Knowledge sharing, training key in cutting legal costs
KNOWLEDGE sharing and training initiatives are crucial in minimising legal costs and fostering a proactive approach to legal matters within an organisation. By equipping employees with the necessary legal knowledge and empowering them to address issues internally, companies can avoid potential legal risks, thereby minimise reliance on expensive external legal counsel.
Internal training programmes
Implementing targeted training programmes on legal matters is essential in ensuring employees are well-informed and equipped to handle legal issues within their roles. These programmes can cover topics such as compliance, contract management, intellectual property, data protection and other relevant areas of law. By educating employees on legal best practices and potential pitfalls, organisations empower their workforce to identify and address legal issues before they escalate, reducing the need for external legal assistance and associated costs.
These internal trainings can be done by external counsel so that you also get an apt and up-to-date legal position. The law is rapidly changing, so you need to ensure that your teams are competently trained on how best to adapt and stay compliant.
Legal resources and self-help materials
Provide employees with access to comprehensive legal resources and self-help materials that are tailored to their roles. This can include legal handbooks, reference guides, frequently asked questions and online platforms that contain relevant legal information. There are many paid platforms online that you can subscribe to and have access to up-to-date resources on various areas of your choice.
There are also platforms that post various case law authorities for free which your team can access. The Judiciary Service Commission publishes court judgments regularly. The same with the Zimbabwe Legal Information Institute, where you can access statutes and case law authorities, including some legal texts and articles, for free. By making these resources easily accessible, employees can find answers to common legal queries and take appropriate steps to handle routine legal matters independently.
This reduces reliance on external legal counsel for routine tasks, saving on unnecessary legal fees.
Establish internal legal experts:
Encourage and support employees with legal backgrounds or expertise to act as internal legal resources. These individuals can provide advice, guidance and training to their colleagues based on their legal knowledge and experience. By utilising internal legal experts, organisations can address legal matters quickly and efficiently, saving time and cutting costs associated with engaging external legal counsel.
Internal legal counsel can also guide you on when it is necessary to engage external lawyers. They can also guide you on the cost implications.
Crossfunctional collaboration and communication
Break silos in your organisation. Foster a culture of collaboration and communication among different departments and teams. Encourage regular knowledge sharing sessions, where employees can discuss legal issues they have encountered and share lessons learned. This allows for a collective understanding of potential legal risks and opens up opportunities for collaboration in addressing legal matters.
By promoting communication among employees, organisations can tap into the internal expertise available and reduce the need for external legal support.
Legal helpdesks and hotlines
Establish a legal helpdesk or hotline where employees can seek guidance or clarification on legal matters. This creates a channel for workers to address their legal concerns directly, ensuring that potential issues are identified and handled early.
Helpdesks can be staffed with legal professionals or supported by external legal service providers, giving guidance to employees on legal matters of varying complexity. This offers a cost-effective solution, as routine legal questions can be addressed internally, reducing the need for full-scale engagement of external legal counsel.
Regular legal updates:
Keep employees informed about legal developments that may impact their roles or the organisation as a whole. This can be done through regular newsletters, training sessions or email updates on changes in laws, regulations or industry practices.
By keeping employees apprised of legal updates, organisations can proactively address any potential compliance issues or adapt their processes to align with new legal requirements. This helps minimise legal risks and avoids costs associated with reactive legal interventions.
Fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and providing training on legal matters are crucial to minimise legal costs. By equipping employees with the necessary legal knowledge, institutions empower their workforce to address legal issues internally, reducing reliance on external legal counsel.
By preventing legal issues before they arise or addressing them internally, companies can save on unnecessary legal fees and ensure legal risks are managed efficiently.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The material contained in this article is set out in good faith for general guidance in the spirit of raising legal awareness on topical interests that affect most people on a daily basis. They are not meant to create an attorney-client relationship or constitute solicitation. No liability can be accepted for loss or expense incurred as a result of relying in particular circumstances on statements made in the article. Laws and regulations are complex and liable to change, and readers should check the current position with the relevant authorities before making personal arrangements.
◆ Arthur Marara is a practising attorney, author, human capital trainer, business speaker, thought leader, law lecturer, consultant, legal proctor (UZ) and a notary public and conveyancer. He has vast experience in law. He is passionate about promoting legal awareness and access to justice. He writes in his personal capacity. You can follow him on social media (Facebook Attorney Arthur Marara), WhatsApp him on +263780055152 or email attorneyarthurmarara@gmail.com