Practice Management Guidelines

The Guidelines are available in electronic form. They link directly to The Law Society of Upper Canada's sources and resources. Lawyers may download some or all of the component parts of the Guidelines for their personal use appropriate to individual needs. Each document, when printed, contains space to accommodate notations and amendments.

The Guidelines may be used as a tool within individual client files, for personal use or by a firm's management team. For example, lawyers may insert a copy of the Client Service and Communication Guideline on the inside cover of a file to act as a reminder of client service issues to be addressed with the client. Lawyers may use the Professional Management Guideline as a reference tool in career or firm strategic planning. Law firm managers may use the Financial Management Guideline as a basis for drafting firm policies relating to billing, record keeping or the handling of trust funds. Junior members of the bar may use the Guidelines as learning tools; senior members as tools to refresh or review existing practices.

Not every Guideline will be relevant or useful for all practitioners. The nature of the practice and/or individual file will determine which provisions may be assistive or mandatory. The Guidelines are a flexible tool to be used as required according to lawyers' particular circumstances.

By their very nature the Guidelines are not static: professional requirements, standards, techniques and practices change. The Guidelines will be reviewed regularly and revised where necessary to reflect the evolving practice of law. The Guidelines will also be continually enhanced with the addition of practical tools, precedents and sample documentation available.