Member Login
Get Started

Amata Law Offices

How To Work When Your Firm’s Been Displaced

by

How To Work When Your Firm’s Been Displaced

What happens when the unthinkable occurs and you find your law office space in Chicago has been displaced due to fire, flood, or other catastrophic event? This is a question no attorney wants to mull over as it can present a slew of potential headaches, financial pressures, and strains to consider that will affect your firm during the transition period. However, if you don’t have a contingency plan in place, you’re setting your firm up for a difficult and strenuous displacement.

When displacement occurs, the main focus should be on getting your firm back up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. The transition should be swift and smooth to provide both you and your clients a feeling of seamlessness while maintaining your firm’s integrity as well as your clients’ faith that the ball won’t be dropped on their cases just because you’ve experienced a situation out of your control.

In order to provide this security for your firm and clients, you should consider the following:

1. Rent Only the Space You Need – Conference Rooms

With your law offices in Chicago out of use, you’ll need a professional place to meet with your clients, conduct closings and depositions, etc. The last thing you want to do when dealing with displacement is allocate more funds than necessary for a temporary space. By utilizing a conference room rental, you can choose the size of space tailored to your firm’s needs and use it only when you need it. Make sure your conference room includes necessary items like a conference phone and high speed Internet.

  • Day Offices
    You should be able to focus on your cases in a space that offers the feel of a firm or schedule a day of meetings with clients where you can provide them with the sharp, professional aesthetic they’ve come to know and expect from you.
  • Large Conference Rooms
    It’s important to have a place to meet with your litigation teams that is large enough to hold everyone and is close to the courts so you gain time preparing witnesses during trials. Make sure your conference room is located conveniently to the courts in Chicago, and if not, close to transportation so you can quickly get to and from them.
  • Board Rooms
    When law offices in Chicago are displaced for any period of time, board room rental is an affordable solution for gatherings of large groups and provides an excellent opportunity for attorney networking during meetings and seminars.

2. Take Advantage of Attorney Networking Opportunities

Just because your law office space in Chicago has been displaced doesn’t mean you can’t find and enjoy perks in the meantime – perks like taking advantage of attorney networking where you can receive expert guidance and co-counsel opportunities as well as a vast referral network that you only get with a virtual or coworking space for attorneys. These all offer the ability for your firm to grow and prosper even in the event of a disaster.

  • Virtual and Coworking Space for Attorneys
    Virtual and coworking space for attorneys allows you to utilize a professional office space when you need it. Present the professional image of your firm when you want, and save financially by working from home during the other times. Just make sure wherever you choose to house your Chicago attorney office rental it has multiple locations to take advantage of. This will ensure you can conduct firm business when and where you need at a moment’s notice.
  • Surround Your Firm with Experts
    Attorney networking is critical to growing your firm – whether just starting out or having been in practice for a few decades. By choosing a location for your firm during displacement that offers a community of lawyers, you are essentially boosting the potential success of your firm in spite of the situation you’re currently facing with displacement.
  • Use Your Time for Billable Hours
    It’s enough to have to deal with finding a Chicago attorney office rental when your firm’s been displaced. Adding on the daily mundane tasks to that ever-growing pile of frustration is easily avoidable. Make sure the space your firm will temporarily be utilizing offers highly-trained, expert attorney staff on-hand that handle things like call answering, administrative tasks, and client intake. Get an even bigger bonus when you find a location that includes this service as a standard.

3. Private Chicago Attorney Office Rental

If your law office in Chicago is in need of a longer time table for space during displacement, you may want to consider renting a private office space. When considering a private office, you’ll want to ensure it offers the same attorney networking benefits as virtual and coworking space for attorneys as well as the following:

  • Individually Priced Offices
    The last thing you should waste money on is a private office space that is half the size but the same price as the larger, corner office down the hall. When seeking out a Chicago attorney office rental for private offices, make sure the pricing is individualized. That way, you a find what fits in your budget.
  • Saves on Extras
    Enjoying a community of lawyers that allows for attorney networking when your firm’s been displaced happens best when your Chicago law offices are in a space that shares common areas like cafes and lounges. Look for common areas that expand your space without expanding the price. It should always be included.
  • Chicago Law Office Aesthetic
    Even though your firm has been displaced, you and your clients shouldn’t have to feel the burden of change during the transition period. Choosing a Chicago attorney office rental space that holds the aesthetic that best represents your firm is key to ensuring a smooth shift from one space to the next and back again. Keeping with the look and feel of your current law offices in Chicago will also keep you working efficiently and more productively as you’ll feel at home.

