New Solo/Small Firm Start-up

Law Society Practice Advisors are assigned to meet with each “New Solo Practitioner” and each “New Small Firm” (generally 3 lawyers or fewer). The Practice Advisors review the Law Office and Practice Management systems that the members have in place and attempt to provide assistance and recommendations which will assist the members in developing an efficient and low-risk practice. These meetings generally occur after a period of time has passed, to allow the “New Solo/Small Firm” to establish themselves somewhat, and so that the Practice Advisors have something substantive to review. However, the Practice Advisors have noted that a “New Solo Starter Kit” could be of great benefit, as members can review relevant, helpful and instructive materials which will hopefully assist them to get started off “on the right foot” and be prepared for the Practice Advisor visit. We have consolidated below a number of materials we have already made available into a single location, for ease of reference. The list will be added to, and the materials updated, and more relevant materials are created and discovered. A list of recommended recorded versions of Continuing Professional Development sessions of particular relevance for “New Solo/Small Firms” is also below.

• Law Society of Saskatchewan Practice Review Program – An Update
• Part 15 Accounting Rules
• Opening a New Trust Bank Account – Checklist
• Client Identification and Verification
• Client Intake Decision-Making Checklist
• Retention, Storage and Disposition of Client Files
• LSS Cloud Computing Checklist and Best Practices
• Succession Planning
  • Successor Listing
  • Checklist and Approval of Law Practice Succession Agreement by Bank
• Trust Safety FAQ
• CDIC Annual Reporting Requirements

The following recommended CPD Sessions are available for order through the Law Society. More information can be found here.

• Televised Seminar: DVD Recording & Materials: Bootcamp for Small Firms/Sole Practitioners (CPD-26)
• Webinar: Practice Advisors Webinar Series Part 1: Law Office File Management and Related Practice Issues (CPD-67)
• Webinar: Practice Advisors Webinar Series Part 2: Communication and Cloud Computing (CPD-68)
• Webinar: Navigating the Members’ Section: The Resources Available to Law Society of Saskatchewan Members (CPD-100) (Free of charge)
• Webinar: Lawyers Mental Health and Addictions (CPD-103)
• Webinar: It’s Yours! Use It! – Reap the Benefits of Your Law Society’s Investment in CanLII (CPD-108)
• Webinar: Managing Client Expectations (CPD-104)