Saturday, 21st December 2024
Werner Karl Heisenberg
It is not the end of the world. Nobody has died from making a legal mistake .... yet.
This will help to get it into perspective and you can start getting help to see if there really is a problem. There may be answers that you have not seen. If there is, then together you can work out what you might do about it.
A panel of experienced practitioners who are retained by the Law Society are available to assist you with Conduct Complaints.
The Law Society maintains a list of senior practitioners who are available for confidential discussions about ethical or practice matters.
Please give us feedback about your experiences using Foolkit and ideas for improvements.
Go back to basics, often. Take statements from your client and ensure that you have correctly understood these and what they want. Confirm your instructions in writing. Remember to check that office procedures are actually being followed - was the retainer signed? Did that revised cost estimate go out?
Slow down and think about your file. Take a step back. Write your letter of advice and then, if time permits, come back to it a day or two later. Speak to a colleague about the direction your difficult file is taking.
Respond to client concerns. Be sensitive to comments made by clients that might suggest that they are not happy. Talk to them about their concerns in an open and honest fashion.
Do you really know what you are doing? More often than not it is better to reject work that you don't usually do - better for you and better for your clients.When to Say No:10 Ways to Select and Reject a Client.
Use centralised diaries for time limits and other important information. Make sure that more than one person checks the document.
Do you have a "too hard" or "bottom of the pile" file or are worried that you might have done something wrong?
The best thing to do is to call one of your insurer's solicitors. They are all very experienced practitioners, and they have heard it all before and understand the stresses of legal practice and how these things can happen.
A confidential discussion may be all that it takes to get the matter moving or to find a practical solution to your impenetrable problem. avoid the dangers.
If there is a potential claim then it is best to get them involved from the earliest opportunity.
Any question of unprofessional conduct is an entirely separate issue. Though, if you bury a problem and it blows up, that will be viewed dimly by the Legal Profession Board.
Life is so much more pleasant and it so much easier to see the answers to problems when you are not totally stressed and are getting a good night's sleep. Consider also the information on Foolkit's Your Wellbeing Page.
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: tamara@malthousechambers.com
Courier: DX 160
Level 26, Chancery Chambers
200 Queen Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Postal Address: c/- Young’s List,
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Telephone: 03 8600 1777
Telephone: 03 8600 1770
Email: aghion@chancery.com.au
Chambers: 203 Equity Chambers
Address: 472 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: (03) 9225 7000
Fax: (03) 9225 8951
Email: patmalar@vicbar.com.au
Courier: DX 97
Chambers: Aickin Chambers
Address: Room 3009, 200 Queen Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: (03) 9225 7326
Fax: (03) 9600 0320
Email: andrew@vicbar.com.au
Courier: DX 95
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6031
Email: william.ayliffe@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Chambers: Culwulla Chambers
Address: Level 11, 67 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9223 7620
Fax: (02) 9233 4618
Email: barker@culwulla.com.au
Courier: DX 295
Chambers: Republic Chambers
Address: Level 1/13–17 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 2513
Email: greg.barns@tasmanianbar.com.au
Address: 62A Cameron St, Launceston, Tasmania 7250
Phone: (03) 6334 3352
Fax: (03) 6334 4381
Email: simon.brown@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 70145
1/450A Elizabeth Street
North Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Telephone: 0407 655 990
Email: bernard.cairns@gmail.com
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: tom.cox@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: kate.cuthbertson@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Republic Chambers
