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In a previous role, I worked for nearly five years in business development for a large national IME referral clinic. During my years there, I saw the IME process from start to finish from both the law firm and the assessor sides of the transaction, and encountered a few common mistakes that led to wasted time and poor file outcomes. An IME is one of the most important events in the life of a file. Over the next few weeks, I will be offering suggestions as to how to get the most out of this critical aspect of your case. This week, how to set and prepare for an IME after you have assessed your file's needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced large sections of the economy to work from home. The legal profession is fortunate in this regard as the nature of their work means it is more easily done from home than many other industries, albeit with sometimes significant adjustments and increases to technology. The big question facing the industry is to what extent these changes are permanent. In a recent CBRE study, 58% of respondents agreed with the statement that three years from now, COVID-19 will have had a significant impact on the future of the legal workplace. Many law firms across Canada view the current moment as a unique opportunity to change the nature of their physical office space, whether to save money or to improve working conditions for lawyers and staff alike.

KAIZEN has become the Holy Grail of operating philosophies for most companies in competitive environments. As industries across Canada are propelled into the 21st century due to COVID, the need to adapt in order to remain competitive is stronger than ever. However, adjusting and transforming operations at an uncertain time like this, while necessary, can be daunting. The application of office KAIZEN is here to help. KAIZEN means improvement. Moreover, it means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life. When applied to the workplace, KAIZEN means continuing improvement involving everyone – managers and workers alike. This philosophy is recognized worldwide as an important pillar of an organisation's long-term competitive strategy... and companies that implement KAIZEN have continually yielded superior results.