Question

THE PROBLEM

The law firm of Abbot, Costello, Lewis & Martin (ACLM) is a full-service general practice law firm. They want a database that will help them track their professional practice activities.

ACLM has employees who consist of attorneys, paralegals, and nonprofessional staff. Attorneys include named partners (like Bert Abbot, Lee Costello, Jerold Lewis, and Don Martin), other partners (like Atticus Finch and F. Lee Kunstler), and associate attorneys (nonpartner attorneys).

Paralegals perform support legal work for the attorneys. Nonprofessional staff include individuals with all other nonlegal jobs, like receptionist, building maintenance, etc.

The firm has clients. The firm considers anyone who comes in for an initial consultation or who retains the services of the firm as clients. A client comes to the firm for a particular matter (e.g., a will, a trust, a house closing, being sued or seeking to sue someone). The firm may represent a client on a variety of matters. The firm does not handle bankruptcy matters or criminal matters, but instead refers clients to firms specializing in these areas.

On any matter, attorneys or paralegals perform any of a number of activities for a client. Activities include making or returning calls, legal research, drafting pleadings (like a complaint or answer), drafting an agreement, going to court, or attending a real estate closing, among other things.

The firm bills the client for each activity it performs for the client based on the time it takes for a given activity on a given date, rounded up or down to the quarter hour. It is possible that multiple activities can be performed for a client on a given day, and even the same activity at different times (e.g., multiple calls to a client over the course of a day).

The rate at which time is billed for an activity is based on whether it is performed by a named partner, a partner, an associate attorney, or a paralegal. In addition, the rate can vary based on the particular attorney whose time is billed. A named partner's time is billed at a minimum of $2,000 an hour. A partner's time is billed at a minimum of at least $1,200 an hour but not more than a named partner's minimum rate. An associate's time is billed in an amount of at least $750 an hour but cannot exceed the partner's minimum rate. A paralegal's time is billed at a flat $300 an hour. An initial consultation is not billed, regardless of who the client meets for that initial consultation.

THE QUESTIONS

1.      Identify all of the entities or potential entities in the problem above.

2.      Identify which entities are in a relationship with one another.

3.      With respect to question 2, identify the type of relationship any given two entities have with one another (1:1, 1:M, M:N)

4.      Identify business rules that are expressed in the problem above.

Answer 1

1. Entities

Attorneys, paralegals and non-professionals staffs

Attorneys-

Named Partners- Bert Abbot, Lee Costello, Jerold Lewis, and Don Martin

Other partners - Atticus Finch and F. Lee Kunstler,

Associate Attorneys - Nonpartner attorneys

Paralegals -

Perform support legal work for the attorneys

Nonprofessional staff -

Individuals with all other nonlegal jobs, like receptionist, building maintenance, etc

Relationship

3. Relationship between billing charges of Attorney and Paralegals

The ratio of their fees is (2000 : 300) i.e (20:3)

4. Business Rules-

• The firm considers any individual who comes in for an underlying conference or who holds the administrations of the firm as customers.
• The firm may speak to a customer on an assortment of issues. The firm doesn't deal with bankruptcy issues or criminal issues however rather alludes customers to firms represent considerable authority in these regions.
• The firm bills the customer for every action it performs for the customer dependent on the time it takes for a given action on a surrendered date adjusted or down to the quarter-hour.
• The rate at which time is charged for an action depends on whether it is performed by a named accomplice, an accomplice, a partner lawyer, or a paralegal. The rate can change depending on the specific lawyer whose time is charged
• An initial discussion isn't charged, paying little respect to who the customer meets for that underlying discussion.

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