca/practice-aids/precedents/retainers/
• Managing the Lawyer/Client Relationship (LawPRO)
• The Annotated Retainer Agreement (2009) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/ or at the Great Library KF 316.A75 L393 2009

• Section 3.04-6 to 3.04-12, Paralegal Rules of Conduct
• File Management - see or go to Conflicts Checking System
• Conflicts of Interest
• Managing Conflicts of Interest (LawPRO)
• Canadian Bar Association Task Force - Conflicts of Interest Toolkit
• Independent Legal Advice and Independent Representation   

• Rule 3.01, Paralegal Rules of Conduct
• Paralegal Professional Conduct Guidelines - Guideline 6: Competence and Quality of Service -see Client Service and Communication
• Managing the Lawyer/Client Relationship (LawPRO)
• Law Pro Magazine "Taking the Guesswork out of Client Communication" Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2004
• "Getting Proper Instructions from Your Client; Written Instructions--the Paper Shield" by Kelly, J., (June 2004) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/
• Resolutions to Better Set and Control Client Expectations (LawPRO Magazine)
• Communication Breakdown (Fall 2011 - LawPRO Magazine)
• Resolutions to Avoid Doing Things that Annoy Clients (LawPRO Magazine)
• Retainers and Fees Toolkit (cba.org)
• Legal Opinions in Commercial Transactions by Wilfred M. Estey
• “Getting Proper Instructions from Your Client” located at Tab 16, of The 4th Annual Six-Minute Criminal Defence Lawyer (June 5, 2004) by Kelly, J.  (Available on AccessCLE)

• File Management - see or go to Opening and Maintaining Active Client Files and Essential Requirements

• File Management - see or go to Essential Requirements and Systems to Store and Retrieve Key Client Information

• Rule 3.5-2, Rules of Professional Conduct: Preservation of Client's Property
• File Management - see or go to Opening and Maintaining Active Files and Closing, Retaining and Disposing of Client Files
• Guide to Opening Your Practice
• Client Service and Communication - See Withdrawal of Services, or Otherwise Ending the Engagement
• Guide to Closing your Practice
• Paralegals >> Practice Supports & Resources >> Practice Management Topics >> Managing Files >> File Retention and Destruction
• Resolutions for Better Matter and File Management (LawPRO Magazine)
• File Retention: What and For How Long (LawPRO Magazine)

• Rule 3.01, Paralegal Rules of Conduct
• Managing the Lawyer Client Relationship, Risk Management Techniques, Appendix 5 (LawPRO)
• Paralegal Professional Conduct Guidelines - Guideline 6: Competence and Quality of Service -see Practice Management
• Common Limitation Period Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Practice Management Guidelines - see or go to Time Management, Centralized Tickler or Reminder Systems

• Rule 5.01, Paralegal Rules of Conduct
• Paralegal Professional Conduct Guidelines - Guideline 13: Fees
• Fees and Disbursements

• Resolutions to Avoid Fee Disputes (LawPRO Magazine)

• By-Law 9, s. 18(5)(6)

• By-Law 9, s.18(3)

• By-Law 9, s.18(10)

• By-Law 9, s.18(8) and s. 22(2)

• By-Law 9, s.22
• Unclaimed Trust Fund FAQs
• Unclaimed Trust Fund Lawyer and Paralegal Application

• By-Law 9, s. 18 (10)

• Technology Practice Management Guideline - see Systems to Support Client Service
• Technology Practice Tips
• Technology Resources (practicePRO)
• "Technology for Solo/Small Firm, Home & Mobile Lawyers" (Paper on practicePRO Website)

• Professional Management
• Continuing Professional Development Overview
• By-Law 6.1
• Managing a Mentoring Relationship
• Mentor with Less Fear (with LawPRO Waiver of Deductible) (LawPRO)

Note: LawPRO waives any deductible and claims history levy surcharge on any claim made against a lawyer mentor arising out of a mentoring relationship, provided that certain requirements are met.

• "Taking your Financial Pulse: Meaningful Financial Analysis for a Profitable Solo and Small Firm" by Bilinsky, D., et al (2007) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/
• "PC Law and Understanding your Bottom Line" by Bilinksy, D., et al, (2008) - available online through the Great Library at www.infolocate.ca/