These days, the structure of most modern law firms is made such that four departments are almost always present. We will be taking a look at each of these departments in turn. In the process, we will try to gain some insight on what roles these departments play in the overall operation of the law firm. We will also be seeking to have some understanding of the types of members of staff you are likely to find in each department. Worth mentioning is the fact that, in some law firms, these departments are not clearly delineated as departments, complete with their own departmental heads. But even if there is only one person in a department and there really is no clear naming of a department done, there is no escaping the fact that the department does exist. The convergence of departmental functions is also not unheard of. This results to instances when, in smaller firms, one person could end up doing the work of two departments. Bigger law firms are more organized in this regard, however. They have a clear organizational structure, with department heads and staff properly identified in order to facilitate the equitable division of labor.
First of all, every modern law firm is expected to have a department for its main operations department. This is known as the legal department. The legal department is where the main operations or earning activities of the firm are centered. This is where you will find the partners and the associates of the firm. These partners and associates are the lawyers of the firm who do all the profit-oriented work: consultation with clients, representing their legal interests and working on legal documents, among others. Providing support for the partners and associates are often legal assistants and interns. Unlike the lawyers, these legal assistants are not qualified to practice law even if they are undergoing legal training. The last group of people you will find in the legal department is that of paralegals who help the attorneys with 'routine tasks.'
The second department that you can expect to find in every modern law firm is the administrative and secretarial department. The lawyers are often assigned specific secretaries to assist them. The secretaries all fall under this department, as well as the members of the firm's typing pool. In larger firms, it is normal to find some human resource officers. They also fall within the administrative department. Often, security guards, messengers and liaison officers also belong in the administrative department. In many cases, even the coffee and tea girls at the reception area are placed under this department.
The third department that you can expect to find every modern law practicing firm is the information technology (IT) department. It is now important for law practices to be 'online', so now they are expected to have their own network. It becomes necessary, at some point, to have someone or a group of people in the bigger law firms to maintain the computers.
Modern law firms nowadays also have their own department in charge of the accounting and finance aspect of the practice. This department will take care of the financial aspect of the company, making records of the receipts and disbursements and compiling financial reports of the law firm.
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