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Career Talk- Prepare an ‘Emergency Management Kit’

for Unforeseen Challenges

by Charles Volkert, Esq.

As every legal administrator knows, handling ordinary, predictable events is challenging enough. In any given week, administrators deal with a wide variety of concerns, including the deployment of legal support staff, firm management, implementation of technological resources and strategic planning. When an unforeseen crisis occurs within this already high-pressure environment, it can severely test an administrator’s ability to take on additional duties while still managing routine matters.

That’s why it’s important for administrators to develop an “emergency management kit.” Much as a first-aid kit helps individuals deal with physical mishaps and accidents, an emergency management (EM) kit will enable administrators to respond swiftly and effectively to even the most unexpected turn of events, minimizing disruption and allowing the firm to rebound quickly.

Instead of tweezers, gauze and bandages, an EM kit should contain information, such as flow charts, plans and written instructions, that will minimize the upheaval and uncertainty that unforeseen challenges can cause. While it’s impossible (and somewhat distressing) to imagine every possible scenario that could impact a law office, one effective approach is to consider the following broad categories of emergencies.

·  Technological

The list of calamities includes security breaches, data theft, unauthorized use of equipment, systemwide failure and networking difficulties that prevent the receipt or transmission of data. The administrator, managing partners and the firm’s IT director should together discuss each scenario and what the firm’s response will be. For example, in the event of a security breach, the plan could provide for the protection of confidential material, the creation of new firewalls or a change of encryption methods. Whatever the plan, it will become part of the EM kit, along with critical contact information for relevant outside service providers, such as data recovery specialists, network architects and hardware and software vendors. The EM kit should also contain provisions for the storage of data and equipment, such as the use of backup tapes, procedures for ensuring proper software updates are made, and a method for keeping track of laptops, BlackBerrys and other mobile equipment.

·  Staffing

An experienced paralegal quits without notice in the midst of a major case. A junior associate on parental leave decides not to return to the firm. The firm lands a high-profile litigation case when staff members are already stretched to the limit. These are but a few of the unpredictable challenges that an administrator might have to confront that concern hiring, retention and attrition. The EM kit, therefore, should contain contact information for recruiters, specialized staffing services and legal professionals available to work on a short-term or per-project basis. Having this information at the ready will enable the administrator to immediately call for backup so productivity doesn’t suffer.

·  Firm Management

The unexpected loss of a key player — whether to illness, death, change in professional plans or burnout — can rock a firm to its foundations. The EM kit will help the firm take such a development in stride because it will contain a succession plan for every critical position within the firm. The plan should include provisions for training and grooming likely successors within the firm or the hiring of interim professionals if a prolonged search for a replacement is anticipated.

·  Disaster planning

This category includes unavoidable, large-scale events, such as a fire, earthquake, hurricane, flood or tornado. The EM kit must contain not only guidelines for responding to the initial disaster but also a plan for coordinating dispersed staff members, recovering equipment and continuing with business in the aftermath of such an emergency. While these types of challenges are perhaps less likely to occur than, say, staff turnover or a computer crash, it’s nonetheless vital that administrators make sure their firms are prepared.

To assemble an emergency management kit, administrators must take the time to envision a variety of crises and what the firm’s response should be in each instance. They will then be able to gather the resources required, develop detailed action plans and make sure appropriate response procedures are in place. With this material at hand, legal administrators can return to business as usual, confident that they’re prepared to handle virtually any challenge.

Charles Volkert, Esq. is executive director of Robert Half Legal®, a legal staffing service specializing in the placement of legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major cities throughout the United States and Canada.