Legal Precedents

Step 1: Identify our clients Question: Who are our current clients (specific and general)? Response: Anyone seeking to purchase, sell or let a home. Question: Who could be our future clients? ( May be specific or a type of client, e.g. more corporate clients, more family law clients) Response: We aim to expand into commercial property. Question: Are there markets we have yet to tap? Response: Holiday lets and buy-to-let rentals are becoming increasingly common in our local area. Question: Is our client base likely to change? Response: The property market is starting to pick up, and we are seeing more second-home owners locally. Question: [ Insert other ] Response: [ Insert response ] Step 2: Gather client information/feedback Question: What do we already understand about our clients’ needs? Response: Clients expect their transaction handled swiftly and at a...

Firm name [ Add firm name ] Name of post holder [ Add name ] Reports to [ Senior partner or Board or Management committee ] Employment status (full-time/part-time/contractor) [ Add ] If a contractor, contract duration [ Add ] Main base [ Add the main base for this post—if the post holder must routinely spend time across multiple sites, e.g. in each regional office, ensure this is stated ] Working pattern (remote/hybrid/office) [ Add working model ] Start date in post [ Add date ] Length of probationary period [ Add ] Probation review end date [ Add date ] Role summary The Chief Executive serves as the most senior executive on the [ Board or Management committee ], accountable for robust governance, shaping strategy and vision for the firm, and carrying out the plan as...

A: General information Date of the annual review Person(s) carrying out the annual review [ Provide name and role ] B: Review and findings Is your health and safety documentation current and suitable for purpose? [ Yes OR No ] If not, make sure you record an action in section C below Is your schedule of Planned Preventative Measures ( PPMs) up to date, and have all due routine maintenance tasks been completed? [ Yes OR No ] If not, make sure you record an action in section C below Are there any action points within your risk assessments or priority action lists that are overdue? ......

Key information Information details Name of the firm [ Insert firm name ] Name of the role holder [ Insert name ] Reports into [ Head of Human Resources ( HR), HR manager, or Head of Professional Standards and Training ] Type of role [ Insert, eg full-time/part-time/contractor ] [ If a contractor role, include the length of the contract ] Main location [ Insert the primary workplace for this role—if there is a requirement for the role holder to regularly spend time in multiple locations, eg in each regional office, it is important to ensure this is clearly set out ] Working pattern or setting: remote/hybrid/office-based?......

Data Source of data Figure £ Current assets — As per the balance sheet — [ insert figure ] Current liabilities — As per the balance sheet — [ insert figure ] Work in progress ( WIP) — Shown under Current assets on the balance sheet — [ insert figure ] Debtors — Listed within Current assets on the balance sheet — [ insert figure ] Creditors — Included within Current liabilities on the balance sheet — [ insert figure ] Turnover — Refer to the P& L statement — [ insert figure ] Operating costs (including fee earner/director salaries) — P& L statement — [ insert figure ] Costs of fee earner salaries — P& L statement — [ insert figure ] Gross profit — P& L statement — [ insert figure ] Net...

Performance appraisal and personal development plan— L& D team member Name [ Insert appraisee’s name ] Current manager [ Insert appraiser’s name ] Role/title [ Insert appraisee’s job title ] Current PDP year [ Insert year ] Department [ Insert appraisee’s department ] Date of appraisal [ Insert date ] Appraisal conducted in person? ☐ Yes ☐ No Aim of the meeting To explore your personal ambitions To share feedback on your performance level To map out your future with us, ensuring we support your career development To define and agree objectives that align with the firm’s strategic aims What the meeting will cover Part 1: Progress against personal objectives Part 2: Performance against core skills Part 3: Overall performance evaluation Part 4: Future aspirations Part 5: Future...

Name [ Insert appraisee’s name ] Current manager [ Insert appraiser’s name ] Position/title department [ Insert appraisee’s job title ] Current personal development plan ( PDP) year [ Insert year ] Department [ Insert appraisee’s department ] Date of appraisal [ Insert date ] Appraisal conducted in person? ☐ Yes ☐ No Aim of the meeting To gain insight into your personal ambitions To share feedback on your current performance level To map out your future with us, ensuring we support your career growth To agree objectives that align with the firm’s strategic goals What the meeting will cover Part 1: Progress against personal objectives Part 2: Delivery against core skills Part 3: Overall performance assessment Part 4: Future aspirations Part 5: Future personal objectives Part 6:...

Preparing a cash flow statement: Yes/ No Do not rely on accruals accounting for the cash flow forecast Omit depreciation and any other non-cash charges from the cash flow forecast Be sure to include partner drawings, distributions and income tax payments Be realistic about the gap between completing work and collecting cash (lock-up) Build in a contingency to cover unexpected costs Include the interest and capital repayments due on the finance being raised Reflect on earlier cash flow forecasts and how accurately you predicted cash flows Consider whether partners must provide their share of the finance required Ensure the arithmetic in the forecast is correct Submit the forecast with a clear explanation of why the finance is needed and how it will generate cash flows to repay the requested funding......

This framework defines the essential skills expected across all positions in the firm. Keeping a single, shared set of core skills supports openness and uniformity in how we set performance expectations for different roles across the firm. Your progress against the applicable core skills will be reviewed within our annual appraisal process. If you are unsure which core skills relate to your role, please discuss this with your line manager directly......

Monthly fee income generated in [ insert year ] Fees this month (£) Change vs previous month (%) Fees in same month last year (£) Change vs same month last year (%) Comments Jan [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments, e.g. trends, observations, market conditions etc] Feb [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] Mar [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] Apr [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] May [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] Jun [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] Jul [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert] [ Insert any comments] Aug [ Insert] [ Insert] [...

