tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302146402024-03-13T14:28:31.278+02:00A blog on the future of law firms and the provision of legal services.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-59414907535498732572008-09-13T19:28:00.000+02:002008-09-13T19:28:10.571+02:00In an era of corporate belt-tightening, intranets can play a pivotal role in helping organisations cut costs. In a new paper called ’12 ways to use your intranet to cut your costs’, the Intranet Benchmarking Forum (IBF) presents some pointers and prominent examples to help organisations use their intranet to drive savings.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-58428473747741891152008-09-10T17:36:00.000+02:002008-09-10T17:36:39.752+02:00Late last month the American Bar Association gave the green light to legal outsourcing, provided that firms sending work overseas make sure that everything done beyond U.S. borders is done by the book -- including the protection of confidential information.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-509814841826725992008-08-28T20:01:00.000+02:002008-08-28T20:01:20.033+02:00A recently released report from the Eversheds international law firm discusses some conclusions for the future of the legal profession. One of the elements not really addressed in my reading of the release was the disconnect between lawyers and their clients in large corporate enterprises. Why should this be the case? Why should lawyers and the folks they represent be far apart in their thinking about the profession and how it is being conducted?Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-32467066291864596532008-08-28T19:59:00.000+02:002008-08-28T19:59:08.206+02:00One would not use farm models to manage a factory economy, and one shouldn't use factory models to manage an information economy. One hallmark of the new economy is the need to define business in terms of customers' changing needs. Defining a law firm from the producers' —the lawyer's— point of view is simply no longer workable and will have vast implications for the practice of law and the structure of law firms. Information technology enables an organization to differentiate itself along several critical dimensions: 1) time; 2) space; 3) matter; 4) substitution of electronically-based information service for high-priced labor; 5) elimination of intermediaries through direct contact with the customer; and 6) customization of product or service to the particular needs of the single individual.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-33364159233251344972008-08-28T19:57:00.000+02:002008-08-28T19:57:44.684+02:00Little has been said about the problem of the perceived commoditization of legal services. It is clear that professional service providers are suffering from a perception that what they do is a commodity. The problem is so pervasive that many professionals actually believe they are a commodity. Here are some of the contributing factors.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-68998100644251606412008-08-28T19:55:00.000+02:002008-08-28T19:55:16.661+02:00In the first of a five-part series, Keith Dugdale takes a look at how firms can begin to deal with the rapid changes that will influence their success.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-72461377993441620662008-04-12T20:33:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:33:33.882+02:00The South African legal profession is undergoing significant and permanent change – and much of it is driven by the consumer and business experience of the Internet, says ICT lawyer Reinhardt Buys.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-23918193678143413582008-04-12T20:30:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:30:07.458+02:00Transformation of the legal profession at various levels, and the issue of racism in the judiciary and the profession was sometimes the focus and often the subtext of many of the discussions at the annual general meetings of four of the six constituent members of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) that took place in October. The KwaZulu-Natal Law Society (KZNLS) held its AGM in Durban on 7 October, the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) in Vanderbijlpark on 21 October, and the Law Society of the Free State (LSFS) and the Cape Law Society (CLS) met in Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth respectively at the end of October.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-5661636093953550832008-04-12T20:29:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:29:05.232+02:00The fruits of ten years of democracy have brought widespread benefits to the traditionally established legal profession in South Africa. The liberation of South Africa, the lifting of sanctions, the opening of world markets and an open free-market economy have placed the country firmly in the global market place. Financial benefits have, as a result, flowed into the established corporate sectors of the economy. The legal profession - particularly the large, old, established, traditionally white law firms - has enjoyed these fruits of globalisation. The expanded clientele, including those who broke the sanctions and those who supported them, have turned almost exclusively to the established large white law firms for their legal work. Some slightly smaller firms have also marketed themselves astutely and cornered some of the nationally and internationally based corporate legal work.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-62327655873953333102008-04-12T20:28:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:28:07.589+02:00The forthcoming second draft of the controversial Justice Department issue paper on the rationalisation of the legal profession will canvass the position of prosecutors and public service lawyers as well as paralegals and corporate legal advisers. According to the Department's consultant and author of the first issue paper, Prof Cheryl Loots, prosecutors - whom she regarded as an important branch of the legal profession - had for too long been regarded as public servants. Similarly, paralegals had an important role to play in the delivery of legal services.