CCOG for PL 225 archive revision 201501
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- Effective Term:
- Winter 2015
- Course Number:
- PL 225
- Course Title:
- Advanced Law Office Management
- Credit Hours:
- 3
- Lecture Hours:
- 30
- Lecture/Lab Hours:
- 0
- Lab Hours:
- 0
Course Description
Addendum to Course Description
Expands on the theories and procedures introduced in LA 124 and applies them to problems encountered in law practice management, leadership alternatives, marketing, mergers & acquisitions, partner compensation systems, and strategic planning. An elective course satisfying the requirements of either a Legal Assistant Certificate or an Associate of Applied Science degree.
Intended Outcomes for the course
The methodology used is lecture during the first four (4) weeks of the course, followed by class participation in three case studies for the
remainder of the course. Two "set-piece" case studies and an additional one selected from real life office situations are used.
Extensive materials are provided with the "set-piece" case studies for analysis after normal class hours. Two weeks are devoted to each case study: students sign up to be in one of four working teams concentrating on personnel, finance, systems or physical facilities matters. No textbook is assigned, but many handouts are available.
The last night of class is devoted to a role-playing scenario with students acting out the positions of Legal Administrator and Department
Heads. The instructor and two guests (current Legal Administrators) play the role of the law firm's Management Committee.
Outcome Assessment Strategies
Students' grades will be based upon: their understanding of lectures and handouts demonstrated in one formal test (25%); take-home tests related to case studies (20%); and participation in case studies during regular class hours (55%). Grading is objective for lectures, subjective for case studies.
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Demonstrate mastery of applying management theory to practice by:
* Identifying problems in practice management styles and systems.
* Organizing associate training, departmentalization, workload
distribution, partnership tracks and agreements.
* Implementing marketing plans.
* Analyzing prospective mergers and acquisitions.
* Computing competing compensation packages.
* Developing long-range strategies
* Facilitating the above with human relations skills and structure.