Business Tips » How A Shared Office Can Strengthen An Attorney’s Reputation

How A Shared Office Can Strengthen An Attorney’s Reputation

Confident lawyer poised next to the phrase 'BUILDING A REPUTATION', highlighting personal branding and professional development in the legal industry within a coworking office space

Surely as a lawyer, you’ve been told before that reputation is everything.

On the attorney’s end, you need to have more than just a good reputation to be a good attorney. You need to have subject matter knowledge, the ability to be (or to fake being) fearless and aggressive when necessary, and the willingness to listen and understand your client’s needs.

But on the client’s end, the only thing that really matters to them when choosing an attorney is who have they heard of. Which attorneys are being referred to them by friends or other attorneys? Are they presenting themselves not only professionally, but impressively? Who’s out there winning cases, or at least putting up the best fight they can if the case seems hopeless?

It sounds a little shallow, but prospective legal clients are putting their future in someone else’s hands, and they may feel that these are the best ways to determine who that person should be. So it can feel like an arduous task for lawyers who basically have no reputation to build one.

While doing so will need to be a day-in, day-out process for beginner lawyers or those lacking a reputation, there are a few ways that you can bolster it if you run your law firm from a shared office. Are these a fix-all instant reputation booster? No. But nothing really is. They are, however, a way to get things started, and a smart one at that, which can save you time and money.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term shared office, it is a turn-key workspace that provides multiple different companies move-in ready private office space along with shared co-working spaces. Some shared office spaces, such as Amata, also provide office solutions like mail and package handling, phone and internet setup, and reception services to name a few. For an attorney, a shared office space like this can offer several perks that aid in spreading the word of their legal practice.

  1. Next-door Referrals
    This is a big one. A blog on Superlawyers.com states that some 85% of attorneys have referred their clients to other attorneys, and roughly 75% have received referrals in return. If you find the right office space that houses a large number of attorneys, you will have an asset like this right next door…and down the hall. The majority of Amata’s shared office space members are attorneys. It is not uncommon for them to mingle with each other and share advice. This goes for sharing clients too. If you are looking to gain a foothold in the legal community, your best bet is to focus on one area of law, rather than several in order to become well-versed in that area. What this means in a shared office environment, is that if a divorce attorney has a client who needs legal aid for a traffic violation, they may know just the perfect lawyer down the hall who specializes in this area to refer them to. Bingo, you are suddenly growing your reputation amongst other attorneys, and in turn, gaining more clients.
  2. Prestigious Address
    Image matters. We all know that to be true, especially for attorneys. If you are looking for an easy way to bolster your reputation with potential clients, an impressive address can do that. It’s a realistic concept; a lawyer with a Michigan Avenue address in Chicago sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? Shared offices are typically much more affordable than a standard office as the cost is distributed between members. Finding a shared office that has a prominent location exposes you to all levels of clients, especially those that care about impressions.
  3. Access to Philanthropic Endeavors
    As we said before, some shared offices offer additional services. With some, this can even mean access to philanthropic partnerships. Community involvement is important for an attorney. Amata partners with several organizations including CASA of Cook County, the Israel Idonije Foundation, and the Chicago Legal Clinic. If you are a member of a shared office space, find one that works with their community and allows you to partake in activities with them. It’s a win/win for you and the community you work in.

Don’t ever stop trying to improve your reputation, this goes for all business persons, not just attorneys. You will have to work long and hard at it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little help along the way.