Law Firm Management, Administration and Human Resources
This domain tests how a firm organises people and workflow: who supervises whom, how work is allocated and reviewed, and what statutory duties attach to staff. Questions often present a supervision failure and ask you to identify the management and regulatory consequences.
Governance versus management
Partners or the owner set strategy, admit new partners and approve budgets; the managing partner runs the firm day to day. Delegation must be to a named person with stated authority limits, for example no settlement above an agreed figure without partner approval.
Supervision as a control
- Every file has one supervising lawyer accountable for it.
- Junior letters, pleadings and advices are reviewed before dispatch, and the review is noted on the file.
- Interns and new lawyers are never left unsupervised in court or in client meetings.
- Diaries are checked weekly by someone other than the fee-earner.
Employment and statutory compliance
- Labour Act 2003 (Act 651): written particulars of employment, minimum 15 working days annual leave, notice and fair termination procedure, maternity protection, and a bar on unfair termination.
- National Pensions Act 2008 (Act 766): Tier 1 employer contribution to SSNIT and Tier 2 to an approved trustee; PAYE deducted and remitted to the Ghana Revenue Authority.
- Confidentiality survives the employment relationship; operate an exit checklist covering return of files, devices and keys, plus a written confidentiality undertaking.
Worked example
A second-year associate, unsupervised, writes to an opponent admitting liability in a land dispute. Reasoning: supervision is the firm's responsibility, not the junior's alone. The supervising partner is informed at once; the client is told candidly and advised on damage control; the firm notifies its professional indemnity insurer of a potential claim; all outgoing correspondence in the matter is reviewed; the delegation protocol is rewritten with sign-off requirements. The lesson the examiner wants is that supervision is a management system, not personal diligence.
Traps that cost marks
Engaging staff as consultants to avoid SSNIT and PAYE. Relying on an open-door culture with no written record of review. Partners who keep files entirely to themselves so no one can step in during illness or travel. No exit protocol, so client documents leave with departing staff.