Legal Standards and Best Practices
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Quality Assurance Frameworks in Legal Services course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Legal Standards and Best Practices Glossary #
Legal Standards and Best Practices Glossary
A #
A
Accreditation #
A process by which a certification body provides formal recognition that a legal service provider meets specific standards of quality and competence.
Adherence #
The act of complying with legal standards, regulations, and best practices in the provision of legal services.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) #
A method of resolving legal disputes outside of the court system, such as through mediation or arbitration.
Anti #
Money Laundering (AML): Practices and regulations designed to prevent the illegal generation of income through fraudulent activities.
Assessment #
The evaluation of legal service providers to ensure they meet specified standards of quality and performance.
Attorney #
Client Privilege: The legal right that protects communications between an attorney and their client from disclosure to third parties.
Best Practices #
Established methods or techniques that have been proven to produce optimal results in the provision of legal services.
Benchmarking #
The process of comparing a legal service provider's performance against industry standards or competitors to identify areas for improvement.
C #
C
Code of Conduct #
A set of rules and ethical guidelines that legal professionals must adhere to in their practice.
Compliance #
The act of following laws, regulations, and internal policies to ensure that legal service providers operate ethically and within the boundaries of the law.
Confidentiality #
The legal obligation to protect sensitive information shared by clients in the course of legal representation.
Continuous Improvement #
The ongoing process of enhancing legal services through the identification and implementation of best practices.
Customer Satisfaction #
The degree to which clients are happy with the legal services they receive, often measured through surveys or feedback mechanisms.
D #
D
Data Protection #
The measures taken to safeguard sensitive client information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
Due Diligence #
A comprehensive investigation or review conducted by legal service providers to ensure compliance with legal standards and best practices.
E #
E
Ethical Standards #
The moral principles and values that guide legal professionals in their practice and interactions with clients.
External Audit #
An independent assessment of a legal service provider's operations, performance, and compliance with legal standards by a third-party auditor.
F #
F
Feedback #
Information provided by clients, stakeholders, or regulators on the quality of legal services, often used to make improvements.
Financial Compliance #
The adherence to financial regulations and reporting requirements in the provision of legal services.
G #
G
Good Governance #
The effective management and oversight of legal service providers to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.
H #
H
Human Rights Compliance #
The commitment to upholding human rights principles and standards in the delivery of legal services.
I #
I
Internal Controls #
Policies and procedures implemented by legal service providers to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with legal standards.
J #
J
Jurisdiction #
The authority granted to a legal service provider to operate within a specific geographic area or legal framework.
K #
K
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) #
Quantifiable metrics used to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of legal service providers.
L #
L
Legal Ethics #
The principles and standards of conduct that govern the behavior of legal professionals in their practice.
Legal Research #
The process of investigating legal issues, statutes, and case law to provide informed advice and representation to clients.
M #
M
Mediation #
A form of alternative dispute resolution in which a neutral third party facilitates negotiations between parties to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
N #
N
Non #
Disclosure Agreement (NDA): A contract that legally binds parties to keep certain information confidential and prohibits its disclosure to third parties.
O #
O
Outsourcing #
The practice of contracting specific legal services to external providers to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
P #
P
Professional Development #
The ongoing process of acquiring new skills, knowledge, and expertise to enhance the quality of legal services.
Q #
Q
Quality Assurance #
The systematic process of ensuring that legal services meet established standards of quality and performance.
R #
R
Regulatory Compliance #
The adherence to laws, rules, and regulations governing the provision of legal services.
S #
S
Service Level Agreement (SLA) #
A contract that defines the terms of service between a legal service provider and a client, including performance metrics and expectations.
Stakeholder Engagement #
The process of involving clients, employees, regulators, and other stakeholders in decision-making to improve legal services.
T #
T
Training and Development #
Programs designed to enhance the skills, knowledge, and competencies of legal professionals to meet changing client needs and industry standards.
U #
U
Unbundled Legal Services #
The practice of offering discrete legal services to clients instead of full representation, allowing for more affordable and flexible legal assistance.
V #
V
Vendor Management #
The oversight of external providers of legal services to ensure they meet quality standards and regulatory requirements.
W #
W
Work Product #
The tangible output of legal services, such as contracts, briefs, and legal opinions, which represent the work performed on behalf of clients.
X #
X
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) #
A standard for creating custom information formats to facilitate the exchange of data between legal service providers and clients.
Y #
Y
Year #
End Review: An annual assessment of a legal service provider's performance, achievements, and challenges to inform strategic planning for the following year.
Z #
Z
Zero Tolerance #
A policy that mandates immediate action against any violation of legal standards, ethical guidelines, or best practices within a legal service provider.