CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVESITY - MANILA

MENDIOLA, MANILA
A.Y. 2018-2019, 1ST SEMESTER

SOLVING OFFICE DISPUTE IN FINDER, MINDER AND GRINDER (FMG) LAW FIRM:
A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION

A CASE ANALYSIS PRESENTED TO:

DR. MARGARITA E. PEROS

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
WITH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

ARILLO, MARIE JANA M.

MULI, RAMANNE ARYL C.
PAGURAYAN, GABRIELA P.

AUGUST 14, 2018

 Solving Office Dispute in Finder, Minder and Grinder (FMG) Law Firm: A Breakdown in
Communication

I. Time Context
-by Fall, 2009

II. View Point

-David Walker, a senior attorney and soon to be partner in Finder, Minder and Grinder (FMG)
Law Firm

III. Vision, Mission

Vision Statement
To establish a legacy of honesty and integrity in the Legal Profession where Clients can have
an abiding confidence in their legal representatives and where justice and honor are the head
corner stones of the practice of these law office; to further contribute towards the realization
of a society where obligations are honored and responsibilities are not highly shunned.

Mission Statement
To establish a 21st Century Law Practice which meets the growing and changing needs of our
Clients in a constantly growing and fast-changing world; the establishment of a law practice
that is renowned for service and not for money, for the promotion of Clients’ interests and
not the interest of the firm or its practitioners.

IV. Current Operational Plans

Management: there is a hierarchy that is followed mostly based on the tenurity or seniority
Marketing: client-eccentric company where the firm puts clients’ interests before their own
Operations: Most secretaries at FMG are covered four or five lawyers, whose positions ranged
from junior associates, midlevel associates, senior associates and a senior attorney
Finance: Financial matters are handled by financial managers and accountants as same as
most companies
Human Resource: New assistants are hired at higher wages

V. Social Responsibility Applications

 Pro bono
Work undertaken voluntarily without charge, especially legal works to clients with
low income
 Support of fellowship investments
The firm’s foundation fully funds two fellowships per year for talented young lawyers
who wish to practice public interest law on a full-time basis
 Going Green
Reduce reliance on paper products and move towards using more energy efficient
appliances and light fixtures
VI. Statement of the Problem
What corporate strategy does the company need to do in order to avoid office disputes?

VII. Statement of the Objectives

Short term: To solve the office dispute between a trusted administrative assistant, Susan
Emson, and a respected colleague, Ramya Kumar.
Long Term: To provide a healthy and happy environment for all workers regardless of their
position thus, having a productive relationship with all stakeholders which will also reflect on
the quality of service they produce

VIII. SWOT Analysis

a. Strengths
i. Numerous hours were spent listening to both sides.
ii. The senior attorney and his assistant has a good relationship which makes the
work balance lighter and easier.
iii. Susan was happy for there was an increase in the number of lawyers to work for.
b. Weaknesses
i. Dispute was within the company.
ii. Dispute was deteriorated further without intervention.
iii. Emson was still tasked to do things for her former supervisor although the latter
already has a new assistant.
iv. The newly-hired assistants were given higher wages making the gap between
Emson’s pay and theirs increasingly smaller.
v. The new Junior Associate was disorganized when it comes to paper works.
c. Opportunities
i. Kumar grew up in India which can help inculcate beliefs and practices there in
solving cases.
ii. They were piled up with lots of cases.
d. Threats
i. This dispute may hinder them from being productive on the pending cases of their
firm.
ii. Applicants on being an associate might not want this type of workload as to what
Emson is doing.

IX. Alternative Courses of Action (Give 3, use labor law as basis)

a. Reconstruct the job description and workload of the assistants especially who’s working
for who? (Art. 97 Fair Wage for Fair Work ; Equal Pay for Equal Work)
b. The company may follow the Seniority Rule
c. To sustain the current system and operations of the company

X. Analysis of ACA (5 adv and dis adv of each ACA)

a. Reconstruct the workload of the associates especially who’s working for who? (Art. 97
Fair Wage for Fair Work ; Equal Pay for Equal Work)
 i. ADVANTAGES:
1. There will be equity when it comes to the distribution of workload and
that there will be no piling up of work.
2. The employees may focus on their assigned associate which will give
them the chance to perform as they expect.
3. They will be able to give quality output for they have all the time they
need to accomplish their tasks.
4. Their designated work will only be those of given to them by their seniors.
5. They can consult their upper boss of the things they question and not
struggle with deadlines from other bosses.
ii. DASADVANTAGES:
1. The company will be needing more assistants.
2. The firm has to re-evaluate their employees.
3. This implementation will not favor to those who benefit from their other
superiors.
4. Established relationships with other lawyers or associates might not be
the same.
5. The transition period may not be enough to finish all pending workloads
before the re-assignment of work and other changes.