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-27397353413600759272008-04-12T20:25:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:25:53.506+02:00The issues of transformation and empowerment in the legal profession, as well as the perceived racism in the judiciary, formed a common thread throughout discussions at a number of annual general meetings held during October and early November (*KwaZulu-Natal attorneys met in Durban on 8 October, the Black Lawyers Association met in Nelspruit on 23 October, the Cape Law Society gathered at the Wilderness on 30 October and Free State attorneys met in Kroonstad on 5 November. The Law Society of the Northern Provinces was due to hold its AGM at Sun City on 20 November, after this issue had gone to press, and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers met earlier this year (see 2004 (Sept) DR 14).Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-44695288363126001382008-04-12T20:22:00.000+02:002008-04-12T20:23:42.400+02:00Speaking during the debate on the President’s State of the Nation Address, Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla told Members of Parliament that government is committed to a restructured court system, a transformed judiciary and transformation of the legal sector (see 2008 (March) DR 2). In her speech in February, the Minister told MPs that a variety of stakeholders have, over the past three years, made invaluable contributions towards the transformation of the judiciary in the country. She said members of the attorneys’ profession and the bar have contributed immensely in the drafting of the Legal Services Charter, which will be tabled in Parliament this year (see also 15 of this issue). While legislation on the renaming of High Court divisions has already been put before Parliament for deliberation, the Minister said in her speech she was confident the long-awaited legislation on the restructuring ofSouth African courts will be tabled before the end of the year (see 2008 (March) DR 16). On the Traditional Courts Bill, the Minister told MPs the draft policy on the South African traditional justice system has been completed and will be put before Parliament during the course of the year. In February this year, the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) also made a written submission to the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament on the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Bill, which seeks to amend the Magistrates’ Courts Act 32 of 1994. In its submission to the committee, the LSSA called for the upgrade of infrastructure in regional courts and for proper training of judicial officers in order to deal with all the backlogs. ‘To the extent that the existing system might not meet the needs of our society, there must be transformation. Society develops and changes over time and the legalsystem must adapt to meet its needs but, at the same time, care must be taken so that the fundamental rules of justice are not compromised,’ chairperson of the LSSA’s Committee on Magistrates’ Courts, Cape Town attorney Graham Bellairs, said. He added that the LSSA and the legal profession at large support any means to further enhance the system in which access to justice is improved in order to uphold the rule of law. According to Mr Bellairs, access to justice at grassroots level is important to engender belief in and reliance on the country’s justice system. In welcoming the Minister’s speech, Mr Bellairs said the legal profession is generally supportive of the initiative taken in promulgating the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Bill.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-25377938652936198252007-10-31T07:17:00.002+02:002007-10-31T07:17:45.347+02:00The General Council of the Bar (GCB) has opposed the proposed regulation of the legal profession by the legal services charter announced by Minister of Justice Brigitte Mabandla last week. The Justice Department director-general, Menzi Simelane, said the council wanted the profession to be self-regulated, not regulated by the government. - Sunday Times website.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-32959335853631835302007-10-31T07:17:00.001+02:002007-10-31T07:17:22.654+02:00This response to the consultation is made by the City of Westminster and Holborn Law Society. In our area, firms are of all sizes and cover a wide variety of legal services. They probably handle more professional negligence and discipline cases than anywhere else in the country. Many of our members have experience of acting as disciplinary tribunal advocates, and of working in the field of international law. Our approach to this consultation is that the independence and integrity of the legal profession are fundamental to the interests of the consumer."Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-67747658567357114542007-10-31T07:17:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:17:01.082+02:00The ability of the public to participate in the legal system depends on access to the system. Access to the legal system depends on the availability of legal services. In South Africa, the distribution of practising lawyers who deliver legal services to the public is skewed as between urban and rural areas, and between the white and black sections of the population. In addition, the high cost of legal services keeps these services out of reach for the majority of the population. The majority who are poor are excluded and alienated from the justice system.