Amata Law Offices

Virtual law office spaces are becoming the ideal choice for many legal practitioners in the 21^st century. A virtual office enables attorneys across a variety of practice areas to gain access to crucial support services and essential technology letting them work from anywhere while providing office necessities like manned reception, legal admin staff, a business address, and more.

These spaces are affordable and provide flexible lease terms to suit your unique legal needs. The best part? When you go virtual, commuting to the office is no longer mandatory.

With a multitude of benefits, virtual office space is ideal for solo and partner practice law firms. In this blog post, we’ll focus on the top four benefits that every law firm can realize from virtual law office space.

What is a virtual law office?

Unlike a standard office, a virtual office only requires that you pay for the services you use, versus services and space. Virtual office space resources and benefits vary depending on the subscription package a lawyer takes, but will normally provide ready access to it’s the office address, meeting space and day office space to receive clients and work, live receptionists, and a range of administrative services.

In some states, lawyers can practice law only when they give a corporate address of their business. A virtual office fulfills this recommendation without adding the same overhead of standard space. Virtual law offices can give lawyers a corporate address where their mail will be sent, handled, scanned, and even forwarded on to a home address. The team will collect it and pass it on to you as requested. Day-offices and meeting rooms can be rented out as needed, and you are free to work from any common space.

The law office of the past depended on dedicated spaces to provide an air of legacy and stability, at an astounding cost to legal firms. Moving towards the future, clients care more about flexibility and results than image. For solo practice law firms and partner practice law firms, the costs of renting out this space has proven an enormous hurdle – virtual office space erases these unnecessary expenditures.

The advantages of moving to virtual office space

Office Space Without the Commitment

Virtual office spaces can benefit any type of law firm or attorney, particularly those whose time rarely involves staying in one place.

For instance, a family law attorney usually spends the lion’s share of their time in meetings out of the office or in court. Yet having access to an office space in a central area offers a place to reconvene and work from. With the help of a virtual law office provider, it’s possible to rent space as needed, while side-stepping the commitment and expense of a conventional office lease.

Big Firm Benefits for Private & Boutique Legal Practices

Virtual law offices offer more than simply a place to work. At Amata, we offer a suite of services designed specifically around legal practices, such as on-site paralegals and notaries. Our legal live receptionists vet incoming calls even after normal business hours, optimizing your client intake.

As a law office designed specifically for attorneys, you will have access to our attorney referral network and legal industry events and partnerships. Conference rooms and both furnished and unfurnished office spaces are available for convenience, and can be utilized as-needed.

Easy Expansion

Virtual office space enables law firms to expand operations by opening new office spaces outside of their normal base of operations. Many leading law firms follow this strategy by having no central office space, while employing hundreds of lawyers across the country. Law firms that expand with the help of virtual office space can boost their revenue because there’s no fixed rental fee that they have to shell out monthly.

Work Flexibility

Lawyers who sign up for virtual office space can work anytime, anywhere without being confined between the four walls of a conventional office. They may decide on working from home for any number of days without having the pressure to use the office space for matching up the payment. In an increasingly digital work environment spurred by COVID-19, this can prove an immense boon.

Unlike traditional office space, virtual workspace is based on a pay-as-you-go model. That means attorneys pay a small fee to subscribe to virtual space and manage their day without the pressure of going to an office. Even better, lawyers can move their practice to any location without having to worry about lease contracts that come with traditional offices. Securing a new virtual office in a new location will also be less stressful as it’s easily available.

Virtual Law Offices at Amata Law Office Suites

Being the only shared office space provider catering to law firms and legal practitioners in Chicago, Amata Law Office Suites offers virtual law office programs. Our private office space comes with services and amenities required for supporting attorneys.

We give attorneys in Chicago seven premium spaces to choose from across the entire downtown loop. Additionally, we offer furnished and unfurnished offices; scalable lease terms; office necessities such as water, coffee, and printer; and on-site admins, notaries, and paralegals.

