Law Firm Employee Onboarding Checklist
Onboarding workflow for a new hire at a small-to-mid law firm — attorney, paralegal, or staff. Covers pre-arrival paperwork, conflicts screening, IT and DMS access, ethics and confidentiality training, and 30/60/90-day check-ins.
7 sections
32 steps
1
Pre-Arrival Setup
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Confirm hire role and start date
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Capture hire classification
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Open the personnel file in the HR system
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Send offer letter and engagement terms
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Collect signed offer and acknowledgments
2
Conflicts and Bar Screening
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Collect prior-firm client list from the hire
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Run conflicts search across all current and former matters
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Record the conflicts review outcome
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Implement the ethical screen
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Verify state bar standing and license
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Confirm malpractice carrier coverage of the new attorney
3
Statutory Paperwork and Compliance
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Complete Form I-9 with original documents
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Collect Form W-4 and state withholding forms
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Set up direct deposit and payroll record
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Enroll the hire in benefit plans
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Send the COBRA general notice to spouse if covered
4
IT, DMS, and Workspace
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Provision laptop, phone, and office workspace
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Create email, Active Directory, and MFA accounts
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Grant DMS and practice-management access by role
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Configure e-filing and PACER credentials
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Walk through the firm's data-security protocol
5
Day 1 Orientation
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Tour the office and review safety procedures
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Review the firm handbook and confidentiality policy
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Sign the confidentiality and IP-assignment agreement
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Introduce the hire to the practice group
6
Role-Specific Training
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Train on time entry and pre-bill workflow
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Brief the attorney on IOLTA and Rule 1.15 trust handling
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Walk through the litigation hold and ESI protocol
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Register the attorney with the CLE tracker
7
30/60/90-Day Check-Ins
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Hold the 30-day supervisor check-in
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Hold the 60-day practice-group review
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Complete the 90-day evaluation and sign-off
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Sections
7
Steps
32
Category
Law Firm
Price
Free to start
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