The Benefits of Amata’s Community, Amatanet

The Benefits of Amata’s Community, Amatanet

Amata Law Office Suites understands that social networking isn’t just for college kids anymore. Instead of your run-of-the-mill platforms that encompass many diverse industries over a large spread of various regions, Amata focuses its community, Amatanet, specifically on its members – those that hold virtual, coworking, or private office space.

Amatanet allows our members to partake in a private community where they may network with one another as well as establish and build personal and professional relationships, co-counsel opportunities, and so much more.

Search for Colleagues. RSVP to Events. Build Your Community.

While the business benefits of social networking are becoming more and more obvious, it is really the cocktail party atmosphere in which you are engaging with that provides new colleagues who are more than willing to share information, tools, resources, opinions, knowledge and support.

By actively involving yourself in the Amatanet community, you’re able to demonstrate your expertise, engage with your fellow Amata members, and present yourself as a leader. All of these things combined will give you ROI – return on investment as well as Return On Influence.

Connections Matter

Amatanet is a perfect hub for networking, building connections, and staying on top of what’s happening in the legal community. Being an Amata member truly means being part of a community.

At Amata Law Office Suites, we realize that networking doesn’t always come naturally. It takes work, and that’s why we’re here to help you succeed.

Discover How Amatanet Helps Set You Apart

We all know networking matters, and as a part of the community at Amata Law Office Suites, you have the opportunity to connect with other members and enjoy the following benefits:

  • Receive the very latest on upcoming events, RSVP, and find out who in your community is attending.
  • Create valuable connections with our Water Cooler forum. This platform allows Amata members to post questions, seek assistance, post jobs, share events, introduce themselves to potential colleagues, and spark discussions. What’s more, every week, members receive emails recapping the very latest Water Cooler posts, as well as highlighting upcoming events. In essence, it’s a perfect, all-around way to network, stay informed, and build your professional community base.
  • Access our Amata Law Office Suites member directory to connect with other members, search by locations, profession, and even language. Members find this extremely helpful, especially when they are looking for someone with specific services such as translation.
  • Review benefits and special discounts exclusively for Amata members.
  • Monitor your upcoming meetings, reserve conference rooms, and even manage account billing.

Get Connected and Stay Informed as an Amata Member

If you want to succeed as an attorney, networking and professional development are key. When you create valuable connections with fellow attorneys, you establish a go-to for someone to bounce ideas off of, refer clients to, and even be referred in return.

Let Amata Law Office Suites member community, Amatanet, help you cultivate these important connections and stay informed with the latest events and industry updates.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

3 Reasons You Should Use On-Demand Paralegals

3 Reasons You Should Use On-Demand Paralegals

Work-load fluctuation is often the most frustrating aspect of running a law firm. It makes it impossible to project profits, and should you experience a large influx of work, it can be stressful. On one hand you want to be able to accept all clients that come your way, on the other, you can’t take on more than the work week allows.

People who are not in law may say “just hire more staff.” But an occasional need for support does not often justify the cost of a full-time hire. The paralegal you take on during a period of heavy casework may be eating into your profits the next quarter, when cases finish and incoming work slows.

Here are our reasons why hiring a paralegal on-demand is more than just an obvious solution, but a valuable asset to your firm.

1. Temporarily bolster the size of your firm.
Clients want to be number one on your priority list. That’s why they choose a small firm lawyer over a large firm. But if you are too small, they may not believe your firm can handle their case and another. On-demand paralegals can help bolster the apparent size of your firm. Allowing potential clients to feel at ease hiring you, no matter how particular they may be.

2. Double your firm’s working hours.
24/7. That’s all the time you have as a single lawyer each week. But with a paralegal that becomes 48/7, doubling the potential hours you can be paid. And because your paralegal works at a cheaper hourly rate for you – but not your client – you can increase your profit margin for every task you assign them versus yourself.

3. Take on more cases and keep overhead steady.
The pricing of the future is not hourly but fixed. And if you are one of the small law firms who have adopted this modern model, then you know the importance of being able to take on more work. On-demand paralegals allow this in the simplest way. When multiple cases come in, you don’t have to turn them down due to lack of help.

With the increasing popularity of small law firms, companies are popping up left and right with the sole focus on providing firms with on-demand legal support staff. If you are an Amata member, chances are you have already enlisted the help of our in-house paralegal staff in downtown Chicago. A quick search will also give you plenty of options no matter where you live, or how you choose to work. This hired help will be representing you at every turn, so be diligent in who you hire, but don’t hinder the potential of your firm by not hiring anyone at all.

