Deck 3: The Inner Workings of the Law Office

Question 1

A paralegal working for a sole practitioner might act as which of the following?

A) Secretary
B) Paralegal
C) Administrator
D) All of these choices are correct.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

A partnership may be made up of

A) one hundred attorneys.
B) two attorneys.
C) ten attorneys.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In a sole proprietorship, the is entitled to any profits made by the firm but is also personally liable for all of the firm's debts or obligations.

A) sole proprietor
B) chief executive officer (CEO)
C) business manager
D) corporate head

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The simplest form of a business, in which one individual owns the business, is entitled to any profits, and is personally liable for all debts or obligations, is known as a

A) partnership.
B) professional corporation.
C) sole proprietorship.
D) business corporation.

Question 5

The partner in a law firm who makes decisions relating to the firm's policies and procedures and who generally oversees the business operations of the firm is called a(n) partner.

A) associate
B) managing
C) responsible billing
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 6

When first starting out in business, lawyers often begin their business as a

A) sole proprietorship.
B) limited liability corporation.
C) non-profit organization.
D) corporation.

Question 7

A sole proprietorship is

A) the simplest form of a business, in which one individual owns the business.
B) a professional corporation.
C) a complicated form of business in which one individual owns the business but another receives the profits.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 8

A paralegal working for a sole practitioner would not handle which of the following tasks?

A) Bookkeeping
B) Providing legal advice to clients
C) Interviewing clients and witnesses
D) Conducting investigations

Question 9

A is a person who has undertaken to operate a business jointly with one or more persons and is a co-owner of the firm.

A) sole proprietor
B) shareholder
C) partner
D) managing partner

Question 10

liability is an individual's personal responsibility for the debts or obligations of a business, using the personal assets of the business owner, such as a home, bank accounts, or other property, to pay the business obligations.

A) Corporate
B) Personal
C) Partnership
D) Shareholder

Question 11

Which of the following choices is a way a law firm is typically organized?

A) A partnership
B) A professional corporation
C) A sole proprietorship
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 12

An attorney who practices law as a sole proprietor is often called a

A) loner lawyer.
B) sole practitioner.
C) private practitioner.
D) limited practitioner.

Question 13

Which of the following is not an example of a personal asset?

A) A house
B) A child
C) A car
D) A vacation home
E) An investment account

Question 14

Which of the following is true of working for a sole proprietorship?

A) The work is highly specialized.
B) The work typically encompasses a wide variety of tasks.
C) You will have limited personal liability.
D) The working hours tend to be more regular-9 A.M. to 5 P.M.

Question 15

Examples of personal assets include which of the following?

A) A house
B) A savings account
C) An investment account
D) A house and a savings account only
E) A house, a savings account, and an investment account

Question 16

A paralegal working for a sole practitioner might handle which of the following tasks?

A) Offering legal advice to clients
B) Receiving and date-stamping mail
C) Interviewing clients and witnesses
D) Receiving and date-stamping mail and interviewing clients and witnesses

Question 17

The simplest business form is a

A) sole proprietorship.
B) limited liability corporation.
C) non-profit organization.
D) corporation.

Question 18

Which of the following choices is not a way a law firm is typically organized?

A) A partnership
B) A professional corporation
C) A sole proprietorship
D) A non-profit organization

Question 19

A paralegal working for a sole practitioner might handle which of the following tasks?

A) Bookkeeping
B) Receiving and date-stamping mail
C) Interviewing clients and witnesses
D) Conducting investigations
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 20

A is an association of two or more persons to carry on, as co-owners, a business for profit, where each owner owns a share of the business and is personally liable for the firm's profits or losses.

A) sole proprietorship
B) professional corporation
C) partnership
D) business corporation

Question 21

In larger firms, an employee who is responsible for overseeing the paralegal staff and paralegal professional development is known as a(n)

A) office manager.
B) legal administrator.
C) legal assistant.
D) paralegal manager.

Question 22

work for law firms but will never become partners.

A) Associate attorneys
B) Managing partners
C) Staff attorneys
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 23

The managing partner in a law firm is the one who

A) gets the profits from the firm.
B) makes decisions relating to the firm's policies and procedures and who generally oversees the business operations of the firm.
C) begins the firm, but then does not maintain an active role in running it.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 24

A law firm may take which of the following business organizational forms?

A) Sole proprietorship
B) Partnership
C) Limited liability partnership
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 25

One who purchases corporate stock, or shares, and becomes an owner of the corporation is known as a

A) partner.
B) shareholder.
C) responsible billing partner.
D) sole proprietor.

Question 26

Professional corporations are owned by which of the following?

A) Shareholders
B) Bookkeepers
C) Associate attorneys
D) Banks

Question 27

Law clerks are

A) law students who work for the firm during the summer or part time during the school year to gain practical legal experience.
B) lawyers who are employed by firms for short-term positions.
C) secretaries.
D) certified paralegals.

Question 28

The of a professional corporation share in the profits and losses of the firm in proportion to how many shares they own.

