Legal Review & Development Policy PDF

Legal Review & Development Policy 1. APPROVAL BLOCK APPROVALS TITLE SIGNATURE/DATE Prepared By: Office Manager Reviewed By: Legal Operations Manager Reviewed By: Reviewed By: Orga...

Legal Review & Development Policy 1. APPROVAL BLOCK APPROVALS TITLE SIGNATURE/DATE Prepared By: Office Manager Reviewed By: Legal Operations Manager Reviewed By: Reviewed By: Organizational Development Manager Approved By: Founder & Managing Partner 2. PURPOSE This policy establishes a consistent system of review and feedback to support the ongoing development of the legal team’s expertise, in line with SKP’s commitment to mentorship. The legal team will receive rigorous legal guidance and feedback as they provide comprehensive legal services to the Firm’s clients. This policy also ensures that achievements are acknowledged and supports informed decision-making on skills development, training and workshops to further enhance the team’s capabilities. Important Note: This policy and its associated procedures are part of the firm’s ongoing, collaborative development process. Upon implementation, stakeholders are encouraged to contribute feedback, and any collectively approved amendments will be incorporated into this document as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. 3. DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS General Legal Review: Comprehensive review of Legal Matters typically conducted by Heads of Practice.  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures Matter-Specific Reviews: Designated Senior Associates or Lead Associates review and provide guidance on specified legal matters in accordance with this policy. ▪ Effective 20242025, these reviews shall entail: ▪ MOM’s – MOSD: - Articles of Association Amendments. - Dissolution of an Association. - Minutes of Meeting (amending authorized signatories). - General Assembly Extraordinary Meetings. ▪ MOM’s – CCD: - Merger & Acquisition. - Sensitive share transfer. - Capital increase or decrease. - Formatted: Font: Garamond, 14 pt, Complex Script Font: 14 pt Legal Mentors: Designated Heads of Practice, Senior Associates or Lead Associates who conduct general legal reviews and provide legal guidance in accordance with this policy. ▪ Effective November 2024 the designated Legal Mentors are: ▪ General Reviews : Advocate Safaa Karajah- L& A Head of Practice. ▪ Matter- Specific Reviews: o MOM’s – MOSD: Advocate Tareq Abu Dalu- Senior Associate. o MOM’s – CCD: Advocate Marah Khasawneh- Lead Associate. Interventions & Acknowledgements: Strategic guidance and support actions focused on fostering the growth and development of the legal team, enhancing their skills, and ensuring the highest quality legal services to clients, while also addressing risk and liability concerns. These interventions may include recommending targeted training, providing constructive feedback, and identifying opportunities for skills development or improvement of policies/procedures. By actively supporting the team on high-stakes issues, the Founder and Managing Partner promotes continuous improvement and helps safeguard both the interests of the client and the firm. Legal Matters: Consultations, legal advice, legal opinion, legal procedures, legal disputes, policy drafting, reviewing legal documents, due diligence, compliance Page 2 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures check and legal representation related to supporting SKP’s clients, in alignment with SKP client’s communication policy. Team Leaders: Associates who are responsible for the legal matters of SKP clients, as per the team leader list. Team Members: Any member of SKP that is involved in a matter. SKP Guidelines: Guidelines established as a support reference for Team Leaders & associates, which provides suggestions & recommendations that help in maintaining efficiency & legal viability of the legal services provided to SKP clients. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES 4.1 Founder & Managing Partner: o Provide legal guidance and support, when required. o Conduct interventions, provide guidance or instruct relevant team members on the interventions and acknowledgments that might be conducted following the Legal Reviews. 4.2 Legal Mentors: ▪ Heads of Practice for General Legal Reviews. ▪ Senior Associates or Lead Associates for Matter-Specific Reviews. o Conduct Legal Reviews in accordance with this policy and as directed by the Founder & Managing Partner. o Provide technical guidance and recommendations regarding SKP consultations and legal opinions to the Founder & Managing Partner, unless otherwise specified by this policy or per the direct instructions of the Founder & Managing Partner. o Conduct knowledge and feedback sessions on specific laws, legal matters and general legal knowledge enrichment, upon the recommendation of the Founder & Managing Partner. 