Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Planning for Law Firms

Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Planning for Law Firms

By Edward Poll

(5.5"x8.5", aprox 150 pages, soft cover, Published by LawBiz® Management, Co., 2007)

It isn't a question of if your firm will face a disaster but when it will. How will you and your people respond? Disaster planning is one of the most specialized, most overlooked, and most vital business planning endeavors. The goal is to develop a recovery strategy to get your firm up and running again and thus ensure its survival.

This volume gives you the critical steps, including:

  • The essentials of a comprehensive recovery plan
  • How to create a team to plan the firm's response
  • Where legal ethics and disaster planning intersect
  • Must-dos to safeguard and support your people

Book: $67.00

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eBook: $57.00

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"This publication provides excellent guidance on how to develop plans to prepare for and respond to all types of catastrophes, whether acts of God or of man, and whether local or national in scope. Such planning can be critical to the ability to survive following such events. I highly recommend it for attorneys and law firms as a basic document on how to be prepared to respond to and recover from disasters."

– Michael Hirsch, Former FEMA Deputy General Counsel


"Although my firm is identified in these pages as a real-world example of a law firm with an effective recovery plan, Ed deserves much of the credit for the plan you'll read about. In my view, Ed is the primary architect for my colleagues' and my firm's disaster recovery plans and he was, is, and remains a driving force behind our plans. For that, we are deeply indebted."

– Tom Edwards, Executive Director of Munger, Tolles & Olson


"All firms, from sole practitioners to multi-state "Big Law" firms, can benefit from this brand new publication from law practice guru Edward Poll..."

– the King County Bar Association

1: Planning for Survival
Introduction: The Importance of Planning
The Price of Failing to Plan for the Unexpected
The Benefits of Preparedness
A Question of When - Not If

2. Defining Disaster
Definitional Overview
Addressing the Disaster Hierarchy
Incorporating Security Procedures in Firm Planning
Maintaining Flexibility

3. Creating the Process for Your Planning
How to Conceive the Plan
How to Write the Plan
How to Select the People
How to Create the Acceptance
How to Evaluate Organizational Readiness

4. Constructing the Disaster Recovery Plan
Summary Approach: A Snapshot of Critical Elements
Detailed Process: Step-by-Step in Core Areas

5. Planning for Insurance Coverage
An Issue of Balance
The Three Rs of Risk Assessment
Business Interruption Insurance
Cyberinsurance
Hurricane Insurance

6. Data Systems Planning
Comprehensive Steps to Reinforce Data Security
Specific Steps for Protecting Data and Files

7. Communications Planning
Preparing the Information
Executing the Plan
Looking Toward Recovery

8. Financial Planning
Establishing the Banking Relationship
Mastering the Lending Process
Taking Advantage of SBA Loan Guarantees
Restoring Cash and Collection Management

9. Facilities Planning
A Case Study in Facilities Recovery
The New Office Mind-set
The Virtual Office as a First Step
Securing the Office Space
Refining the TIBs
Inspecting the New Space
Defining the Details
Winning the Battle

10. Practice Planning
Ethical Considerations
Document Management Concerns
CRM Functions
Contract Lawyer Help
When Your Client Faces a Disaster: Assisting in the Recovery
The Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

11. Personnel Planning
Helping Staff and Their Families through Recovery
Help from a Virtual Assistant
Help from Temporary Employees
Help With Larger Firm Succession Planning
Help With Small Firm Succession Planning
Help With Closing a Practice

12. Getting More Information
Professional Organizations
Legal Industry Resources
Magazines and Journals
Special Reports
Web Portals and Other Online Resources
LawBiz® Management Company Resources

Appendix Including
A Real-World Planning Example: A Quick-Start Summary

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