Keeping all of these things in mind when looking for Chicago attorney office rental space will greatly ease the burden of displacement. It’s important for your firm to get back to focusing on billable hours and not dwell on the situation at hand.

If you’re looking for a Chicago attorney office rental that offers all of these things and more, look no further than Amata Law Office Suites. With multiple locations to choose from, all boasting different aesthetics from traditional to modern and everything in between, there’s something for everyone. Our locales are all convenient to Chicago courts and major transportation as well to save you time and money so you can focus on what really matters – getting back to business.

Tired of wasting time being an office manager instead of handling firm business? Give Amata a call today to find out the Amata difference!

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

There is No Turning Back – Mandatory E-Filing is Here January 1st, 2018

by

attorney-mandatory-efiling-january-1

From Diana Garcia, paralegal for Amata Law Office Suites

Procrastination. We are all guilty of it at some point in our lives, and attorneys are no exception. As you may or may not know the courts have been moving towards e-filing with January 1, 2018 being the date that this will be mandatory across Illinois. I recently had the chance to attend a seminar on how to avoid the pitfalls of e-filing. While I am not an expert on this yet, I have learned enough to share some quick tips & links for those out there that will be plunging into this sometimes-daunting task.

Not everything will need to be e-filed. Below are the four (4) exceptions:

  1. Documents filed by an incarcerated, self-represented litigant in jail or correctional facility
  2. Wills
  3. Documents under the Juvenile Court Acts of 1987
  4. Document in a specific case by court order

You will need to create a username and password to e-file.

To file in Cook County: https://efile.cookcountyuscourts.com/Login.aspx. For outside Cook in Illinois: http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm

There are also several services providers that can assist with the e-file process. The below link provides a comparison of some approved vendors. Attorneys are not required to use a service provider, but there are fees associated with add on services.
http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/documents/Service-Provider-Comparison-Table.pdf

You will need to upload a PDF version of your document.

The size of the document you can upload varies by county and site. Check with the clerk’s office for size requirements. If your document is too large, you can compress it using this free site https://smallpdf.com/compress-pdf.

It is important to have a standard naming convention.

Example:
Type -> Description -> Client -> Date
MOT-Extension of Time- Rabiela -091417.doc
LTR-to client re status hearing-Munoz-052317.pdf)

There are strict guidelines on this mandatory process, and by no means is this all you need to know about e-filing. Please visit the following link for more information:
http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/EBusiness/Electronic_Filing.asp

If you are an Amata member, you can always ask our on-staff paralegals for assistance. Just shoot us an email at [email protected]. Members, be sure to stay tuned for our daily tips regarding e-filing starting Monday, December 18, 2017 through the end of the year.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

You’re a Lawyer, Not an Office Manager

by

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.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

2017 Spirit of Courage Benefit

by

Spirit of Courage Benefit

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is celebrating 40 years as an international Jewish human rights organization that defends the safety of Jews worldwide, confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. It is involved in a multitude of community programs, events and social action including lectures and discussions with renowned speakers.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is also hosting the 2017 Spirit of Courage Benefit this Sunday, December 3rd, 2017 with keynote speaker, General David H. Petraeus. During the event, they will be honoring Leo Melamed with the International Leadership Award.

Leo Melamed

Having found long-awaited shelter in the U.S. during World War II, Leo survived the holocaust as a child after escaping Poland with his parents in a feat that took two years and spanned three continents. He grew to become globally recognized as the founder of financial futures.

Leo Melamed currently serves as Chairman Emeritus at CME Group (the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and has received numerous awards including:

  • The 2005 CME Melamed-Arditti Innovation Award
  • The 2016 State of Illinois Order of Lincoln Award (the highest award conferred by the State of Illinois)
  • The Order of the Rising Sun, bestowed in 2017 by the Emperor of Japan for achievements in advancing world markets

As Chairman and CEO of Melamed & Associates, Inc., a global consulting enterprise, Leo Melamed has revolutionized futures trading and financial markets and was previously named by the former editor of The Chicago Tribune “among the ten most important Chicagoans in business of the 20th Century”.

Also being recognized during this event is Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, recipients of the Guardian of the Future Award, and Kinue Tokudome, who is being honored as a Medal of Valor recipient.

To learn more about the Simon Wiesenthal Center or how you can help support their cause, visit their website at www.wiesenthal.org.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Why Attorneys Choose to Stay in Coworking Spaces

by

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.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

A Celebration to Support the Immigration Project

by

support immigration project

We’re hosting a wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres to celebrate and support the services provided to immigrant communities throughout downstate Illinois by the dedicated attorneys and staff of the Immigration Project. Amata Law Offices and Delgado Rompf Bruen LLC have come together in donating the space for this event!