1 Introduction 1.1 Precise time capture enables the firm to gauge the real cost of the services we deliver and to supply clients with comprehensive billing details. 1.2 Logging your time swiftly and correctly supports you in meeting your personal performance targets. 1.3 FAQs accompany this policy and can be accessed [ state where, eg on our intranet ]. For any queries about time recording, please reach out to [ state who will deal with queries ]. 2 How is time recorded? 2.1 Time should be entered in [ 6-minute units ]. 2.2 [ State exactly how time is recorded in your firm, which will vary from firm to firm depending on whether you use a case-management system, free-standing time recording system or manual time sheets ]. 3 When should time be recorded?......

Inspection or testing of what? Please tap for the Excel edition of this schedule...

Name [ Insert appraisee’s name ] Current manager [ Insert appraiser’s name ] Position/title [ Insert appraisee’s job title ] Current personal development plan ( PDP) year [ Insert year ] Department [ Insert appraisee’s dept ] Date of appraisal [ Insert date ] Appraisal held in person? ☐ Yes ☐ No Aim of the meeting To explore your individual ambitions. To share feedback on your performance level. To map out your future with us, confirming we are backing your career growth. To set and agree goals aligned to the firm’s strategic aims. What the meeting will cover Part 1: Delivery against personal objectives Part 2: Performance against core skills Part 3: Evaluation of overall performance Part 4: Future aspirations Part 5: Future personal objectives Part 6: Personal...

Purpose of performance appraisal and personal development Our appraisal and development approach aims to: build a highly focused, effective and motivated team by supporting and valuing every person in the firm make sure everyone understands the firm’s strategic aims and how they can individually help deliver them Rating system It is important to understand the appraisal ratings: Exceeded all expectations — Consistently surpasses objectives, core skills and values; is seen as a role model or go‑to colleague, showing the critical success factors valued by the firm. Exceeded some expectations — Reliably meets and often surpasses objectives, core skills and values; exceeds certain key elements, though not all. Met all expectations — Fully meets, and at times exceeds, key expectations on objectives, core skills and values; performs successfully across the role; needs only moderate supervision and guidance, as...

1 General Report Report prepared by: [ Insert name ] Job title of the person preparing the report: [ Insert role ] Report date: [ Insert date ] 2 Persons involved Name of the injured person(s) (or anyone whose health and safety was affected): [ Insert ] Job position/role of the person(s) (if employed): [ Insert ] Status of the person(s) (if not a person at work, e.g., client/customer, visitor, etc): [ Insert ] Gender of the person(s): [ Insert ] Age of the person(s): [ Insert ] Address of the injured person(s): [ Insert ] Telephone number of the injured person(s): [ Insert ] Name(s) of any witnesses to the incident: [ Insert ] Address of any witnesses: [ Insert ] Telephone number of any witnesses: [ Insert ] Was the affected person a lone worker? ......

This precedent can be used to document health and safety risks that you identify within your organisation. It is for use in an office environment. It has been created in Excel and therefore cannot be downloaded to Word......

A: General information Assessment date [ Enter date of assessment ] Assessor(s) [ Enter name ] B: Risk assessment Which specific risk or hazard has been identified? Who could be affected and in what way exactly? What is the firm already doing to manage the risks? What further practical steps should be introduced to prevent or reduce the risks? By whom? Completed? [ Enter, e.g. The client to be visited keeps a possibly dangerous dog at their property. ] [ Enter, e.g. The visiting staff member could face injury or another risk to their personal safety. ] ......

Performance appraisal and personal development plan— L& D manager Name [ Insert appraisee’s name ] Current manager [ Insert appraiser’s name ] Position/title [ Insert appraisee’s job title ] Current personal development plan ( PDP) year [ Insert year ] Department [ Insert appraisee’s department ] Date of appraisal [ Insert date ] Was the appraisal held in person? ☐ Yes ☐ No Aim of the meeting To explore your individual ambitions To share feedback on your performance level To plan your future with us, ensuring we support your career growth To set and agree objectives aligned with the firm’s strategic aims What the meeting will cover Part 1: Results against personal objectives Part 2: Performance against core skills Part 3: Overall performance evaluation Part 4: Future aspirations Part 5: Future personal objectives Part 6: Personal development plan Preparation for appraisal meeting Please review and complete sections 1 to 4 before the meeting, including your own assessment and performance rating. Send a copy of your...

1 Organising the meeting Send the RTWI invitation to the employee. Add the appointment to both your diary and the employee’s. Reserve a suitable meeting room. Put measures in place to avoid interruptions. 2 Check absence records and complete section A of the RTWI meeting proforma Confirm and record the first day of absence. Verify and note the final day absent. Enter the return-to-work date. Work out the total days absent for this instance. Confirm the firm’s absence reporting procedure was followed. Record certification needs: seven days or fewer—self-certification; eight days or more— GP fitness note provided. Note the stated reason for absence. Record how many occasions of absence there have been in the past 12 months. Record the total number of days absent in the past 12 months. ...

Purpose of performance appraisal and personal development Our appraisal and personal development approach aims to: Build a highly focused, productive and motivated workforce by supporting and valuing every individual in the firm. Ensure people understand the firm’s strategic objectives and how they can personally help to achieve them. Rating system It is essential to understand the appraisal ratings that will be applied: Exceeded all expectations – Consistently surpasses expectations across objectives, core skills and values; recognised as a role model or go‑to person and exemplifies the firm’s critical success factors. Exceeded some expectations – Consistently meets and often exceeds objectives, core skills and values; exceeds some elements of key objectives, though not others. Met all expectations – Fully meets, and at times exceeds, expectations on objectives, core skills and values; performs successfully in all aspects of the role and requires only a...