Final Exam

Law Office Management and Technology

If you are reading this, you are about to be locked in mortal combat with your own fear not to mention the subject matter of this course. Your palms are clammy. Perspiration drips in rivulets from your forehead and burns your eyes with a salty bite. The Bic pen given you by your aunt slips in your fingers. You grip the pen harder wishing she had given you a Parker. Greenish white blotches appear under your nails as the blood drains from your fingertips. The veins in your temples pulsate and you think you may be having a stroke. You are reassured however by the thought of your kindly professor smiling benevolently and you make a mental note to buy his next book no matter how boring it may be - maybe two or more to give as holiday gifts to your friends and family. You realize that the take home exam which is to follow is but a Zen-like challenge which will result in your personal evolution - maybe even fewer cycles on the Karmic wheel if you are successful. Not wanting to be reborn as a cockroach, you begin to read the instructions carefully.

You may use any resource except other human beings outside the class list. You may consult with each other as far as information only but not conclusions. Your conclusions must be your own. Recall from the midterm, that several pages per answer is expected. A few paragraphs will not help you much.

Graduate students must choose four of the following questions. Undergraduates must choose three questions. (Scores will be curved to account for point differences). Think broadly and try to integrate all the material from all parts of the class which will answer the questions.

1. (Worth 30 points) Explain how you would design the technology and human resources in a five partner, three paralegal, two secretary, one legal administrator law firm. You can be general without specifying specific applications but list program types. Explain how you would use the cultural principles from an earlier part of the course to incorporate incentives and protections for yourself and staff to incorporate the new systems.

a. Diagram the design of the hardware.

b. Be specific about which positions you would designate for what function.

c. Explain who (you can be creative about their backgrounds) you would choose to bring in new technology.

2. (Worth 30 points) Okay, number one was a piece of cake. Let's up the anty. What are three ethical rules which govern law office practice? Explain the difference between malpractice and an ethical violation. Explain how you would suggest protecting the integrity of both the firm trust and business accounts. Specifically, in a highly computerized environment, list and explain what ethical risks might be present in terms of the ethical considerations and what you would do to solve those problems. Make sure you mention basic record keeping requirements.

3. (Worth 30 points) Still with me? Design a query for the following fact pattern: Client X comes to your office and says that his nephew died of an overdose of illegal drugs. You are not sure how to proceed, but you believe there may be a cause of action for emotional distress of some kind. The nephew died in a NJ hospital emergency room. The corpse was lost for two days. (a) What database did you choose? (b) For each connector you use explain why you used it. (c) explain whether you would shepardize or use another service to validate the case law and why?

4. (Worth 30 points) Still with me? Explain in prose (it better be very explicit prose) or with a well executed spreadsheet how you would create a what-if scenario with the following factors:

a. Create a recapture program for expenses. List four profit centers or areas of recapture and suggest how it can be accomplished.

b. Suggest what you would change to affect profit.

5. (Worth 30 points) List and explain the benefits of CALR/ELR, CD ROM, and Internet use? What rules would you create to keep costs low? What rules would you apply to your firm for use of LEXIS?

6. (Worth 30 points) You are on the home stretch. Explain fully the difference between decentralized and centralized timebilling? Design a simple client invoice for an hourly client identifying each entry on the sheet (ie timekeeper). Be sure to assume that expenses occurred as well as 6 categories of events.

Have a Happy Hannuka, Merry Christmas, Great Ramadan, Wonderful Kwanza