4.2 Legal Operations Manager: Page 3 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures o Responsible for distributing random selections of legal matters included in this policy on a routine basis and as per the guidelines listed below. o May share matters with the relevant legal mentors for feedback beyond the scope of the random routine selection at their discretion. o Provide the Legal Mentors with any relevant documents or communications needed for the Legal Review of a matter, and obtain any missing information from the relevant lawyer or team member if necessary. Note: These responsibilities rest solely with the Legal Operations Manager and may not be delegated to other members of the Legal Operations Department. 4.5 Organizational Development Manager: o Conduct regular check-ins with key stakeholders to assess the effectiveness and challenges related to this policy and its processes, offering feedback and recommendations as appropriate. 4.3 Office Manager: o Provide the necessary tools required to streamline the process. o Provide administrative support when needed. 5. TYPES OF LEGAL REVIEWS 5.1. At-Will Reviews: o Associates are encouraged to proactively seek the Legal Mentors’ support and guidance on both the General and Matter-Specific scopes whenever needed. 5.2. Post Consultations: o General Legal Reviews: ▪ Conducted on closed Legal Matters, on a monthly basis or upon request by the Legal Operations Manager. Page 4 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures o Matter-Specific Reviews: ▪ Conducted on closed Legal Matters, on a monthly basis or when requested by the Legal Operations Manager. 5.3. Ongoing Consultations: ▪ General Reviews - Highly Sensitive Client Accounts : Pre- consultation General Legal Reviews are conducted on legal opinions and consultations for specified clients before they are sent to the client. The Legal Mentor must confirm the consultation in such cases as there may be a significant legal history for the client, important information that needs to be considered, or as per the recommendations of the Founder & Managing Partner. ▪ Matter Specific Reviews - Highly Sensitive Client Accounts : Pre-consultation Matter Specific Legal Reviews are conducted on legal MOMs and consultations for specified clients before they are sent to the client. The Legal Mentor must confirm the MoMs and consultations in such cases as there may be a significant legal history for the client, important information that needs to be considered, or as per the recommendations of the Founder & Managing Partner o Collaborative-Organic Reviews: ▪ The General Legal Mentor conducts General Legal Reviews or provides input on consultations or matters they are involved in, whether through a thread or other means, following the same feedback protocol. ▪ Matter-specific Legal Mentor conducts Legal Reviews or provides input matters they are involved in, ensuring adherence to the established feedback protocol. 5.4. Urgent or Time-Sensitive Interventions: ▪ In cases where a consultation or legal matter requires immediate attention, the legal mentor will prioritize the review and provide expedited feedback to ensure timely resolution. The Legal Mentor will discuss the feedback with the Founder & Managing Partner who will provide guidance on how to move forward. As necessary, the legal mentor will collaborate with the Legal Operations Manager to facilitate Page 5 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures the required interventions in collaboration with the Founder & Managing Partner. ▪ For General Legal Reviews, the Legal Mentor may intervene directly in urgent matters only if the Founder & Managing Partner is unavailable or unreachable and the issue is critical, in order to prevent any negative or undesirable consequences for the client or legal representative. The Legal Mentor will keep the Founder & Managing Partner informed of such interventions at all stages. Additionally, they will reach out to the Legal Operations Manager, if necessary, to facilitate the appropriate intervention. Standard Review Feedback Flow: At-Will Legal Reviews: Legal Mentor Requests the legal Have the opportunity to reflect on , apply, and develop technical guidance and Conducts the relevant Review, skills and expertise. recommendation of