Chapter 1:

Legal Office
Environment
 OBJECTIVES

To know the To know the Able to To know the

different types equipment and understand the legal
of law firm supplies in a law different types of terminologies
office law
Let’s Play
a game
 Law Office or Law Firm

• is an association or group
of lawyers who practice
law
• it is a business entity
formed by one or more
lawyers.
 Types of Law Firms

Solo Law Firms

are run by a single lawyer -these

"solo practitioners" typically handle
general legal matters on a variety
topics or may also specialized in one
particular area of law.
 Small Law Firms

also referred to as "boutique law

firms", generally employ two to ten
attorneys-often allowing the lawyers an
opportunity to collaborate with other
lawyers on complicated or related legal
matters.
 Large Law Firms

also known as "full service"

firms, can range in size from
several dozens of lawyers and
employees, to several thousands
of employees.
Kirkland and Ellis LLP have the best corporate clients globally in the
niches of litigation, taxation, and intellectual property. You will
get 2000 lawyers on board. The current net worth of this firm is
around $4.15 billion in 2019. It makes it the largest law firm in the
world.
 Litigation Law Firms

a firm that might only focus on

litigation, representing clients
in court cases.
Transactional Law Firms

a type of law firm which as

the name suggests,
specializes in transactional
law.
 Criminal Law Firms

Law firms specializing in criminal

defense against crimes such as
security fraud and other crimes often
focus on representing private clients
who can afford their own criminal
defense
 Law Office Equipment and Supplies Equipment:

Computer Printer Copier Telephone

 Postage Postage Scale Fax Machine
Machine

Desk & Chair Bookshelves Cabinets/ Filing

Cabinets
 Supplies

White and yellow Legal Size and Standard

Pen and Pencil Paper Printer Ink
legal pads

Envelope File Folders, Custom Tabs and Side

Tab Dividers
Staplers, Staples and Paper Stick Notes and Flag
 Legal Specialization

Banking and
Antitrust law: Deals with commercial finance
issues of fair trade within
corporations or groups that
law: As suggested, law
have an unfair advantage in the practiced for banking and
marketplace; may also include finance deals with laws
large company mergers and concerning these types of
other issues. businesses.
Animal
Rights
Law

Deals with the protection of

animals and legal counsel to
animal rights groups.

Bankruptcy
law
Deals with bankruptcy laws
and filing for individuals,
businesses, and corporations.
Civil
litigation
Concerned with disputes between
individuals and others wherein one
party is seeking compensation or
an award of some kind.
Corporate
law
Deals with laws concerning large
businesses; may involve contract
negotiation, defense against
lawsuits, or advice on personnel
issues, such as discrimination,
sexual harassment, and disability
Consumer
Law
Consists of regulations and
statutes that seek to create
more equitable balance for a
buyer in the marketplace.
Health
Copyright and
Law safety
Lawthe employers and
Require
employees to not put others
Balancing the rights of or themselves in danger.
authors with the rights of the
public to use the work
without seeking permission
of paying royalties.
Entertainment Environmental
and sports
law law

Provides legal services to Concerned with providing legal

advice and services to
those in the entertainment environmental groups or groups
and sports industries. concerned with environmental
issues, such as the U.S.
government.
 Health Intellectual
care law property
Insurance law
law
Pertains to all laws concerning
health care issues. Immigration Protects and advises those who
law: Laws concerning immigration have a stake in some type of
issues, such as residency, etc.
All issues dealing with intellectual property, such as
insurance, such as inventions, works of fiction and
nonfiction, names or recorded
fraud, claims, etc. media, or any creative work that is
"from the mind.”

Maritime
law
Pertains to legal advice or
services for maritime
(ocean) issues, questions,
and offenses.
Public interest Real
law estate
Anylaw
legal service or advice
Legal counsel and services specifically
that pertains to real estate
directed at protecting and serving the public
interest and human rights. May include gay and for individuals,
lesbian issues, acquired immunodeficiency businesses, or
syndrome (AIDS) discrimination, discrimination
corporations.
in schools and universities, counseling
grassroots groups, providing legal services to
indigents, etc. Any legal practice that serves
the public interest fits into this category.
Securities
law
Tax
Pertains to laws, advice,
law
and legal services for
investors and financial Deals with providing legal
professionals assistance and counsel
pertaining to state and
federal (Internal Revenue
Service) tax issues.
Trusts and
estates
law
Deals solely or primarily with the
laws, services, and advice
concerning trusts and estates.
May include the creation of trust
funds, distribution of estates or
trusts, and disputes in regard to
trusts or estates, etc
 SECRETARY DRESS CODE

Shoes should be
Stick with dresses low in heel height
and skirts that are
and close-toed
knee-length.
Skirts and dresses
should be Keep jewelry
accompanied by minimal
stockings
LAWYERS DRESS CODE
Dress Code for Male Lawyers

• Formal Business Dress Code

• Casual Business Dress Code
DRESS CODE OF A WOMEN LAWYER

• Formal Dressing
• Casual Dressing
Unacceptable Clothing Image
 SETTING EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS

Have a positive Be Help others Desire to

attitude
punctual grow

Collaborate
Communicate
with
effectively
colleagues
 LEGAL TERMINOLOGIES

AFFIDAVIT- A written document that contains evidence that the person

making the affidavit swears or affirms is true. Affidavits should only contain
facts, not opinion, not argument and not personal comments or attacks. Other
documents like emails, letters, photos and even copies of text messages can be
attached to an affidavit as exhibits to support the factual statements made in the
affidavit. Evidence given to the court on an application should only be given by
properly made and filed affidavits.
 YOUR
SUBPOENA
ATTORNEY HONOUR

How you address a Master of

A document that is served on a witness
Another word for to require the witness to attend a trial to the Supreme Court (or a
‘lawyer’. give evidence on a certain day and at a Registrar if you are fighting
certain time. n or argument made to the
court. A witness who fails to show up
your lawyer’s bill or having
could be found in contempt of court and costs of a trial assessed).
could be arrested and brought to court if
the court issues a “bench warrant”. This
does not happen very often.
 PLEADING

Refers to the Notice of Civil Claim and the

Response to Civil Claim and Counterclaim
(it could also include a Third-Party Notice
and the third party’s Response). These
documents set out a party’s position on
the evidence, what the party wants the
court to order and the legal basis for why
the party should get that order.