It is a condition of authorisation that all SRA-authorised law firms must have a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) and a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA), and that these individuals must comply with regulatory duties imposed on them personally.

Now in its third edition, COLP and COFA: Compliance in Practice provides the role-holders, and anyone concerned with supporting the role-holders, with essential information about regulatory and ethical standards and compliance procedures that will support the achievement of these standards and facilitate a good working relationship with the SRA.

The fourth edition of this title features fully updated contributions from leading legal experts around the world on what directors need to be concerned about in 2022 and beyond, together with the protections available. New features of this edition include greater scrutiny of criminal vs regulatory liability, forecasting of particular trends, and the insurability of fines and penalties in the jurisdictions covered, as well as new chapters on Jersey and Guernsey (Offshore) and Sweden (Nordics). 

Risk Management in Law Firms brings together lawyers, consultants and other risk and compliance professionals to provide expert and practical guidance on essential risk management topics. Chapters cover risks relating to clients, internal operations and law and regulation, and address recent developments including issues arising from the shift to hybrid working, the increased focus on ESG and climate change, and the extended influence of clients through outside counsel guidelines.

In The Partner Remuneration Handbook, Michael Roch and Ray D’Cruz provide guidance for senior partners, managing partners, partnership boards, remuneration committees and others involved in the partner compensation process (department heads, CFOs, HRDs), on designing effective profit-sharing systems, reaching fair reward decisions efficiently and implementing motivating contribution management processes.

This Special Report examines the causes of trust disputes and explores the steps that settlors, trustees, beneficiaries and others can take during each stage of a trust’s lifecycle – design, execution, administration and termination – to reduce the risk of sparking a dispute. Filled with real-world practitioner guidance, perspective and insight on issues of critical importance to fiduciaries, trust officials and beneficiaries alike, this Special Report is essential reading.

This Special Report looks at the business drivers for sustainability in law firms and offers a practical toolkit to guide law firms on their ESG journey. It discusses how the development of robust, long-term ESG initiatives can provide law firms with manifold benefits, including the opportunity to gain competitive advantage; attract, engage and retain clients and employees; increase value and service offerings to clients; and enter new markets. 

The management of IP in the energy sector is arguably more important than ever. This Special Report looks at the challenges and opportunities that intellectual property issues present for different areas of this broad and rapidly changing sector, including upstream, downstream, renewables, digitalisation, standard essential patents and brand and reputation. It is essential reading for legal advisers and anyone in a commercial role dealing with the energy sector who is seeking a deeper understanding of the vital role intellectual property plays in shaping and achieving business objectives.

This practical guide summons lawyers, leaders and managers to greater alertness about stress-producing factors in the workplace and to more effective applications of practical responses and methods in the special conditions and circumstances of the practice of law in today’s often intense and highly competitive environment. It is written expressly for professional colleagues who want to work together in common cause to bring greater awareness to wellness needs and to minimise excessive stress or distress in the legal workplace, positively impacting workplace culture, professional relationships, firm reputation, talent retention and profitability.

Law firm practice group leadership is not for the faint hearted. As firms compete increasingly at practice group level, leaders are being asked to run their groups like business units; to develop and implement a strategic plan that supports the goals and competitiveness of the firm; and to coordinate and lead their partners to enhance the efficiency, performance, and profitability of their groups. With contributions from a wide range of experts, this second edition of Effective Practice Group Leadership builds on the first with new insights and thought leadership. The book examines the position of the practice group leader (PGL) in law firms today, the challenges of the role, and the changes to it, innovations and how modern practice groups are changing, and demonstrates the enormous contribution PGLs can make to the profitability and performance of their law firms, when armed with the tools and the authority.

The Rise of Specialist Career Paths in Law Firms is the essential guide to the plethora of career opportunities available in law firms beyond traditional fee earning. It covers more established roles such as the professional support lawyer and pro bono professional, and new, emerging career paths, including in innovation and legal operations, as well as roles that will become available in the future. Written by experts with lived experience performing these roles, chapters provide information and insights into the different opportunities available, the skills needed to thrive in these positions, the responsibilities they entail, and how to build careers in these spaces.