Address: Level 1, 13–17 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 8600 1777
Fax: (03) 8600 1770
Email: denton@chancery.com.au
Chambers: Burbury Chambers
Address: 119 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: 0418 213 233
Email: fabian.dixon@tasmanianbar.com.au
Chambers: Republic Chambers
Address: Level 1, 13–17 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 9640 3133
Email: picha@djohan.com.au
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6001
Email: stephen.estcourt@tasmanianbar.com.au
Michael Kirby Chambers
49 Davey Street
Hobart, Tasmania 7004
GPO Box 1644
Hobart, Tasmania 7001
Telephone: 03 6224 4005
Mobile: 040 040 1651
Email: geason@michaelkirbychambers.com
Website: www.michaelkirbychambers.com
Room 0308
Melbourne Chambers
235 Queen Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Postal Address: c/- Young’s List,
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Telephone: 03 9640 3290
Telephone: 03 9640 3100
Email: cgobbo@melbchambers.com.au
Michael Kirby Chambers
49 Davey Street
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Telephone: 03 6224 0117
Mobile: 0407 292 007
Chambers: Umbrella Chambers
Address: 1st & 2nd Floors, "Old Umbrella Shop", 60A George Street, Launceston, Tasmania 7250
Phone: (03) 6334 2922
Fax: (03) 6334 2819
Email: wmg.uc@bigpond.net.au
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6001
Email: chris.gunson@tasmanianbar.com.au
Room 1523/1524, Owen Dixon Chambers West
525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
C/- Young’s List
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Ausdoc: DX 86, Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9225 6826
Facsimile: 03 9225 6007
Email: mharvey@vicbar.com.au
Clerk: Young’s List
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Chambers: Chancery Chambers
Address: Level 25, 200 Queen Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: (03) 8600 1703
Fax: (03) 03 8600 1725
Email: heath@chancery.com.au
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6041
Email: craig.hobbs@tasmanianbar.com.au
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: philip.jackson@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Michael Kirby Chambers
49 Davey Street
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Telephone: 0409 214 005
Email: tkovacic@netspace.net.au
Joan Rosanove Chambers
Room 612, 550 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Clerk S (Gordon & Jackson),
Owen Dixon Chambers,
205 William Street,
Melbourne Victoria 3000
DX 94 Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9225 6510
Facsimile: 03 9225 7293
Email: laurence.maher@jr6.com.au
City Mill Chambers
1st Floor, 8 Brooke Street
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Telephone: 0487 00 3510
Email: pmmason@bigpond.net.au
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: bruce.mctaggart@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6061
Email: gmelick@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Chambers: Macquarie Chambers
Address: 330 Macquarie Street, South Hobart, Tasmania 7004
Phone: 0418 525 654
Fax: (03) 6224 3011
Email: andrew.mitchell@tasmanianbar.com.au
Chambers: Macquarie Chambers
Address: 330 Macquarie Street, South Hobart, Tasmania 7004
Phone: 0418 525 654
Fax: (03) 6224 3011
Email: andrew.mitchell@tasmanianbar.com.au
Address: 18 Proctors Road, Dynnyrne, Tasmania 7005
Phone: (03) 6223 4860
Email: david.mitchell@tasmanianbar.com.au
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6223 7000
Email: kate.mooney@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Address: 10 Boa Vista Road, New Town, Tasmania 7008
Phone: (03) 6278 1978
Fax: (03) 6278 1553
Email: brian.morgan@tasmanianbar.com.au
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: meofarrell@iprimus.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: keyran.pitt@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Malthouse Chambers
Address: 119 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: (03) 6223 3844
Fax: (03) 6223 5466
Email: kread@southcom.com.au
Courier: DX 160
Chambers: Salamanca Chambers
Address: Suite 5, Level 2, 81 Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
Phone: 0412 878 625
Email: mrinaldi@bigpond.com
Telephone: 0404 513 573
Facsimile: 07 3342 4391
Email: tina.riveros@gmail.com
Joan Rosanove Chambers
Level 2, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
C/- Clerk B
205 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Clerk Details: Greens List
