H: International

Many lawyers will smile knowingly when ‘legal operations’ is mentioned, then quickly change the topic-whether due to uncertainty about what the phrase truly covers or nerves triggered by the prospect of change. This Practice Note seeks to clarify what ‘legal operations’ means, the areas it spans, and how applying legal operations practices-lightly or in depth-can benefit your legal team and your organisation. Alongside this Practice Note, further Practice Notes delve deeper into each aspect of legal operations. They are intended for in-house lawyers who want to secure some of the gains of legal operational efficiency but do not yet have the organisational support or budget for a dedicated legal operations team. Accordingly, these notes are aimed at in-house lawyers working as a small department within small to medium-sized organisations. By contrast, organisations in highly regulated sectors, however small, are likely to need...

In today’s data-driven landscape, if you lead an in-house legal team and are not tracking what the department does, you are missing a trick. The legal function must recognise the value it creates, quantify that value and communicate it across the organisation. Sales uses key performance indicators to evidence its impact, and so do marketing and finance. In the same vein, the in-house legal team should equip itself to understand and demonstrate the value it delivers, the work it undertakes and the outcomes it enables. Of course, that is easier said than done. In-house lawyers often sidestep performance measurement and, as a result, face vague or non-measurable goals handed down without real thought as to whether they can be met. This Practice Note, alongside the Precedent: -step plan, offers practical methods to assess the legal department’s performance and show how the legal team adds value to...

Knowledge management Whatever its scale, a legal department ultimately exists to do legal work: giving legal advice, overseeing disputes, reviewing contracts, and more. From a legal operations viewpoint, as the leader of an in-house team, you must consider how the function can most effectively support the organisation in delivering legal services. You not only have to keep the department running smoothly and business-like; you also need to provide timely, watertight legal advice. The nature of legal knowledge, and where it resides, has expanded markedly. Critical legal information is now created and stored across internal repositories and cloud-based platforms. As an in-house lawyer, it is vital to know what your organisation’s legal data includes, where it is held, and which sources are pertinent for legal purposes. Consequently, knowledge management is a core element of operations management. But what does that actually involve? This Practice Note...

Businesses must make strategic choices on an informed footing. This Practice Note explains how to spot and assess the key threats and opportunities arising from the external context in which your organisation operates and strives to survive and prosper. It is designed to help you grasp your business and the forces influencing it. You can use Precedent: Understanding business strategy-exercise for in-house lawyers to spark ideas and start productive conversations about strategy within your organisation. Global shifts Major shifts are reshaping the global economy and will continue to transform business over the coming years. It is therefore worthwhile capturing a snapshot of your understanding of the significant forces in motion. These global shifts are linked to: economic developments societal and environmental changes business and industry shifts If you have a strategy department, or a team examining future trends, you will gain valuable...

It is important for the in-house legal department to have a clear and communicated structure in place for performance management, which aims to: nurture your employees’ careers optimise their potential align the workforce with the business’s strategic priorities establish concrete yet adaptable objectives and goals facilitate ongoing feedback between each lawyer and their manager emphasise development and acknowledge achievements In the absence of a formal framework, outcomes hinge on each manager’s approach. Some will agree suitable objectives with their team members and provide routine feedback on progress; others may not. As a result, practice can vary: certain managers set appropriate objectives and give consistent feedback on performance, whereas others do not, which affects focus on growth and recognition of achievements. Effective performance management enables everyone to grasp: what the organisation seeks to accomplish how their position...

General Item Description Purpose of meeting Introductory session between [ Insert your name ], [ insert your job title ] and [ insert name of Sales and Marketing Director ], Sales and Marketing Director at [ Insert name of organisation ]... Date and time of meeting [ Insert date ] at [ insert time of meeting ] [ am OR pm ]... Attendees [ Insert name of Sales and Marketing Director ] [ Insert your name ] [ [ Insert names of any other invited attendees, eg your line manager ] ] Agenda items Introducing [ insert name of organisation ]’s in-house lawyer Supporting documentation: N/ A Person leading item: [ Insert your initials ] Questions: Introduce yourself to the Sales and Marketing Director, outline where you worked...

This Checklist outlines actions to raise awareness of, and enhance, well-being within the in-house legal team. Management training and development - equip managers with the core capabilities and insight to properly oversee and champion team well-being by making sure they are trained in: mental health awareness and recognising early warning signs. See Practice Notes: Understanding mental health and well-being and Well-being in legal teams emotional intelligence and effective active listening skills. See Practice Note: Unlocking your emotional intelligence-how working better with others helps to put you ahead conducting supportive well-being conversations setting the tone by being self-aware Mental health support structure - establish supportive systems and resources......

