Law Management Group

Today, we post Ashley Balls comments as he puts the case for a robust CPD system in New Zealand and argues it is high time the country came into line with other countries and professions. To read his paper, click here.

This article, which crystal ball gazes the shape of Law Libraries and Legal Research, appeared on the front page of Lawtalk (issue 782 – October 2011) and quotes LMG consultant Paul Steele extensively. It is downloadable here with the kind permission of Lawtalk.

Today's LawTalk in New Zealand contains a special feature on Practice Management Systems (PMS). In the article, LMG member Ashley Balls states: 'The traditional role and function of the PMS is developing rapidly to become the cornerstone of all working activity within a law firm or a legal department. Things have moved on and firms demand significant increases in power. They want document management. They want
case management. They want online library access. And they want it all on one platform.'  To read the full feature, click here.

As law firms come to terms with running themselves more as a business, they are beginning to appreciate the importance of innovation. Between September and November 2011, Simon Tupman ran an online survey of private law firms in New Zealand and Australia to gauge their views about various aspects of law firm innovation. 47 firms participated. Form their answers, it is clear that firms do not regard themselves as particularly innovative. Overall they gave themselves a rating of just 60.8%.  Firms with 25 partners or more perceive themselves to be the most innovative (80%); firms with 5-14 partners perceive themselves to be the least innovative (51.4%). To download the executive summary of the survey, click here.

New Zealand's National Business Review reports on Ron Pol's latest figures on New Zealand law firm profitability in last week's edition. Additionally, the launch of LMG is noted. To read the full article, read here.