Ausdoc: DX 98
Telephone: 03 9225 6423
Facsimile: 03 9225 6542
Email: mroberts@vicbar.com.au
Address: 41 C Stewart Street, Devonport, Tasmania 7310
Phone: 0439 407 552
Fax: (03) 6423 5386
Email: julian.siggins@tasmanianbar.com.au
Room 0409
Owen Dixon Chambers West
525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
c/- Young’s List,
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Telephone: 03 9225 6783
Facsimile: 03 9225 7907
Ausdoc: DX 86 Melbourne
Clerk: Young's List
Telephone: 03 9225 6777
41 C Stewart Street
Devonport, Tasmania 7310
Telephone: 0439 407 552
Facsimile: 03 6423 5386
Email: siggins_j@yahoo.com.au
Email: julian.siggins@tasmanianbar.com.au
Owen Dixon Chambers West
Room 0219
525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
C/- Gordon and Jackson's List
Owen Dixon Chambers West
525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
DX 94, MELBOURNE
Telephone: 03 9225 7638
Facsimile: 09225 79073
Mobile: 0401 599 279
Email: sprott@vicbar.com.au
Address: 1st Floor, 27 Paterson Street, Launceston, Tasmania 7250
Phone: (03) 6334 7868
Fax: (03) 6333 0387
Email: ken.stanton@tasmanianbar.com.au
Owen Dixon Chambers
205 William Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Telephone: 03 92256300
Facsimile: 03 93356700
DX99
Clerk: Peter Lennon
Telephone: 03 9225 7555
Room 602, Melbourne Chambers
235 Queen Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
C/- Young’s List
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Ausdoc: DX 86, Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9640 3174
Facsimile: 03 9640 3106
Email: hsymon@melbchambers.com.au
Clerk: Young’s List
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6001
Email: sandra.taglieri@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6001
Email: padr@bigpond.com
Courier: DX 214
Joan Rosanove Chambers
550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria 30004
Clerk: Gordon & Jackson
205 William Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
DX 94 Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9225 8723
Facsimile: 03 9225 8808
Email: thompsonmw@vicbar.com.au
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6000
Fax: (03) 6220 6061
Email: peter.tree@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Melbourne Chambers
Room 303
235 Queen Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Telephone: 03 9640 3233
Mobile: 0417 306 638
Clerk: Young's List
Telephone: 03 9225 6777
Email: camtruong@vicbar.com.au
Chambers: Owen Dixon Chambers
Address: c/Foley’s List, 205 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: (03) 9225 6950
Fax: (03) 9225 8480
Email: tpwarner@vicbar.com.au
Courier: DX 92
Chambers: Blackstone Chambers
Address: Level 62, MLC Centre, 19 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9220 9825
Fax: (02) 9233 4209
Email: lucinda.wilson@blackstone.com.au
Courier: DX 1280
Chambers: Derwent & Tamar Chambers
Address: 128 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6220 6080
Fax: (03) 6220 6081
Email: andrew.wood@tasmanianbar.com.au
Courier: DX 214
Aickin Chambers
Level 29, 200 Queen Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
DX 91, Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9225 8495
Facsimile: 03 9225 8015
Email: michaeldwyles@mac.com
Clerk: RJ Howells Pty Ltd, List R
Room 2, GR FL ODCW 525 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne 3000
CBA Alternative Fees Collection of articles
For information about risk management in the modern law firm, consider this article from the Law Society of Scotland that covers issues such as lawyers working from home and the 'paperless office'.
San Francisco lawyer Tom Berman writes about defensive lawyering - putting in place preventative measures so law claims don't come knocking.
The American Legal Management Association has published an index of their Resources on Disaster Planning.
Lawyers@Risk blog - The risk management blog of The Victorian Legal Practitioners Liability Committee.
See also their list of publications.
Critical Issues facing the legal profession. Canadian practicePRO
See also Foolkit's Practice Management Page
Electronic data security - Canadian practicePRO
See also IT on Foolkit's Practice Management Page
Charity/non-profit board risk management checklist - Canadian practicePRO
Departing Employee Technology Checklist - Keeping the Fox Out of the Henhouse
All articles from Canadian Bar Association unless noted otherwise.
Risk