A) partners
B) shareholders
C) responsible billing partners
D) sole proprietors

Question 29

Rosa Sufuente is a paralegal working in a large law firm. Because of her experience, she has been promoted and now coordinates and oversees paralegal staffing, paralegal assignments, and paralegal professional development. Which of the following best describes Rosa Sufuente's position in the firm?

A) Office manager
B) Legal administrator
C) Managing partner
D) Paralegal manager

Question 30

Staff attorneys work for law firms but

A) do not receive benefits.
B) will never become partners.
C) work only on a temporary basis.
D) will eventually become partners.

Question 31

A is a form of business organization that normally allows lawyers doing business as partners to avoid personal liability for the malpractice of other partners.

A) partnership
B) professional corporation
C) limited liability partnership
D) limited partnership

Question 32

An employee of a large law firm who manages the day-to-day operations of the firm is called a(n)

A) managing partner.
B) office manager.
C) legal administrator.
D) legal-assistant manager.

Question 33

One of the benefits of working as a law clerk while you are a law student is that you

A) will not have to pay full tuition at law school.
B) will make a lot of money.
C) may be offered a position as an associate after graduation and passing the bar exam.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 34

In larger firms, the paralegal manager or legal-assistant manager is an employee who

A) has had specialized paralegal training at a four-year university.
B) works for a paralegal.
C) hires paralegals.
D) is responsible for overseeing the paralegal staff and paralegal professional development.

Question 35

Shareholders in a professional corporation

A) share in the profits and losses of the firm in proportion to how many shares they own.
B) all receive the same amount of the profits of the firm, regardless of how many shares they own.
C) must pay monthly dues to professional associations.
D) have no personal liability.

Question 36

Associate attorneys are

A) attorneys who are not partners in the firm and thus do not share in the profits.
B) attorneys who make decisions relating to the firm's policies and procedures and who generally oversee the business operations of the firm.
C) the attorneys who begin a firm.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 37

A is a business entity in which the shareholders are members of the same profession, purchase the corporation's stock, own the firm, share in the profits and losses of the firm in proportion to the number of shares they own, and have limited personal liability.

A) sole proprietorship
B) partnership
C) professional corporation
D) business corporation

Question 38

An attorney employed by a law firm who may someday become a partner and share in the firm's profits is called a(n)

A) staff attorney.
B) associate attorney.
C) contract attorney.
D) law clerk.

Question 39

Law are law students who work for the firm during the summer or part time during the school year to gain practical legal experience.

A) minors
B) minions
C) clerks
D) apprentices

Question 40

Attorneys who are not partners in the firm and thus do not share in the profits are called

A) associate
B) managing
C) for-hire
D) partner

Question 41

An office manager in a law firm would not perform which of the following tasks?

A) Offering legal advice to clients
B) Establishing filing procedures
C) Implementing new technology
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 42

An office manager in a small- to medium-sized firm is a(n)

A) administrative employee who handles client billing procedures and manages the day-to- day operations and also makes sure that the office runs smoothly, that sufficient supplies are on hand, and that office procedures are established and followed.
B) law student working for the summer.
C) employee responsible for overseeing the paralegal staff and paralegal professional development.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 43

Employees of a law firm who provide clerical, secretarial, or other support to the legal, paralegal, and administrative staff of a law firm are called

A) support personnel.
B) office managers.
C) legal administrators.
D) legal-assistant managers.

Question 44

Mike Jones works for the large law firm of Stanley & Stanley in Los Angeles, California.

A) Managing partner
B) Office manager
C) Legal administrator
D) Legal-assistant manager

Question 45

Which of the following is a task for a small law firm's office manager?

A) Establishing and overseeing filing procedures
B) Ordering and monitoring supplies
C) Docketing legal work undertaken by attorneys
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 46

Support personnel at a law firm include which of the following?

A) Secretaries
B) File clerks
C) Associate attorneys
D) Secretaries and file clerks
E) Secretaries, file clerks, and associate attorneys

Question 47

Which of the following is likely to be covered in a firm's employment manual?

A) Policies on how much vacation time employees are entitled to
B) Which holidays are observed by the firm
C) Personal information on each employee
D) Policies on how much vacation time employees are entitled to and which holidays are observed by the firm

Question 48

Which of the following is likely to be covered in a firm's employment manual?

A) Policies on how much vacation time employees are entitled to
B) Which holidays are observed by the firm
C) What will serve as grounds for the employer to terminate an employee's employment
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 49

Law-firm personnel include which of the following?

A) Partners
B) Associate attorneys
C) Paralegals
D) Legal administrators or office managers
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 50

Which of the following is not considered a member of a law firm's support personnel?

A) Associate lawyers
B) Secretaries
C) Receptionists
D) Messengers

Question 51

Employment policies relating to compensation, employee benefits, performance evaluations, employment termination, and other rules of the workplace are usually spelled out in a(n)

A) written offer of employment.
B) performance evaluation.
C) employment manual.
D) written offer of employment and performance evaluation.

Question 52

An employment manual usually contains

A) written offers of employment.
B) performance evaluations.
C) a firm's policies governing employment.
D) written offers of employment and performance evaluations.

Question 53

An office manager in a law firm might handle which of the following tasks?