Want more details on our in-house paralegal team? Contact us and see how we can help you, or ask for a pricing sheet at [email protected].

KIRSTEN MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS WITH AMATA OFFICE SOLUTIONS

Kirsten Mayfield, Director of First Impressions with Amata Office Solutions

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Union League Club Chicago is Hosts Special Social Featuring Guests of Honor Judge Jamie Shapiro and Judge Erika Orr

Union League Club Chicago is Hosts Special Social Featuring Guests of Honor Judge Jamie Shapiro and Judge Erika Orr

This social event is sponsored by the ULCC and attendees will have the opportunity to meet members of the ULCC Board of Directors, view the second largest private art collection in Chicago, and network with other Amata clients at this special event.

Special guests of honor will be the recently elected Judge Jamie Shapiro and Judge Erika Orr.

When: Thursday, May 3rd, 2018
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Where: Union League Club of Chicago
65 Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL

An RSVP is required to attend

Sign in for more info & to RSVP

Here’s What You’ve Been Missing at Union League Club of Chicago

  • Expand your professional and social network
  • A historic club committed to community, country, and culture
  • Temporary reduced initiation fee of $125
  • World-class art collection of more than 700 works
  • Award-winning chefs providing some of the best dining experiences
  • Access to unique experiences featuring at least 60 events per month
  • Family programs available every month
  • State-of-the-art health and fitness center
  • More than 25 interest groups
  • A public affairs committee committed to improving Chicago
  • Complimentary shuttle service

For reservations, email [email protected]

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Attorney Office Space on Chicago’s Michigan Ave Offers Numerous Perks

Attorney Office Space on Chicago’s Michigan Ave Offers Numerous Perks

Why Your Chicago Law Office Address Matters

Like it or not, law offices located in a lesser known, sleepy spot might be passed over by you or your potential clients in favor of one in a thriving metropolitan area. We’re all beholden, to a certain extent, to superficiality. And prestigious or exciting locations will always speak to that.

Any real estate professional will tell you a property’s location is key to making a good investment decision. For attorneys in Chicago, the same is true of your business. After all, law office suites designed with your unique needs in mind, in a prime location, and at the epicenter of Daley Park and all things Chicago, will impress your clients and delight and excite you.

It’s All About Image

Consider this: Would a potential client be more likely to contract your services following a harried meeting at a crowded Starbucks, or after meeting with you in a well-appointed, executive office suite close to all the amenities of the Mag Mile? For the most part, meeting in a professional setting will close the deal much quicker.

Greeting clients in a formal office setting creates a feeling of permanency and strength for your business. Clients who walk into an office space that exudes professionalism will feel at ease. They’ll feel secure doing business with you because it appears you maintain a high-end office, and that’s not an inexpensive undertaking. Potential clients will assume your business is thriving since you can afford high-quality surroundings, office technology and support staff.

Choosing a Workspace for Your Law Office

We said it earlier, but we’ll say it again. Location matters, and offices located in less than ideal areas or in unattractive buildings are simply not as inviting and could lead to a loss in business.

Similarly, working from home can be a tempting idea both for comfort and cost-cutting measures, but a client meeting an attorney in his or her home is likely to think less of them as a professional.

Finding a location that impresses clients is essential and can also make the workday a lot easier.

Advantages of Renting Law Office Space in Chicago

Simply having an office space gives a professional feel that is tangible not only to you, but also to your clients. Knowing you are in a professional, dedicated workspace changes your mindset and helps present a more polished demeanor, which clients can perceive.

A law firm with a fully furnished office space housing the latest technology in an excellent location appears to be more successful. It also gives clients the impression that their matters will be handled by an experienced and knowledgeable attorney that will know how to address their needs.

Benefits of Law Office Space at 150 North Michigan Avenue

Amata Law Office Suites can be the solution to your workspace dilemmas. We offer premiere law office spaces in prestigious, centralized locations as you will find on both the 8th and 28th floors of our Michigan Ave locale. Just one block from Lake Shore Drive, this location boasts incredible views sure to impress your clients.

What’s more, you’re just minutes away from Maggie Daley Park, premier shopping, unrivaled dining and cuisine, and the breathtaking views of our great city! Not only are Amata’s offices impressive, but you can enjoy the dynamic amenities that make Chicago so unique.

Clients and attorneys alike will delight in the numerous perks of our 150 N. Michigan Avenue location.

Learn more about how our 150 North Michigan Ave location can put you on the map to success.

