Subjects:

Practice & Procedure

Contents:

1. Understanding the Legal Aid Firm: Introduction

Ownership: wearing three hats

Management styles

Mayson's glue

Quirks, cultures and attitudes

A better way of doing things

Managing the business.
2. Legal Aid in Context: Understanding the 'superclient'

The Specialist Quality Mark Specification (SQMS)

Understanding the specification.
3. Business Planning and Strategy: Introduction

Cutting through the jargon

Do you need a business plan?

Using a business plan

A balanced approach to business planning

Key elements of an effective business plan

Strategic tools.
4. Managing the Service: Understanding the client's perspective

Start with the client and work backwards

Computers and improving efficiency

Work types

The audit experience.
5. Managing the Money: Doing more for less and the art of 'getting owt out of nowt'

The cost of producing the service

The rules

Short and long term factors

What does the LSC expect from firms?
6. Managing the People: Introduction

Staffing structure

Recruitment and beyond

Supervision

Delegation

Feedback

Listening

Teams and teamworking

Motivation

Summary.
7. Managing and Coping with Change: Introduction

Managing change

Getting help

Investors in People

Implementing change.
8. Conclusion: The fantasy legal aid firm

Checklist Appendices: Summary of devolved powers

Useful contacts

Bibliography.

This practical guide is packed with useful advice for managing a legal aid firm in times of change. The book brings together all the important issues affecting legal aid firms -- particularly focusing on how they need to adopt a new approach in order to deliver legal aid services in a modern manner consistent with the demands of the Legal Services Commission and the existing competitive environment. - written specifically for those managing legal aid firms -- tailored to their needs and concerns - combines practical experience of legal aid practice and respected modern management thinking - makes sense of and demystifies the complex SQMS specification and the purpose behind it - gives practical illustrations including how to work out and improve profitability. Making a Success of Legal Aid is essential reading for busy legal aid managers concerned about the ongoing success and profitability of their firm.