YEE, BSOA 3-B - REVIEWER

Discussion on LEGAL OFFICE PROCEDURE

• PAO - Public Attorneys Office

• Civil Cases - protection of rights

• Criminal Cases - ex. Murder

• Law Firms/Offices

* Staffs

1. Legal Secretary - clerical works,

2. Law Clerk / Legal Researcher - Research those cases related to their cases & making drafts

3. Law librarian - maintaining the safety, custody of books.

Advantages of working on a large law firm :

1. High salaries and generous compensation packages.

2. Sophisticated and challenging work.

3. Large support staff.

4. Luxurious offices in prime location.

Advantages in small firm/ law office:

1. They enjoy working closely with highly talented people in a less formal atmosphere.

2. They have the opportunities to do some work in clerks and library.

3. They work only for two or more attorneys.

4. They prefer varied responsibilities.

5. Flexibility in rules and regulations.

Qualification of Legal secretaries :

Previlege communication

* Discretion * Loyalty * Adaptability * Initiative * Judgment * Accuracy * Flexibility * Appearance

* Hygiene * Good manner

Administrative duties and responsibilities

1. Takes dictation by machine or shorthand and transcribe The same accurately.

2. Types correspondence, reports, memos, etc.

3. Performs accounting functions.

4. Maintain files/ records.

5. Places and answers telephone calls.

6. Serves as receptionist.

7. Handles appointments.

8. Arranges travels and meetings.

Telephone caller Etiquette

1. Speak clearly.

2. Use your normal tone of voice when answering the call.

3. Do not eat or drink when you're on telephone duty.

4. Do not use slang words or poor language.

5. Address the caller properly.

6. Listen to the caller and to what they have to say.

7. Be patient and helpful.

8. Be warm, friendly, and consistent.

9. Always ask if you can put the caller on hold.

10. Always focus on the call.

11. Let the caller hang up first.

Telephone message is a message received over the phone and was transcribe for records, files, and notification purpose.

Complete telephone indicate ¹ who called, ² time of the call, ³ telephone numbers, ⁴ message, and ⁵ name of the company.

Steps in handling incoming calls. Steps in making outgoing calls

1. Answer the calls frankly. 1. You have to prepare

2. Always identify yourself properly. 2. Identify yourself (name, company name, contact details)

3. Screen the caller tackfully. 3. Identify your purpose

4. Offer to help the caller. 4. Review the call

5. Terminate the call courteously

TIPS IN HANDLING CLIENTS

1. Greeting Clients/Visitors – All visitors should be greeted promptly and courteously.

2. Be Friendly – Greet the visitor with a cheerful smile and acordial word.

3. Be Attentive – When a visitor arrives, stop your other workand give him your undivided attention.
4. Ask Necessary Questions – Opening lines are very useful in establishing a good feeling and help you to find out what you need
to know in order to serve the caller.
Questions such as the following will provide helpful leadsfor you:

• May I help you?

• Whom do you wish to see?
• Whom do you represent?
• Do you have an appointment?

HANDLING APPOINTMENTS
What is an APPOINTMENT? – An arrangement to meet someone at a particular place and time.

- An appointment may recur

- CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE – It is essential that the appointment records of the attorney and secretary be coordinated
especially in large offices where one handles a great deal of litigation. All dates, deadlines, meetings, seminars, court appearances
and the like must be entered in a central office calendar. A good tool for keeping the attorney “on track" is the daily schedule. The
legal secretary should prepare a daily schedule each morning of appointments for that day, as well as items that are coming due
within the week.

MAKING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

The attorney will often be required to travel to other locations, either local or abroad. Many details have to be taken care of, both
before he leaves and while he is away.

DETAILS OF TRIP

In order to prepare intelligently for the attorney’s journey, the secretary must know when the attorney will leave, where he will be
going, how long he will stay in different places, and the date of his return. All the arrangements depend on this information.
Generally, advanced reservations are advisable when travelling so the earlier you make them, the better.

AIR TRAVEL:
is the most popular method of transportation for business trips to destinations more than 200 miles away. Most business people
prefer to fly because flying takes less time than any other method of travel. If your boss is a frequent traveler, you may find it
convenient to keep an up to date timetable of the airlines serving your area. Another useful source of flight information is the
Official Airline Guide, which contain flight schedule for all the airlines, is revised periodically during the year.
3 WAYS IN MAKING A TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT:

• Travel Department of the Company

• Travel Agency
• Personal arrangement

TRAVELING BY CAR:

For shorter trips to areas that are difficult to reach by air, your employer may prefer to drive. If your company provides a car for
employees traveling on business, you should call ahead of time to reserve the car. When a personal car is used for business
purposes, you or your employer may have to complete or accomplish a travel authorization form or Trip Ticket. This form usually
calls forthe name of the driver, the destination, the purpose of trip, the date and time of the departure, date of return, and the
estimate of the round-trip mileage. The travel authorization form must be submitted so that the driver can receive payment for car
expenses.