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Non-Disparagement Clauses and Their Restrictions in the Digital Age

Non-Disparagement Clauses and Their Restrictions in the Digital Age

As the digital age continues to grow, more and more people are turning to places like Facebook and Yelp to gather information about a company. Using digital platforms allows them to read reviews as well as leave reviews of their own and determine whether or not to invest their time and money into a business. Given the rise in digital communication, attorneys are finding themselves confronted with an ever-increasing amount of claimed non-disparagement violations.

Enter The Non-Disparagement Clause

A non-disparagement clause is a legal representation of a private agreement that restricts free speech. Employers often implement a mutual non-disparagement clause that promises both parties, company and employee, agree to not disparage the other.

However, as with any provision, the non-disparagement clause can come with inferences, assumptions, and questions regarding what, exactly, constitutes disparagement.

What Constitutes Disparagement?

At its core, the term disparage means to belittle or reduce in rank or esteem.

Generally speaking, if a non-disparagement clause is included in an employment or severance agreement, courts view and enforce it as a matter of contract interpretation principles.

In regards to the courts in Illinois, they examine the contract to determine the intention of all parties at the time they entered into it. Once the court has determined the intention, they may rely on a dictionary to provide a definition of any undefined terms, giving them their intended meanings.

Challenges Non-Disparagement Clauses Face

Certain positions within a company offer higher risks of disparagement than others. Employees with access to confidential information within the company, separated employees, and those that have been terminated all pose a greater risk.

While a non-disparagement clause can lessen this risk, it isn’t without its challenges.

These contractual clauses restrict free speech, and with that can come legal attacks from governmental agencies charged with regulating the workforce.

For instance, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed lawsuits challenging certain non-disparagement provisions included in severance agreements that precluded employees, both former and current, from cooperating with them in their investigations into illegal discrimination.

Consumer Review Fairness Act Levels The Field

In 2016, Congress passed this act in order to void provisions in non-negotiable “Terms of Use” contracts that limit someone’s right to publish genuine, negative reviews online.

Even the United States Supreme Court became involved when they overturned a non-disparagement provision due to it being an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

Overcome Restrictions On Free Speech & Protect Your Company

Restrictions of free speech caused by non-disparagement clauses are not being taken lightly.

In order to best protect your company as well as your legal clients, these contractual provisions should be drawn up in a way that only includes what is reasonably necessary.

Ensure the language used in the non-disparagement clause limits the restriction on free speech. You will also need to include a reasonable timeframe the provision holds rather than an unending, over-generalized contract.

To find out more about non-disparagement clauses in the digital age, download the original article found in the Newsletter of Illinois State Bar Association.

Article shared by: Law Office of Cathy Ann Pilkington

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Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil Tasting

Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil Tasting

How refined is your palate? Can you taste the difference between an olive oil produced by the Greek Koroneiki Tree and that of the aromatic, dark brown fruit of the Arbequina cultivar? Our Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil Tasting gives you the chance to find out.

You’ll discover the complexity of an 18‐year balsamic and the nuances between single‐varietal olive oils with Olive & Well, a gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar store in Oak Park, IL. Accompany owner of Olive & Well, Kay Kuhlman, at her tasting table and learn about the life of balsamic vinegars and olive oils, or simply enjoy the flavors and mingle with the other guests throughout the evening.

Amata’s very own Ron Bockstahler will be making the homemade artisan breads that will accompany the tasting!

Olive & Well oils come fresh from small‐batch groves and producers throughout the world. They hand‐select their olives and follow them from pick to press, with just hours passing between the two for their premium varietals. Their emphasis is not only on taste, but on health. Their oils are high in antioxidant polyphenols, and their balsamics are all natural, with no added sugars or colors.

Join your fellow tenants for a guided tasting of 10 balsamic vinegars and oils. Our tasting table will be available for you and your coworkers to mix and match. We will be voting on our favorites throughout the night, and breads will be served with an 18-year aged balsamic and an assortment of infused and Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils. Accompanying snacks such as olives, cured meats, and cheeses will also be offered.

When: Tuesday, February 27th, 2018 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Where: 150 N Michigan Ave, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601

RSVP to the event either on the Amata Community ‘Events’ page or via email, at [email protected].

 

DELGADO ROMPF BRUEN LLC

Ownership and management of Olive & Well is Kay’s second “career.” She served for almost 30 years as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of Commerce, at U.S. Embassies in Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland and Canada, assisting U.S. companies in promoting and exporting their products and services to foreign markets.

Retiring in 2007 with her husband, also a career diplomat, they settled in Oak Park. Walking to the library one day, she passed by Olive & Well and read the sign on the door: “Looking for part‐ time help. Must be a foodie, must love to cook, and must have retail experience.” Check, check, and check.