and provide legal guidance and the Legal Mentor. recommendations to the Associate. share feedback with the Founder & Managing Partner. Associate Founder Post Consultations Review Feedback Flow – Standard cases: Page 6 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures Founder & Conducts the relevant Managing Partner Have the opportunity to Review and share reflect on , apply, and Will evaluate feedback, make develop technical skills and feedback with the relevant interventions and expertise. Founder & Managing share feedback with the team Be recognized and celebrated Partner. member for achievements. or instructs relevant team members on next steps. Legal Mentor Associate Ongoing Review Feedback Flow – Standard cases: Founder & Conducts the Managing Partner Have the opportunity to reflect on , apply, and develop relevant Review and Will evaluate feedback, make technical skills and expertise. share feedback with relevant interventions and Be recognized and celebrated the Founder & share feedback with the team for achievements. member Managing Partner. or instructs relevant team members on next steps. Legal Mentor Associate Urgent Feedback Flow- Time-sensitive interventions: Page 7 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures Legal Operations Manager Founder & Managing involvment as necessary Partner will communicate Team Leader or Associate necessary intervention feedback to team member Legal Mentor will provide feedback to Founder & Managing Partner Critical Feedback Flow- General Reviews- Urgent &Time-sensitive interventions in cases where founder & Managing Partner is Unreachable or Unavailable: Founder & Managing Partner informed at each step Legal Mentor will provide feedback Team Leader or Associate to Legal Operations Manager involvement as necessary Page 8 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures 6. LEGAL REVIEW METHODOLOGY: Type Category Frequency Areas Timeframe Criteria Post General Legal Minimum of 1 Corporate, The Legal Mentor is o Reviews will be conducted Consultation & Reviews matter/Team Commercial and encouraged to conduct on a minimum of one Legal Matters Leader per Projects. General Legal Reviews 1 Legal Matter per Team month. week after the Legal Matter's Leader, encompassing closing date. This ensures that various types of matters. the Firm can perform any o The reviews shall include necessary interventions with Matters concluded by the the client in a timely manner. Team Leader or associated team members in both Arabic and English. Page 9 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures Matter-Specific As per the As specified to each The Legal Mentor is o Reviews shall cover the Legal Reviews workload and Lead Associate encouraged to conduct Legal specified scope assigned quantity of and/or Senior Reviews 1 week after the to Matter-Specific Legal matters Associate Legal Matter's closing date. Mentors an as per the conducted in a given month This ensures that the Firm workload and number of with the aim of can perform any necessary matters conducted each randomly interventions with the client month. select a in a timely manner. minimum of 1 MOM /Team Leader for MOSD and CCD when possible. Ongoing General Legal Up to the Corporate, Throughout the course of o Ongoing Reviews will Consultations & Reviews discretion of Commercial and working on a particular Legal cover different types of Legal Matters the General projects. Matter, by the assigned Team Legal Matters, Legal Mentor, Leader. encompassing various taking into types of cases. consideration Page 10 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures workload and o The reviews shall include priorities. Matters concluded by the Team Leader or associated Highly- team members in both Sensitive Arabic and English. accounts will be reviewed prior to the issuance of the consultation or matter to the client as per the firm’s policy. Matter-Specific As per the As specified to each Throughout the course of o Reviews shall cover the Legal Review workload Lead Associate working on a particular Legal specified scope assigned and quantity and/or Senior Matter, by the assigned Team to Matter-Specific Legal of matters Associate Leader. Mentors an as per the conducted in a given workload and number of month with matters conducted each the aim of month. randomly select a Page 11 of 16  Legal Review & Development Policy & Procedures minimum of 1 MOM /Team Leader for MOSD and CCD when possible. Page 12 of 16 Standard Operating Procedure Confidential TITLE: Legal Development & Review EFFECTIVE SOP NUMBER: DATE: PAGE 13 of 16 Standard Operating Procedures SOP-F-24-001 Nov 1st, 2024 7. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP): Responsible Party Post Consultations Reviews Legal Operations Manager 1. General Review: Shall randomly select a sample of matters in accordance with the abovementioned guidelines and share them to the relevant Legal Mentor for review. 2. Matter-Specific Reviews: Shall randomly select relevant matter samples and share them to the designated Legal Mentor for review. 3. Provide the Legal Mentors with any relevant documents or communications needed for the Legal Review of a matter, and obtain any missing information from the relevant lawyer or team members if necessary. Legal Mentors 1. Upon receiving the Legal Matters from the Legal Operations Manager, Legal Mentors will conduct thorough Legal Reviews according to the guidelines outlined in point 6 of this policy. Notes: ▪ Mentors may request any relevant documents or correspondence directly from the Legal Operations Manager for the purposes of conducting the legal review. ▪ Legal Reviews marked as urgent by the Legal Operations Manager will be prioritized. 2. Upon completing the Legal Reviews, the Legal Mentor shall share any feedback and recommendations related to identified legal inaccuracies, discrepancies, or areas for improvement the Founder & Managing Partner by sending an email to the designated email address ([email protected]). Note: The Legal Mentor is also encouraged to include suggested amendments and recommendations, providing as much detail as possible. Standard Operating Procedure Confidential TITLE: Legal Development & Review EFFECTIVE SOP NUMBER: DATE: PAGE 14 of 16 Standard Operating Procedures SOP-F-24-001 Nov 1st, 2024 Founder & Managing Partner 1. Will evaluate the feedback received and conduct any necessary interventions or acknowledgements or 2. Will provide stakeholders with recommendation on action items and interventions, both with clients and with internal team members. Responsible Party Ongoing Reviews 1. The Legal Mentor will review ongoing Legal Matters as they are handled by the Team Leaders, as needed, based on their evaluation and discretion, according to the categories specified in point 6 of this policy. Relevant feedback is submitted by sending an email to the designated email address ([email protected]). Notes: ▪ Mentors may request any relevant documents or correspondence directly from the Legal Operations Manager for the purposes of conducting the legal review. ▪ Legal Reviews marked as urgent by the Legal Operations Manager will be prioritized. Legal Mentors Highly Sensitive Collaborative- At-Will Reviews Client Accounts Organic Reviews The Legal Mentor will The Legal Mentor The Legal Mentor provide the Team Leader must confirm each will share feedback with any recommended consultation/matter about any legal amendments or points to before it is sent to discrepancies or be taken into the client by the inaccuracies with the consideration and the Team Leader. The Founder & Managing rationale behind them Legal Mentor will Partner. The Legal upon their request. also provide the Mentor is encouraged Team Leader with to provide the Team Standard Operating Procedure Confidential TITLE: Legal Development & Review EFFECTIVE SOP NUMBER: DATE: PAGE 15 of 16 Standard Operating Procedures SOP-F-24-001 Nov 1st, 2024 any recommended Leader with any amendments and the recommended rationale behind amendments and the them. rationale behind them. 1. Provide the Legal Mentors with any relevant documents or communications needed for the Legal Review of a matter, and Legal Operations Manager obtain any missing information from the relevant lawyer or team members if necessary. 2. Will evaluate the feedback received and conduct any necessary interventions or acknowledgements or 3. Will provide stakeholders with recommendation on action items Founder & Managing Partner and interventions, both with clients and with internal team members. ❖ Urgent or Time-Sensitive Interventions: - The same procedures outlined above will apply. - Legal Mentors are responsible for flagging urgent interventions accordingly and communicating their urgency Legal Mentors and recommendations to the Founder & Managing Partner or other relevant stakeholders in critical cases as per the guidelines listed in this policy. VERSION HISTORY EFFECTIVE VERSION DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE DATE 1 Standard Operating Procedure Confidential TITLE: Legal Development & Review EFFECTIVE SOP NUMBER: DATE: PAGE 16 of 16 Standard Operating Procedures SOP-F-24-001 Nov 1st, 2024