With our shared office space, you’ll easily establish your Chicago practice and keep it running smoothly without worrying about dedicated office space’s maintenance. Schedule a tour of your next virtual law office with us and become part of a growing community of over 700 attorneys. Visit our website today for more details.

Discover our virtual offices in Chicago.

As a leader in multiple industries, from health care and technology to food manufacturing and transportation, Chicago is known for its diverse economy. It also offers a robust yet “close-knit” legal community. All of these factors make the third largest U.S. city a top choice for law firms of all sizes to open a satellite office and build prospective clients. In fact, four of the world’s 10 largest law firms have Chicago branches.

But starting a firm in a new city is no easy task. According to commercial real estate company SquareFoot, the average cost for office space in downtown Chicago is $48 per square foot, while Law.com says firms typically allocate 300-400 square feet per employee. That means space for one attorney in a satellite office would cost no less than $14,000. There are plenty of other costs to consider as well, such as additional computers and insurance.

Earlier this year, Veteran Legal Group, a California-based firm representing armed service members and their families, wanted to expand. The firm needed an attorney to take on an influx of veteran disability claims and recruited Chicago-based attorney Edward Farmer, who has specialized in veteran disability law for the past 10 years.

“Chicago is a big-size market,” Farmer said about the Windy City’s appeal to Veteran Legal Group, adding that the city lacks stiff competition in veteran disability law. “There aren’t many attorneys who do what I do.”

Farmer has built his Chicago presence through Amata Law Office Suites, the city’s first legal community of more than 700 attorneys and seven Class-A offices in downtown Chicago. When Veteran Legal Group began searching for Chicago office space, Farmer steered the team toward Amata, where he operated a solo practice from 2017-2020.

“What you get for the price is much better than setting up an office from scratch,” he said. “You have the support of the staff … If I was here by myself, my workload would be five times as much.”

In less than two weeks, Farmer had his office arranged and started practicing with his new firm. In addition to a furnished office, he has access to Amata’s experienced paralegal team, live receptionists, copy machines and WiFi, all of which are necessary for communicating with his out-of-state team.

Amata also provides a built-in community of 700-plus legal colleagues, a support system that can be lacking for attorneys working out of satellite offices. Farmer is currently the only Veteran Legal Group lawyer in Chicago and therefore has little in-person interaction with coworkers. But he credits Amata for his relationship with Jim Thompson, a now-retired personal injury attorney, who informally mentored him while Farmer was starting his previous practice. They are still friends today.

As Veteran Legal Group continues to grow, Farmer expects another attorney to join him at the Chicago branch. When the time comes, he said the firm will simply need to lease another office. Amata will take care of the rest and allow them to focus on hiring the right attorney.

“It’s a great place for lawyers to work,” Farmer said. “I really believe that, especially if you’re in a private practice.”

Marc J. Bern & Partners LLP, a New York-based firm specializing in personal injury law, medical malpractice and more, also has a Chicago satellite office through Amata.

Call us or visit our website and take an online or in-person tour of one of our seven Class-A spaces to learn how our legal support services can help quickly set up your satellite office and establish your Chicago presence.

Discover our virtual offices in Chicago.

According to a recent Cushman & Wakefield survey, roughly two-thirds of law firms polled spent 4-7% of gross revenue on real estate last year. While firms have been downsizing, some still spend millions of dollars on physical offices.

This year, however, the practice of law has greatly shifted with many lawyers utilizing virtual offices, live reception services and on-demand legal support in place of the traditional office setup. In fact, plenty of firms are looking to short-term extensions instead of long-term contracts, as the ups and downs in 2020 have caused many firms to seek flexibility in their future overhead costs.

Richard Gurak, a founding partner of Advitam IP, LLC, a U.S.-based but globally-focused intellectual property law firm that regularly receives referrals from roughly 30-plus different countries, says fancy office space is secondary to great counsel.

In 2012, after he and his business partner Michele Katz left their former AmLaw 100 firm, Husch Blackwell, to launch Advitam IP, they knew office space would be one of their top costs. They sought space in downtown Chicago with little overhead for which clients would be billed, a decision that dually allowed them to put more resources toward quality talent with many years of IP experience. They eventually outgrew their first location, moved to Amata Law Office Suites, a community of more than 700 attorneys and seven Class-A offices in downtown Chicago, and have since grown their firm to 15 attorneys and staff.