For five years, this part‐time work was her “fun retirement job.” When, in 2014, the original owner tired of Chicago winters and moved to Florida, Kay bought the store, introducing new products and marketing strategies. She has made Olive & Well not just a retail operation but also an experience in healthy eating. Her motto for the store is: “Where healthy tastes great.”

Check out all the photos from this fun-filled and informative event!

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DRB – Global Approach. Tailored Solutions.

drb-team

Delgado Rompf Bruen LLC is a Chicago-based law firm representing clients in all types of immigration matters including family applications, employment immigration and compliance, removal proceedings, naturalization, and appeals.

Co-founders Marta Delgado and Elizabeth Rompf Bruen have nearly 35 years of combined legal experience and have focused their careers in the immigration and nationality law areas. They routinely represent clients before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Justice and numerous U.S. consular posts worldwide.

The attorneys at Delgado Rompf Bruen LLC analyze individuals’ immigration histories, explain the options that exist to obtain the solutions they are seeking, and develop comprehensive strategies to present the strongest case possible.

Delgado Rompf Bruen LLC builds immigration solutions with consistent client communication, extensive experience, intelligent case strategies, dedicated advocacy, and compassionate service to its clients and community.

DELGADO ROMPF BRUEN LLC

DELGADO ROMPF BRUEN LLC

180 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3700

Chicago, Illinois, 60601

www.drbimmigration.com

TEL: 312.216.5116

FAX: 312.981.0051

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You’re a Lawyer, Not an Office Manager

How many dedicated hours did you spend to become the attorney you are today? My guess is, more than you would like to remember. During those countless hours, were you also studying to become a property manager? No? Why is it then that attorneys continue to find themselves wasting time focusing on filling open law office space in Chicago for the building they’re leasing when they could be working on actual billable hours? For those in pursuit of a law office that allows you the time and financial means needed to focus on what’s important – the work of your firm – there’s a better way.

Consider the pitfalls of purchasing or leasing your own building (apart from the obvious astronomical costs involved):

1. Property Management

More than likely, the space where you house your law office also includes extra space not being used, and that space is eating a hole in your pocket every month. In order to stop losing money with empty space, you’re forced to become a property manager, taking valuable time away from your client work, and adding more to your resume than you have time for.

  • Advertise: More money and time is burned while you advertise your open space for lease.
  • Interview: Finding the right attorney to adjoin with your space can be difficult, especially when they should be someone you can look to for collaboration or sharing referrals.
  • Onboarding: There’s still time, and thus money, spent in onboarding the proper attorney in Chicago.

2. Reception

My guess is, you also didn’t go to school to spend numerous extra hours each week answering phones and taking messages instead of handling your client work and focusing your time on billable hours. If you’re a Chicago attorney in your own law office building, this is another detail you will have to handle.

  • Greet Clients: Someone has to do it, and if you aren’t putting even more of your income towards staff, that someone is you.
  • Field Calls: When you aren’t spending your time answering the phones, you’re spending it checking the messages.
  • Hiring Reception: If you do hire someone, unless you’re paying a sizeable wage, you’re likely to wind up with constant turn-over, causing you to lose even more billable hours in training new staff.

3. Revolving Door

You’ve occupied your empty space and are now, hopefully, at least breaking even on the yearly expenses for your law office space. However, there’s another major downside to leasing out space; no guarantee of your tenants staying. Once they leave, you must begin the process all over again.

The solution: Choose a Coworking Space for Attorneys instead. Aside from the considerable savings, coworking spaces offer:

    1. Pay for What You Need: Having a coworking space for attorneys in Chicago doesn’t have to mean losing your private office. In fact, you still get to enjoy a private office, but you stop wasting money that goes to the extra space you don’t use.
    2. Reception is Included: With Amata Law Office Suites, quality reception is a no-brainer. That’s why we include that service for our clients at no extra charge. Aside from not having to answer incoming calls and take your own messages, you can trust that the reception staff members are staples in our office spaces. We train and pay them well to ensure they stick around, and you and your clients don’t have to worry about turn-over.
    3. Network of Attorneys: It can be hard to find the right fit when looking for one or two other attorneys to fill your law office space in Chicago. Utilizing a coworking space for attorneys through Amata Law Office Suites allows you a large network of attorneys with which to collaborate, and we host regular networking events exclusively for attorneys to offer your firm the best chance of success in this business.

Make the move and start truly investing in your practice. Amata Law Office Suites provides you the ability to never have to worry about property management again, so you can focus on just being an attorney.

