In the Law Firm
What is the difference between an orientation plan and a training plan?
An orientation plan is designed to acquaint you with the office, whereas a training plan is designed to teach you your duties and responsibilities
What are the three branches of Canadian government?
The three branches are the legislative, the executive, and the judicial
All matters scheduled before the Court are found on a document. These documents are made available to both Counsel and other Court officials. They are also posted outside the Courtroom for the general public. These documents are called:
Court docket
What do you need to keep in mind for efficient organizing?
Keep in mind that you want things to be logical, labelled, user-friendly, and ergonomically correct
Which legal documents are required to be in writing? (provide 3 examples)
1. Contracts related to marriage;
2. Contracts to guarantee the debt of another;
3. Business Agreements;
4. Wills.
What is a managing partner?
Lawyers who have ownership interest in the firm, and are given special management responsibilities by owners
When the Judge enters the Courtroom, the clerk stands and says, _____ _____, and with these words the Court is ___________.
All rise, open
True or False: Court staff are not allowed to provide an opinion or give advice on what content should be included or complete forms on your behalf.
True
What takes place during the 3rd reading in the editing process?
Read the document paragraph by paragraph. Focus on the sentences. Ask questions like: “Are all the sentences necessary?”, “Do the sentences flow together logically and naturally?”
There are three basic letter styles commonly used in office writing: _____________ , __________ , and ____________. The most common of the three is ___________ style.
Block, modified block, and semi block.
While working in a law firm it is essential to treat every person with ________, regardless of title or status; and to work towards the common goal of providing ________ ________ to clients.
respect, excellent service
Explain the principle of stare decisis.
Decisions must be followed in cases that deal with the same legal issues at a lower court level.
In some criminal trial cases the Judge will Order the proceedings to be carried on ___________, which means ______________. This Order is usually made for extremely sensitive witness, such as young children or distraught victims.
In camera, no observers permitted
List three (3) reasons why we procrastinate.
we don’t have all the information or direction we need
What is the difference between hearing and listening?
Hearing is the physical process of receiving the sounds around you, including words. Listening is the mental process of paying attention to what those sounds mean
What roles will you come across in the law firm? (list 5)
Law firms typically include lawyers, legal assistants, legal secretaries, law clerks, receptionists, legal researchers, accountants, file managers, office managers, human resource clerks, and marketing directors
Briefly describe the differences between mediation, negotiation, and arbitration
Mediation is a process whereby the parties of an action meet with an objective third party to clarify issues, discuss options, and work toward a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute. Negotiation occurs when the lawyer for each party states the merits of their case by telephone or in person, then one party makes an offer. Back-and-forth negotiations result in a settlement that is agreeable to both parties. Arbitration is used to help ease backlog in courts by resolving disputes outside the traditional court system
Name five (5) things that should not be worn in/brought to the court, under any circumstances.
Which type of filing system is described as:
Advantages: easy to expand by adding files to the end of the system; Disadvantages: difficult to insert files in the middle of the system, requires index
Straight numeric
The process for handling incoming mail is important. Inefficiencies can have serious consequences for your clients. What does the process include?
Opening mail. If an envelope is marked “Personal” or “Confidential,” you should open it only at the direction of the recipient.
Date-stamping. All incoming mail should be marked to indicate the date of receipt, even if it is not opened on that particular date.
Distributing the correspondence to the appropriate recipient.
Distinguish between barristers, solicitors, commissioners, and notaries public.
Barristers advocate on behalf of their clients in court. Solicitors process legal business outside the courtroom. Commissioners take affidavits and administer oaths to those swearing a document to be true. Notaries public draft or certify deeds, contracts, and other legal documents, and validate their authenticity.
The only tangible difference between _________ and ______________ is the fact that the _________ will not be used in court and so is not subject to any official prescriptions about ______ and _________.
An affidavit and a statutory declaration, declaration, format and content.
What is one of the most significant tenants off today's courts?
One (1) of the most significant tenets of today’s Courts is Judicial independence. Meaning the presiding Judicial Officer arrives at a decision freely and independently without government interference.
What are the objectives of any filing system?
Facilitate the retrieval of items in 30 seconds or less.
Be expandable and flexible for office growth.
Allow for easy identification and purging of inactive records in accordance with a retention schedule.
Outline practices and procedures in a manual or list of rules to ensure standardization.
What is the process for receiving and depositing trust funds?
When receiving trust funds you must issue a trust receipt, providing proof of payment to the client. The funds are then deposited into the correct client’s account. One copy of the receipt goes to the client; the other copy is kept by the law firm. Trust funds must be deposited to the trust account as soon as possible. On all incoming checks you must write “for deposit only” and make a photocopy to keep in the client’s file.