b. The company may strengthen their seniority rule

i. ADVANTAGES:
1. This will compensate the employees as per their hard work and
contribution in the company.
2. The company will be able to value and consider the time their employees
have dedicated to their company or firm.
3. The assistants’ immeasurable efforts will be paid off and that it will
recognize those who have brought the company support all throughout.
4. Those assistants and other employees who are already familiar with the
schemes and processes of the company will have a much easier job due
to experiences.
5. The new employees will be given enough training to be more efficient
and familiar with their field of work.
ii. DISADVANTAGES:
1. There might be new employees who have so much to offer than the
senior ones
2. This might cause loss of workers for sudden change in salary.
3. Training period may intervene from that of which is supposed to be time
for serious work.
4. The company may not produce efficient and productive employees after
the said training and will probably just go to waste.
5. Delayed work will be very risky since it was given that work to be done
are piling up.
 c. To sustain the current system and operations of the company and wait for Emson to have
time for Kumar.
i. ADVANTAGES
1. The company will not have to undergo such changes.
2. The other employees will not have to adjust and be affected by the
transition.
3. The company’s operations will not be disturbed and delayed.
4. Both will be able to adjust and work well together.
5. Work may be done immediately if they comply with Kumar’s
unreasonable deadlines.
ii. DISADVANTAGES
1. The works of the firm will be delayed
2. The dispute will still be existent
3. Conflict might affect others because of delayed work
4. Workload of employees will increase if dispute will continue
5. This may cause the destruction of the firm’s reputation.

XI. Decision Statement (The best ACA, why)

Upon careful and critical analyzation of the given alternative courses of action, we have
decided to implement the 1st ACA which is to reconstruct the workload of the assistants
especially their designated superiors. The problem of this case occurred when the assistant
was not able to sustain those of which are commanded upon the authority of the junior
associate. The assistant was also working for the senior attorney and other associates which
is why the dispute went on for she failed to follow the orders of the junior associate. Having
this course of action, it will be clear of which orders to prioritize and of what must be done
immediately.

XII. Implementation Program (connected to VII)

Short term:
Kumar’s requests and pending workload will be done by Emson during the transition period
and will be taken over to her prospective assistant during the newly-implemented system.

Long term:
1st : Determine the organization chart of the whole law firm from Partners, attorneys,
associates, and down to the assistants.
2nd : State the specialization of each. Know their field of practice and the skills they own and
those they lack.
3rd : Match the corresponding skills of the assistants to the superiors in order for them to work
harmoniously.
4th : Give them the transition period where each may be given the chance to finish all pending
work that has to be done to everyone may start fresh.
5th : Supervise this newly-implemented system and revise as per occurance of problems.
 XIII. Proposed Operational Plans
(tabular form bet Situational (connected to IV) and proposed (like how can it be improved)
Management: The organizational structure of the company will still be followed although
there will be a reassignment of assistants as per work load and job distribution.
Marketing: The clients’ interest will best be concentrated on and will be given better and more
efficient service than before.
Operations: All assistants or secretaries will be given less or lighter work load for them to be
able to focus and perform better on specific tasks.

Finance: Still, financial matters are handled by financial managers and accountants as same
as most companies.
HR: New assistants are hired at higher wages but will still undergo trainings.

Current Operational Proposed Operational

Plans Plans
Management There is a hierarchy that is followed mostly The organizational structure of the
based on the tenurity or seniority company will still be followed although
there will be a reassignment of assistants
as per work load and job distribution.
Marketing Client-eccentric company where the firm The clients’ interest will best be
puts clients’ interests before their own concentrated on and will be given better
and more efficient service than before.
Operations Most secretaries at FMG are covered four All assistants or secretaries will be given
or five lawyers, whose positions ranged less or lighter work load for them to be
from junior associates, midlevel associates, able to focus and perform better on
senior associates and a senior attorney specific tasks.

Finance Financial matters are handled by financial Still, financial matters are handled by
managers and accountants as same as financial managers and accountants as
most companies same as most companies.

Human New assistants are hired at higher wages New assistants are hired at higher wages
but will still undergo trainings.
Resource

XIV. Other Problems and Recommendations

The company’s hierarchy are based on seniority but then new assistants’ starting wages are
higher than most assistants’ was offered when they have just started, making the gap
between the senior assistants’ pay and the new hired assistants’ pay increasingly small. Equal
position should be equal.
There was an inequity in the firm based on the pay and the workload. If there has been
additional responsibilities given, the pay should also be added.
XV. Management Lesson Learned from the Case
Effective communication is critical in every facet of a manager’s role – for directing and
motivating employees; for reporting to and updating supervisor; and for informing and
persuading customers to purchase products or services. We have seen that top performance
can have positive effect on a company’s bottom line just as poor communication can damage
a brand for months if not years. By having and maintaining an open communication,
employees can be transparent in what they need to perform better. Hence, office disputes
will be minimized, if not avoided. It will also result to a better company image because of
quality services because a happy employee is a productive employee.