Date: Thursday, November 16, 2017
Time: 5:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.
Location: Delgado Rompf Bruen LLC, 180 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3700, Chicago, IL

Donations will be accepted at the event via credit card, check, and cash. If you are unable to attend, please considering supporting the work of the Immigration Project through an online donation. Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois has generously agreed to match new donations over $250 up to $10,000 for this event.

Thank you for your support!

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Maintaining Brand Integrity in a Shared Office Space

by

virtual office

It’s important when running a business via a virtual office to make sure that potential clients see you as professional and legitimate. Utilizing a shared office space gives your brand the professional integrity it deserves without losing the financial benefits of being virtual, and when looking for workspace in Chicago, those two factors are key.

Take Your Virtual Office to the Next Level

Often times, the limitations of a virtual office come into play when needing to meet with clients, and they can even come into effect when there are unforeseen distractions at home (kids out of school for the day, spouse home sick, unexpected company arrives in town). By taking advantage of a shared office space, you provide your clients with the peace of mind knowing you’re not a fly-by-night operation. When they see you, you’re not at home or in your local coffee shop. You’re in a prestigious building in downtown Chicago, conducting business in a professional manner – just the same as anyone that rents out a private office – they just don’t know you’re not shelling out for the cost of one.

Finding the Perfect Chicago Office Space

It’s important when choosing a shared office space to find one that is not only convenient but will be impressive to your clients. We have six different locations that are all conveniently located to provide the perfect downtown Chicago office space, and each location has been designed to astound.

Amata Shared Office Space Benefits

It’s easy to maintain your brand’s integrity when you’re working with us because we understand the need for the little details – like the use of a prestigious business address and mail handling and forwarding services. From personalized call answering services to 24/7 access to open workspaces and use of our lounge and cafe work areas at any one of our six locations, you’re getting much more with Amata’s shared office spaces.

Coworking Space for Attorneys

We’ve supported attorneys for more than 20 years, so we know a thing or two about what you need and what your clients expect. Coworking space for attorneys is important in being able to collaborate with other like minds in your industry, but how do you set yourself from others in the building when you’re using shared office space? Fortunately for you, Amata already thought of that. You’ll find there is no direct branding at any of our locations. So even though you’re meeting your clients in a shared workspace, they aren’t seeing any other brand but you.

Take your brand and virtual office to the next level. View a comprehensive list of all the services and benefits an Amata shared office space provides. If you want the opportunity to have a fully brand-customized office, check out our private offices at any one of our six Chicago locations.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

Social Event Educating Attorneys

by

Tips for your business

Amata Law Office Suites teamed up with Advitam IP, LLC on October 26th for one of their monthly attorney networking events. Top attorneys convened in Chicago at The Metropolitan Club on the 67th floor of the Willis Tower for the event.

Guest speakers, Chrissie Martell from the Justice Entrepreneurs Project and Dave Moss with the Haymarket Opera Company, spoke on Turning Conversations into Clients while Pianist, Liza Micell, serenaded the crowd with her expert playing.

Amata gave away an executive photo shoot by ExecPix Photography that was won by Michael Fakaros, and The Metropolitan Club gave away two, $200 gift cards that were won by Stephanie Sexhauer and Randy Rapp.

The evening was enjoyable, and great conversations were had with many connections made!

If you’re looking for affordable coworking space in Chicago where you can partake in attorney networking events focused on building your firm, look at Amata.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Meet the Candidates for Judge

by

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.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Lights, Camera, CASA! Gala

by

Lights, Camera, CASA! Gala

On September 21st, 2017, CASA of Cook County will be hosting Lights, Camera, CASA! Gala, featuring a live and silent auction, food and live music.

Proceeds from Lights, Camera, CASA! gala will allow CASA of Cook County to accept new cases, recruit and train new advocate volunteers, and continue and develop new training programs for staff and volunteers.

To purchase tickets and/or to donate, please visit: https://e.gesture.com/events/62m/.

For more than 30 years, CASA of Cook County has provided a voice for thousands of children in the Cook County child protection court system who have experienced abuse and neglect. With its group of trained, dedicated volunteers, CASA of Cook County researches cases and provides valuable information which child protection @court judges rely on to make the best decisions about children’s futures. CASA dedicates one volunteer to advocate for one child or family of children, ensuring that the child’s voice is present in court even if the child is not.

The need for volunteer advocates is great: in Cook County there are 5,800 children in the foster care system but CASA of Cook County only has the resources to serve 5% of these children. It is CASA of Cook County’s goal to continuously increase the number of children in care it serves by helping to provide them with a safe and permanent home.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.