“Amata’s office … is perfect for us,” Gurak said. “Not only for the location, but for the professional atmosphere that it provides us as well as multi-layers of staff and legal support services. … They absolutely tailor their services specifically to attorneys.”

Gurak prefers to spend time identifying experienced and dedicated lawyers to bring onto his team. He believes most clients value experienced attorneys’ services and people skills more than their physical office. He particularly thinks respect, organization and attention to detail are important, as these qualities often convey how attorneys represent their clients.

With Amata’s Class-A downtown office space, remote working technology, live receptionists, experienced paralegal team and community of more than 700 attorneys, he says Amata helps them raise the bar. He thinks his small but highly capable team is on par with big firms’ capabilities. In fact, they can adapt to important business changes in 24 hours or less, which could be a month-long process at a large firm.

“Amata is very fertile ground to plant those attorney-to-attorney relationship seeds to establish a strong referral network,” he said. “They are constantly striving to make themselves better. We plan on being here for quite a while.”

Call us or visit our website and take an online or in-person tour of one of our seven downtown Class-A spaces to learn how our legal support services can help you successfully grow your law practice.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Law firms and their cultures began to change long before COVID-19 hit. The pandemic has only accelerated the shift.

Many factors including, but certainly not limited to, changing norms, technology, mergers, increased focus on profits, the retirement of senior partners and the rise of non-equity partnerships have irrevocably transformed the old model. “The traditional law firm took care of its attorneys,” said Jacalyn Birnbaum, of the Chicago-area family law firm Birnbaum Haddon Gelfman & Arnoux, LLC. “There’s no daddy looking after anyone now.”

Birnbaum believes today’s lawyers need a work environment that allows them to be independent yet supported by a team that can handle the many administrative burdens of running a practice. In 2011, upon the break-up of their old law firm, Birnbaum and her current partners didn’t realize such a combination was possible.

Until on a Friday morning in late May of 2011, when Jackie serendipitously visited the new Amata office of a childhood friend who had just relocated her law practice to the 37^th Floor of 180 North LaSalle Street – one of Amata’s seven attorney focused Chicagoland  communities.

“Amata was the perfect, turn-key solution.” Indeed, by the following Thursday, Jackie and her partners had made all necessary arrangements. BHGA, LLC was up and running as of August 1, 2011. It’s still growing.

With Amata responsible for administrative tasks – including managing reception and other shared areas, working with building management, and now, implementing COVID-19 safety measures – Birnbaum feels liberated. She finds the Amata environment has more in common with a business incubator than with typical leased office space.  “Amata lets you breathe so you can focus on the practice of law,” she said.

That breathing room fosters civility and openness. Amata lawyers get to know each other organically, connections are made, and a sense of community takes root. Birnbaum said she and other lawyers on her floor routinely interact and often form close friendships. Moreover, each Amata community includes attorneys in varied areas of practice and easy access to their special expertise, she says, is welcome and helpful.

For many lawyers, the need for a community of peers has been heightened in recent months: meetings and court appearances have gone virtual; law firms have responded to COVID-19 with layoffs, pay cuts, and other cost-cutting measures. In this uncertain climate, lawyers are seeking new ways to build and grow sophisticated practices.

As the legal landscape continues to evolve, Birnbaum recognizes and appreciates the value of the Amata community. “With law firms facing current economic realities, Amata came upon a business model that is perfectly attuned to these times.”

Call us today to learn how our virtual offices can help you successfully go solo with your law practice.

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1. The Future of the Large Law Firm: Growth, Mergers and Inequality: https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2020/01/06/the-future-of-the-large-law-firm-growth-mergers-and-inequality/

2. Being a Law Firm Partner Was Once a Job for Life. That Culture is All but Dead: https://www.wsj.com/articles/being-a-law-firm-partner-was-once-a-job-for-life-that-culture-is-all-but-dead-11565362437

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.