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-62796857134766555282007-10-31T07:16:00.001+02:002007-10-31T07:16:34.789+02:00THE LAW SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA MAKES THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSION TO THE CONSULTATIVE FORUM ON QUALIFICATION FOR ADMISSION TO LEGAL PRACTICE AND THE REGULATION OF LEGAL PRACTICE WITH REFERENCE TO THE DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LEGAL PROFESSIONReinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-54109120311514384122007-10-31T07:16:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:16:04.045+02:00The General Council of the Bar of South Africa (henceforth 'the GCB') is the federal body for South Africa's nine constituent Bars and their 1614 member advocates ('the Bar'). It welcomes this opportunity to respond to the Discussion Paper on the transformation of the legal profession ('the paper') prepared by the Planning Unit of the Department of Justice.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-62054494575807935482007-10-31T07:15:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:15:43.989+02:00In Justice Vision 2000 it was recognised that the legal profession has to be transformed in order to be able to respond properly to the needs of all the people of South Africa and it was stated that the Department of Justice would be giving attention to the transformation of the legal profession. The main challenges identified were the need to make the legal profession representative of the diversity of South African society and the need to make the legal profession more accessible to the public. It is also necessary to effect rationalization to bring the structure of the legal profession and the laws which regulate it into line with the new constitutional dispensation and the rationalization of the High Courts.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-65321544039960254302007-10-31T07:14:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:14:26.806+02:00Thank you for the invitation to speak this evening. I am grateful for the opportunity to be in New York. Being here helps me understand what New Yorkers have experienced in the last two months. Two weeks ago, I visited the site of the World Trade Center, where I, like you, experienced a range of emotions. I saw what the near worst of human nature can do. I was moved deeply by the memorials, the flowers, the letters, the teddy bears, the photographs, and the groups of relatives of victims moving through the smoke of the ruins to visit those shrines. I wanted to say to each policeman and fireman whom I saw thank you for doing what you have done and are doing. And when I saw the relief workers, the construction workers, the clearing and the resettling, I realized that they and we will re-create order out of devastation and chaos. The events of September 11 will continue to bring us together as we learn how to respond.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-20917364410168609242007-10-31T07:12:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:12:03.785+02:00EmailPrintBar association works to put softer, friendlier face on maligned profession Did you hear the one about the lawyer? Thursday, February 08, 2007 By Joyce Gannon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette During Tom Loftus' interview four years ago for a position as director of media and public relations with the Allegheny County Bar Association, the organization's board posed this question: 'What are you going to do about lawyer jokes?'Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-1568673116770468052007-10-31T07:11:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:11:06.666+02:00The American Bar Association published a study in April 2002 on how the public views lawyers. You can download it in its entirely (free of charge) at the ABA’s website. The study is worth downloading as it clearly demonstrates that the public has a negative view of attorneys, even though many are satisfied with their lawyer’s services. Some interesting findings include.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-3682441976013059322007-10-31T07:09:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:09:49.562+02:00In order to be successful, a fledgling firm will have to incorporate modern technology into the function of its office. Whether you are looking for the necessary hardware to start your firm off on the right foot, or looking for the latest software upgrades to maximize your office efficiency, the sections below will get you to the latest news and updates for the appropriate legal technology.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-38865593523374116332007-10-31T07:07:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:07:08.216+02:00Client selection – and rejection – is the first line of defense against malpractice problems, but it has the added benefit of being a wonderful management tool for law firms. Articulated client selection procedures can: make the practice of law easier because you avoid the stress of a difficult client, minimize problems with fee collections or fee write-offs, and improve office morale by escaping the time and energy consumption caused by unreasonable and over-demanding clients.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-20256542730360606922007-10-31T07:05:00.001+02:002007-10-31T07:05:36.887+02:00Microsoft and its partners are committed to improving business performance and to helping professional services firms be more productive.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30214640.post-32926990666755545172007-10-31T07:05:00.000+02:002007-10-31T07:05:00.873+02:00I've returned from a great trip to Montreal for the Association of Legal Administrator's Conference. I had a great time at the conference and in Montreal.Reinhardt Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08039095509874739062noreply@blogger.com0