Optimum Business Model and Paralegal Career Family Structure
The Optimum Business Model (OBM) was introduced to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the magistrates' courts systems and processes. Following its success in the magistrates' courts, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Areas have been embedding similar case progression models into the Crown Court teams throughout 2010-11.
The extension of OBM to the Crown Court has focused on clarifying the roles and responsibilities of lawyers, paralegal officers/assistants and other administrative staff, to ensure that work is carried out at the right grade, supported by simplified office processes to deal with volume cases. Improved systems and monitoring have targeted more timely preparation of committals and improved compliance with Judges' Orders.
More serious and sensitive casework is still individually allocated to named lawyers, or specialists in our Rape and Serious Sexual Offence and Complex Casework Units, who hold responsibility for the case throughout the court process, providing bespoke guidance on the prosecution.
The responsibility for continuous improvement in the coming year lies primarily with the 13 Areas, which will be looking to further increase efficiency by reducing the number of administrative tasks that need to be undertaken and maximising the use of paralegal staff to support our prosecutions. The introduction of digital ways of working will assist this process.
