The Gazette 1993

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1993

P R E S I D E N T ' S

M E S S A G E

Quality - Our Competitive Edge

A frequent theme of conversation with lawyers from various countries over my term as President has been the increased difficulty being experienced by law firms in maintaining levels of profitability. In addition, lawyers generally find that they must strive harder to provide the service demanded of them by their clients. Competition for areas of work has increased from both within and without the profession and, as the recession persists world- wide, areas of work continue to shrink, while clients are becoming more sophisticated, demanding and discern- ing. This increased competition means that we now need to concentrate more than ever on the quality of the service that we, as lawyers, provide. In Ireland, the solicitors' profession is giving serious attention to the whole question of quality and quality standards, following the example of our commercial clients who already well appreciate the importance of achieving the highest standards of quality and Conference of the Society which took place in Connemara last May. The guest speakers had already become involved in applying quality standards and were unanimous in their view that the exercise had improved the service they provided to clients. I believe that it is now time ! for all firms in Ireland to seriously • consider the quality of the service they offer, to realistically evaluate this service and to take steps to improve it. Quality, insofar as the service being offered by any firm of solicitors is concerned, would seem to me to involve the following components: 1. Quality of service - each contact client care as part of their public relations and marketing strategy. "Quality - the Competitive Edge" - was the theme of this year's Annual

quality concept and whether or not the Society itself should promulgate Practice Management Standards (PMS). Already some practices are looking at the possibility Of acquiring the Irish standard - the Q mark; the English standard - BS5750, or the European standard 1S09000. These formal standards cannot be achieved without a comprehensive effort on behalf of all members of any particular firm over a considerable period of time but, as we were reliably informed at the Annual Conference, the effort is well worthwhile. PMS on the other hand, could provide firms with the opportunity to set their own standards of client care and quality in the first instance, after which they could then go on to consider applying for the formal standards if they wished. PMS would not consist of procedures and systems being prescribed but rather would identify the key disciplines in which firms should establish standards to suit their needs and those of their clients. The Society would assist firms interested in this approach by pro- viding documentation, seminars etc. The concept of quality is one that will be promoted by the Society at every opportunity from here on. The Practice Management Committee hopes to stage a series of lectures and workshops around the country over the coming months. 1 urge every practitioner to think about the quality of service he or she is offering to clients and how it might be improved. Improving individual standards will, in turn, improve the general standard of the profession and result in an improvement in our

The Irish quality standard - the Q Mark.

2. Quality of management - In our practices we must develop systems and procedures to facilitate time management, finance management and case management so that efficiency and communication with clients on an ongoing basis can be achieved and maintained. 3. Qualify of premises and facilities - our offices, technology systems, filing systems, accounting systems and libraries must be the very best that we can afford. Unfortunately, a quality service cannot be achieved effortlessly. Detailed procedures and systems must be put in place. This involves individual solicitors devoting a specific period of time to concentrate on the establishment or improvement of such procedures and systems. In many cases this may mean the practitioner adopting a completely new frame of mind in relation to the running of his practice. However, the adoption of quality standards can bring a good return on the time invested and lead to more profitable practices. In addition to examining the concept of quality at the Annual Conference, the Law Society has also been involved throughout this year in considering how best to promote the

reputation and standing. Ensuring that clients receive a good service is the best kind of public relations that we can engage in as a profession. •

with our clients must involve the highest standard of efficiency and courtesy possible, coupled with a thorough understanding of the client's needs.

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Raymond Monahan President

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