A) Making sure the office runs smoothly
B) Handling client billing procedures
C) Implementing new technology
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 54

Support personnel at a law firm include which of the following?

A) Secretaries
B) Receptionists
C) Messengers
D) Secretaries and receptionists
E) Secretaries, receptionists, and messengers

Question 55

One of the most important concerns of paralegals is

A) how often they will be paid.
B) how much they will be paid.
C) what job benefits they will receive.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 56

Support personnel at a law firm include which of the following?

A) Secretaries
B) Managing partners
C) Associate attorneys
D) Secretaries and managing partners
E) Secretaries, managing partners, and associate attorneys

Question 57

Many law firms conduct to determine if employees will receive raises.

A) performance evaluations
B) random surveys
C) surveys of supervisors
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 58

When first taking a job in a law firm, it is important for paralegals to know the status of law- firm personnel because

A) it is a standard law-firm employment policy.
B) it is a category on a paralegal's performance evaluation.
C) paralegals should know to whom they are accountable and who, in turn, is accountable to them.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 59

A(n) is an administrative employee who handles client billing procedures and manages

A) legal secretary
B) office manager
C) legal administrator
D) legal-assistant manager

Question 60

Performance evaluations are conducted periodically by many firms to determine

A) how much vacation time employees are entitled to.
B) which holidays employees may take off.
C) if employees will receive raises.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 61

Which of the following is likely to be grounds for employment termination?

A) Twelve or more absences for two consecutive years
B) Getting married
C) Voting for a presidential candidate that your supervisor disapproves of
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 62

Which of the following should you do to prepare for a performance evaluation?

A) Keep track of your accomplishments.
B) Mention the extra hours you worked to help win a big case.
C) Tell your supervisor about a new software program you mastered.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 63

An efficient filing system

A) helps to ensure that important documents will not be lost or misplaced.
B) involves casual procedures based on tradition.
C) ensures that important documents will be available when needed.
D) will involve formal written procedures and a procedures manual.
E) helps to ensure that important documents will not be lost or misplaced and ensures that important documents will be available when needed.

Question 64

The person initiating a lawsuit is the

A) plaintiff.
B) associate attorney.
C) defendant.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 65

The first step to opening a new file is to

A) assign the case a file number.
B) call the client.
C) make hard copies of all files related to the case.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 66

During a performance evaluation, it is important to

A) adopt a positive outlook.
B) show that you appreciate constructive criticism.
C) learn more about your strengths and weaknesses.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 67

If a client file is misplaced or lost, the

A) file can usually be easily replaced by an efficient paralegal.
B) supervising attorney will take all the blame.
C) client may suffer costly harm.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 68

Which factors may be considered in a performance evaluation?

A) Responsibility
B) Dependability
C) Competence
D) Cooperation
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 69

Which of the following should you do to be successful in a performance evaluation?

A) Take extra vacation time right before the evaluation to mentally prepare yourself.
B) Rely on your fellow workers to mention your contributions to the workplace.
C) Tell your supervisor about a new software program you mastered.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 70

Keeping track of your accomplishments as a paralegal will help you to be successful in

A) docketing legal work.
B) a performance evaluation.
C) implementing new technology.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 71

Which of the following should never be used for transmission of confidential information?

A) Internet cafés
B) Wireless networks in airports
C) Encrypted communications systems
D) Internet cafés and wireless networks in airports

Question 72

Once a client's file is closed, you

A) no longer have a responsibility to maintain confidentiality.
B) still have an obligation to maintain confidentiality.
C) can talk about the file with family, but no one else.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 73

The person defending himself or herself against another person's claims in a lawsuit is the

A) plaintiff.
B) associate attorney.
C) defendant.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 74

Which of the following should you make your supervisor aware of in a performance evaluation?

A) Ways in which you save the firm money
B) Ways in which you contribute to the firm's success
C) How you have mastered a new software program
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 75

One of the most important professional obligations of a paralegal is to treat all of your clients'

A) personal.
B) private.
C) secret.
D) confidential.

Question 76

A typical law firm has which of the following types of files?

A) Client files
B) Work product files
C) Forms files
D) Personnel files
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 77

Which of the following should you do to help protect client confidentiality?

A) Keep all identifiable information about clients off the covers of files.
B) Never leave a file unattended for even a short time in a publicly accessible location such as a library table or courtroom.
C) Do not allow outsiders access to firm computer systems or networks.
D) Use only secure networks or encrypted communications systems for transmission of confidential information.
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 78

If you find that a busy supervising attorney puts off conducting your evaluation, you could

A) complain to the managing partner of the firm.
B) hope that next year will be better.
C) prepare your own performance evaluation and present it to your supervising attorney for review.
D) complain to the managing partner of the firm and prepare your own performance evaluation and present it to your supervising attorney for review.

Question 79

Filing procedures should

A) protect client confidentiality.
B) allow everyone in the office access to all client information.
C) be flexible.
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 80

During a performance evaluation, it is important to

A) adopt a positive outlook.
B) rely on your fellow workers to mention your contributions to the workplace.
C) tell your supervisor about a new software program you mastered.
D) adopt a positive outlook and tell your supervisor about a new software program you mastered.