While you’re at it, check out why attorneys in Chicago are choosing coworking spaces over traditional private office buildings.

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Why Attorneys Choose to Stay in Coworking Spaces

coworking space for attorneys

Professional office space in Chicago that offers the unique environment attorneys need to run a successful firm can be hard to come by – especially at an affordable rate. What they often don’t teach in law school is how to run a business. This may be why many law firms take on more space than they need with the anticipation of growing into the space. Paying for this extra space is the same as burning your money. Before incurring expenses an attorney should build a proforma to estimate income to expenses and the key metric to use should be cost per billable hour. If an attorney anticipates they will bill 1500 hours next year and they are collecting $250/hour, they may want to keep their total costs at $50/hour or $6,250/month. These costs should include their office space, reception service, software programs, computers (amortized over their useful life), support staff, marketing expenses, and continuing education costs. This same metric should be used when adding attorneys to your staff to set expectations and manage expenses. Coworking or shared offices lends itself to controlling expenses based on estimated billable hours.

Receptionist Services at No Extra Cost

When it comes to coworking space for attorneys that truly provides a quality service for less cost, the first place you look is the reception. We have found that including front desk reception for our clients at no additional charge is a no-brainer. A successful attorney, billing 1500 hours a year, does not have time to waste answering phones and making sure clients are greeted properly. But these things are very important to building a loyal clientele. Staffing the receptionist position is a key part of the value offered at a shared office environment. It should not be a revolving door for temps and part-time employees who care little for their work.

Community

The opportunity to work among your peers, sharing referrals, consulting on changes in the law and building comradery among attorneys may be the most important aspect of working in a shared office environment for attorneys. Whether your case load has you in court all day or you are building your book of business, the best place to find fulfillment in your work is among other attorneys. Relationships blossom around the water cooler and popping into a neighbor’s office down the hall. When you require additional resources your shared office provider should offer an online community of attorneys with something in common as a resource for you to take advantage of.

Top-Notch Staff

Time and time again, our attorney clients are singing the praises of Amata Law Office Suites’ expert staff. Our professional reception, our on-hand paralegals, legal assistants, and our office managers go above and beyond to set the tone for our office services at Amata Law Office Suites. We take great pride in carefully selecting our team members, creating an enjoyable working environment, and compensating them well to reduce turnover and disruption for our members. Our efforts to create a superb team at each of our law office suites shows by the high remarks we consistently receive from our clients and visiting patrons at our locations.

Atmosphere Unlike Any Other

Amata Law Office Suites set out to create coworking space in Chicago that rivals that of a large law firm, offering all the perks of having the collaborative legal environment at a fraction of the cost. Our office suites are designed for the quiet, focused atmosphere that is required for any practicing attorney while also including shared spaces perfect for networking and taking advantage of co-counsel opportunities or the chance to pick another lawyer’s brain rather than spending countless hours researching to find what you need.

In today’s competitive environment it is important to not only get business in the door, but to get the right business. Having the luxury to choose the deals you accept and passing on those that either don’t fit into what you want to do or don’t pay enough is an important aspect to enjoying the practice of law. At Amata Law Office Suites, we understand this and have created a culture and community to help attorneys reach their goals.

Amata Law Office Suites is more than office space, it’s a community of attorneys with a thriving culture and the services required make the practice of law profitable and enjoyable.

With multiple locations, you can easily find the professional office space in Chicago that you need.

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Meet the Candidates for Judge

Amata Attorney River Cruise

Amata is honored to have two of our attorney members running for Judge in the upcoming elections. To show our support and appreciation for their commitment to serving our country, we are hosting a Meet the Candidates night where you’ll be able to learn more about each candidate. Please make plans to join us!

Meet the Candidates

Erika Orr, Candidate for Cook County 1st Sub-Circuit Court Judge

Erika Orr is the solo practitioner of Orr Law Group and specializes in domestic relations law. She has extensive experience in matters regarding the allocation of parental responsibilities as well as contracts related to surrogacy, real estate sales transactions, and more.

To learn more about Erika and support her campaign, head here.

Jamie Shapiro, Candidate for Cook County 8th Sub-Circuit Court Judge

James “Jamie” Shapiro has served as a judge for both criminal and civil cases. With over 32 years of experience in the legal field, his knowledge ranges from his time as judge to teaching law school and even serving as an Assistant United States Attorney.

To learn more about Jamie and support his campaign, head here.

Join Us

When: Thursday, November 9th, 2017, 5-7pm
Where: 161 N Clark St, 16th floor

Beverages and light appetizers will be served. No RSVP required.

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