FOREIGN TRAVEL:
Foreign travel requires careful planning because of differences in time zones, currency, and customs. For this reason, you will
probably find the services of a reliable travel agent very helpful. The travel agent can tell you what special travel documents (such
as visas, travel permits, passports) your employer will need, where and how to obtain them.
SAFE TRAVEL TIPS (The following are just some of the useful travel tips that equally apply to both business travelers and tourists):
1. Make sure to have a valid Passport and Visa. Carry a copy of passport with you while you are in the country you are visiting.
2. Review the entry requirements of the country of destination.
3. Check seasonal weather conditions of the country you're going to.
4. Know about the currency exchange rate.
5. Know the different international dialing codes.
6. Choose a safe and secure hotel.
7. Remember to leave contact information with family and friends so they can get in
touch with you.
8. Make your own research so you will be familiar about your place of destination.

THE ITINERARY:

Usually includes a detailed plan for the trip. An ITINERARYnormally contains the following:
1. Traveler’s information like name, address, contact details, travel date, time, airlines, flight details.
2. Accommodation/Hotel’s details for all hotel reservations
3. Date, time and location of meetings, and the names of thepeople with whom meetings are scheduled.

RESPONSIBILITIES IN YOUR EMPLOYERS ABSENCE:

While your Supervisor/Manager is out of town, you will be responsible for keeping the office running and
operating smoothly. You should take special care in performing your regular duties. If something happens
that you cannot handle, check to see if someone else in the company can help you. Be open to possibilities that you may be
needing help or assistance from your workmates.

Philippine Legal Documents

In the Philippines, various legal documents serve different purposes, governed by laws and regulations.
The following are some common types of Philippine legal documents, their definitions, and general formats:

CONTRACT: A legally binding agreement between two or more parties outlining mutual obligations, enforceable by law.
Common Types:
• Deed of Sale: A document transferring ownership of property from one party to another.
• Lease Agreement: A contract allowing the use of a property for a specified period in exchange for rent.
• Employment Contract: An agreement between employer and employee outlining the terms of employment.
• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): A confidentiality agreement between parties to protect sensitive information.

AFFIDAVIT: A sworn written statement made voluntarily under oath or affirmation, used as evidence in legal proceedings.
Common Types:

• Affidavit of Loss: A statement declaring the loss of a document or item.

• Affidavit of Desistance: A sworn statement withdrawing a legal complaint.
• Affidavit of Support: A document stating financial support for a person (often used in immigration).
• Affidavit of Waiver/Quitclaim: A statement where an individual waives or renounces claims or rights.

POWERS OF ATTORNEY: A legal document authorizing one person (the agent) to act on behalf of another person (the principal) in
legal or financial matters.
Common Types:
• General Power of Attorney (GPA): Grants broad authority to the agent for a range of activities.
• Special Power of Attorney (SPA): Limits the agents authority to specific acts, such as selling property or managing a bank
account.

REAL ESTATE DOCUMENTS: Documents related to the sale, lease, or transfer of property rights in the Philippines.

Common Types:
• Deed of Absolute Sale: Transfers full ownership of real estate from seller to buyer.
• Contract to Sell: A preliminary contract where the seller agrees to sell and the buyer agrees to buy under certain conditions.
• Lease Contract: An agreement between a lessor and lessee for the rental of property.

WILLS: A legal document specifying how a persons assets and property will be distributed after their death.
Common Types:
• Notarial Will: A will executed in the presence of a notary public and witnesses.

• Holographic Will: A will written entirely in the handwriting of the testator (person making the will) without needing witnesses.

CERTIFICATES: Official documents verifying certain facts or statuses

Common Types:

• Certificate of Live Birth: Official record of a person's birth.

• Certificate of Marriage: Legal record of marriage.
• Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR): Certifies that a person has not been married.
• Certificate of Employment: A document issued by an employer confirming employment status.

LEGAL PLEADINGS: Documents filed with a court to initiate or respond to litigation

Common Types:
• Complaint: The document that initiates a lawsuit.
• Answer: A formal response by the defendant to the complaint.
• Motion: A request made to the court for a specific ruling or order.
• Petition: A formal written request to the court for a specific relief (e.g., Petition for Annulment).

*Digitalization (technology)

*Soft copies & hard copies

*Offices has a database

*Recent developments in automation*

1. Document automation - template/s (ready made format)

2. E-filing and online work system

3. Legal Research Automation - Artificial Intelligence (AI)

4. Case and client management systems

5. Chat boots and client interaction - more convenient than channels

Challenges and Consideration

1. Expenses & Cost

2. Adaptation to technology or your ability to adapt

3. Data Privacy - safety of our personal information

Future trends

1. Zoom

2. Skype

Filing and record management

Filing - a system or arranging and storing

Types of Records

1. Active client card file

2. Inactive client record

3. Master card file

4. Miscellaneous file

5. Personal file

Location of filing

1. Centralized filing - is the location of all active files under the control of one or more staff.

2. Decentralized filing - occurs when files are located in a number of locations under the control of a number people .

Records Retention

Retention Periods (reasons and considerations)

1. Operational - usefulness of a record in a conduct of organization business

2. Legal - usefulness of a record in a complying with statutes and regulations as evidence in legal procedures.

3. Fiscal - the usefulness of a record in serving as documentation of the financial transactions of a organization

4. Research - the usefulness of a record in providing research filing

5. Historical - determination that records possessed current or future value in clarifying the history or organization.