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Standard Law Firm Operating Procedures: Optional or Critical?

By Liz Lamar
December 27, 2012

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the cornerstone of any successful law firm operation. They help prevent mistakes and curb waste by providing staff with structure and a clear roadmap to follow. Without them, law firms suffer from inconsistency, chaos and lack of control. Likewise, having SOPs is a must for legal IT departments. From lost equipment to lost passwords and data, not having written policies and procedures can create liability and losses that are sometimes unrecoverable.

Legal IT professionals often experience challenges in taking their goal of having SOPs from “pie in the sky” to reality. Developing written policies and procedures takes time and dedication. It takes time to write and perfect them, and perseverance and consistency to apply and enforce them. But once they are developed and are in use, the benefits are many and the risks are dissipated.

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