Liverpool-based law firm Legal Risk launched an e-mail based risk management tool designed with input from business psychologists this week.

The electronic questionnaire aimed specifically at law firms is based on the most common causes of insurance claims and is completed by all staff on an anonymous basis, to draw out areas of risk within a firm.


Mawdsley: years of experience

Partners, assistants, paralegals and support staff answer questions composed with the help of a business psychologist, to establish their level of understanding of the firm’s systems and procedures.

Legal Risk then collates the answers and issues a report giving details of areas where staff showed a lack of understanding. The report provides a detailed breakdown of the percentage and level of staff in individual departments that are experiencing difficulty in certain areas, though at present it does not reveal the responses of individual members of staff.


The questionnaire was launched as a paper-based service for a year, but following a successful electronic pilot in five law firms, it has now been launched as an e-mail service.


Typical risk management issues arising in firms include lack of understanding of electronic diary and calendar systems, procedures for time off sick, and lack of knowledge of certain areas of the law such as money-laundering regulations or environmental law. Staff often showed a surprising lack of knowledge about the firm’s ethos or long-term strategy.


Legal Risk partner Sue Mawdsley said: ‘At Legal Risk we have many years’ experience in professional indemnity and so we have a lot of information about what goes wrong in firms. Our questionnaire is aimed at identifying not just what is going on in firms, but also any cultural issues within firms.’