ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION FOR LAW FIRMS: SIGNED, NOTARIZED, DELIVERED (DEMO)
Of their lawyers, law firms expect nothing but the best representation available for their clients. It’s a plus when the practice surpasses world standards in ways that underline its quality service. In an article for the International Bar Association, corporate lawyer Oleksiy Bezhevets wrote that law firms aiming for the ISO 9001 certification label have a lot of work cut out for them.
![Law firm processes standardization]()
Some people may think that ISO9001 is only for manufacturing or technology-based companies, but it can actually apply to any business, especially law firms. One Chicago-based law practice proved this right when a major certification auditor awarded it the ISO9001:2008 standard – the first in the international legal services circuit – back in 2009. With the impending activation of the ISO9001:2015 standards, law firms may need to set a higher bar, which is possible with the help of bodies such as the International Standards Authority, Inc. (ISA).
QMS
The heart of every ISO certification 9001 program is determining whether current processes governed or not by a quality management system (QMS) pass muster. This includes documentation and the list of processes to be executed. Bezhevets said his firm dealt with the problem early on by reviewing and tweaking various organic documents in their workplace, including the HR management plan, company rules and regulations, IT systems, and accounting for plans and forms management, among others.
Participation
A company undergoing ISO certification will often need the participation of all employees. They may be assigned to outline their work functions in a process document that’s part of a master workflow plan. Law firms have unique challenges in this matter, especially in terms of cataloguing clients’ evidence for their courtroom exhibits.
Backtracking Audits
The action doesn’t stop when there’s an ISO9001 distinction; a trusted ISO auditor will be tasked to come back to the company according to a periodic timetable to check on the implementation of standardized work processes. Bezhevets said his firm audits every quarter, and the workload will be based around acting on issues the previous session uncovered. Impartiality is assured when the company assigns a different auditor to look after the firm.
There’s nothing wrong with challenging your team to be better as far as performance and standards go. Learning to implement checks and balances as part of quality standards programs offered by ISO 9001 auditors like ISA can improve the law firm’s capability to better chronicle its representation.
(Source: Law firm processes standardization, International Bar Association)
Some people may think that ISO9001 is only for manufacturing or technology-based companies, but it can actually apply to any business, especially law firms. One Chicago-based law practice proved this right when a major certification auditor awarded it the ISO9001:2008 standard – the first in the international legal services circuit – back in 2009. With the impending activation of the ISO9001:2015 standards, law firms may need to set a higher bar, which is possible with the help of bodies such as the International Standards Authority, Inc. (ISA).
QMS
The heart of every ISO certification 9001 program is determining whether current processes governed or not by a quality management system (QMS) pass muster. This includes documentation and the list of processes to be executed. Bezhevets said his firm dealt with the problem early on by reviewing and tweaking various organic documents in their workplace, including the HR management plan, company rules and regulations, IT systems, and accounting for plans and forms management, among others.
Participation
A company undergoing ISO certification will often need the participation of all employees. They may be assigned to outline their work functions in a process document that’s part of a master workflow plan. Law firms have unique challenges in this matter, especially in terms of cataloguing clients’ evidence for their courtroom exhibits.
Backtracking Audits
The action doesn’t stop when there’s an ISO9001 distinction; a trusted ISO auditor will be tasked to come back to the company according to a periodic timetable to check on the implementation of standardized work processes. Bezhevets said his firm audits every quarter, and the workload will be based around acting on issues the previous session uncovered. Impartiality is assured when the company assigns a different auditor to look after the firm.
There’s nothing wrong with challenging your team to be better as far as performance and standards go. Learning to implement checks and balances as part of quality standards programs offered by ISO 9001 auditors like ISA can improve the law firm’s capability to better chronicle its representation.
(Source: Law firm processes standardization, International Bar Association)