Legal Department Service Level Agreement
As businesses grow and evolve, their legal needs become increasingly complex. That`s why many companies choose to create a legal department to manage legal affairs. However, to ensure that the legal department is delivering the required services effectively, it`s essential to establish a service level agreement (SLA).
A legal department SLA is a contractual agreement between the legal department and the rest of the company. The SLA outlines the services the legal department will provide to the company and the level of service that the company can expect. This agreement is a critical document that can help the legal department set clear expectations, improve communication and collaboration, and establish performance metrics to measure and improve the department`s effectiveness.
Creating a Legal Department Service Level Agreement
To create a legal department SLA, here are some steps to follow:
1. Identify the Legal Services Your Company Needs
To create an effective SLA, the legal department must first develop a clear understanding of the company`s legal needs. This may involve conducting a legal audit of the company`s activities, identifying potential legal risks, and reviewing previous legal issues.
2. Define the Scope of Legal Services
Once the legal department has identified the company`s legal needs, it`s essential to define the scope of legal services that the legal department will provide. This may include drafting and negotiating contracts, providing legal advice and guidance, managing litigation, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
3. Set Performance Metrics
To ensure that the legal department provides high-quality service, the SLA should include performance metrics that track key legal department activities, such as contract turnaround time, litigation management, and regulatory compliance. These metrics are crucial as they provide a baseline for measuring the department`s performance and improving its efficiency.
4. Establish Communication Protocols
Effective communication is critical to the success of any SLA. To ensure that the legal department is meeting the needs of the company, the SLA should establish clear communication protocols between the legal department and the rest of the company.
5. Establish Escalation Procedures
Inevitably, there will be times when issues arise or disagreements occur, and the SLA should provide a process for escalation. This process should provide clear guidance on how to escalate issues, who to escalate them to, and how they will be resolved.
Conclusion
A legal department service level agreement is an essential document that can help the legal department deliver high-quality legal services to the company. It provides clear expectations, performance metrics, and communication protocols that can help the legal department and the company work together effectively. If you`re part of a legal department, it`s crucial to consider creating an SLA to help ensure that your legal services are meeting the needs of your company.