Question Answer This Checklist is for in-house lawyers. It helps you gauge how well you grasp the key finance and accounting concepts you are likely to encounter day to day, and how they apply within the business. Use it to spot knowledge gaps-both technical and business-specific-and to prioritise what to tackle next so you can contribute more effectively to commercial discussions. Assess your current confidence level honestly; this will show you where to concentrate your learning. Some questions test awareness of concepts, others explore how you have used this knowledge practically; use both to target your development. If several areas feel uncomfortable, that is common and fixable. See Practice Notes: Introduction to business finance and accounting-financial accounting and external performance and Introduction to business finance and accounting-management accounting and internal decision-making for guidance on the essentials of business finance and...

1 Knowledge manager details Firm name [ Insert name ] Role holder’s name [ Insert name ] Reports to [ Insert name ] Employment type ☐ Full-time ☐ Part-time ☐ Contractor If a contractor role, contract length [ Insert details ] Primary location [ Insert location ] Role start date [ Insert date ] Probation period length [ Insert details ] Probation end review date [ Insert date ] 2 Role purpose The Knowledge Manager’s core aim is to champion organisation‑wide sharing of know‑how, information and experience, ensuring these are circulated internally and, where appropriate, with clients, partners and stakeholders outside the organisation. The postholder will design the framework and build the tools necessary to govern the organisation’s knowledge assets. This includes creating and administering standard operating procedures so knowledge management is applied...

This Precedent includes a Power Point team brand workshop template with accompanying notes to help you run a session with your team to identify the key activities and values you want your business to be recognised for. It guides you and the group through sharing and refining ideas, then moves into setting concrete actions and clear next steps. 1 Meeting logistics Let the team know in advance that this will be a working session and ask them to consider how they add value to the business, arriving prepared to share their views. Have to hand paper, one pack of sticky notes per person, marker pens for everyone, and a space in the room where items can be put up on the wall. Plan for two and a half hours, including a 15-minute comfort break halfway through (based on five to ten...

Task Points to consider Actions ☐ Identify the organisation’s core aims and objectives Grasping your organisation’s long-term aims and objectives will enable you to ensure the legal function can align its skills and resources more effectively with the organisation’s strategy. Meet with your organisation’s CEO to do the following: discuss the organisation’s overarching aims and priorities; demonstrate your awareness that almost all major business considerations involve the law to some extent, so the in-house legal team is vital to the organisation’s success; show how you will ensure the legal department can enhance the organisation’s operational capabilities by covering the following steps in the plan. ☐...

Task Prioritise the legal department’s work according to what is strategic for the business Points to consider Which activities deliver high value for the legal department, and which amount to low value work? Is everything the legal team undertakes still appropriate and relevant for the organisation? Actions Undertake a review of the legal function’s budget and activity to assess how the team might work more effectively and secure the right outcomes for the organisation. Develop a clear understanding of your organisation’s long‑term goals and objectives so the department can align its skills and resources to the organisation’s strategy. Consider whether to stop, outsource, or re‑process low‑value activity. For more guidance, see: Practice Note: Understanding business strategy Practice Note: Aligning the legal team to the business Precedent: Strategic planning—step plan......

Task Points to consider Actions ☐ Understand what you are seeking to achieve Technology can enable a legal department to operate more effectively and efficiently. Define aims and objectives that reflect the department’s size, maturity and priorities within the legal department, for example: where might the legal department be more effective and efficient? how can workflows be streamlined within the legal department and with colleagues across the organisation? which technology, people and processes are needed to help the legal department to best accomplish its goals? what is the budget? ......

This Precedent This Precedent is designed to introduce the core tools and methods involved in crafting a robust strategy. By deepening your knowledge of how strategies are assembled, and by gaining sharper insight into your own organisation’s approach, you should be able to contribute more effectively to the business while strengthening your understanding of commercial decision‑making. It also helps you see more clearly where your priorities should sit and where effort will have greatest effect. Not every technique will fit your context, and completing the exercise will not provide every answer for your organisation; however, it should spark ideas and prompt constructive conversations about strategy within your organisation. It is improbable that you will hold definitive responses to all the questions, and you may well wish to qualify some of your answers as you go. Use the exercise to engage colleagues with relevant business...

During any due diligence on acquiring a leasehold interest in land, it is vital to review whether the tenant may assign, underlet, or charge the premises. Provisions that are too restrictive may: adversely affect the buyer’s ability to dispose of their interest in the property in the future create a burden for day-to-day property management impact the overall value of the property to the buyer This Checklist is directed chiefly at leases granted for a reasonably long term at an annual market rent. For further guidance on: building leases, see Practice Note: Building leases—alienation side-by-side or geared rent leases, see Practice Note: Headlease rent linked to underlease rents long leases granted for a premium at a peppercorn rent where the leasehold interest is virtually equivalent to a freehold interest, see Precedent: Long lease of whole of...

This Precedent acts as a framework for examining and reviewing your organisation’s (or your team’s) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The insights gained can then be applied to build on what the organisation (or team) does well, tackle any shortcomings, reduce or eliminate risks, and make the most of opportunities for overall success......

Five forces analysis Consider carefully the five principal forces (factors) shaping an organisation’s competitive standing and how they influence your sector and your business, and then record your evaluation clearly in the table provided below......

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...