Having a remote law firm has many benefits, but it also has its costs. On the bright side, lawyers can reduce commute times, achieve a healthier work-life balance, and sometimes even increase their productivity, while lowering their real estate costs and workplace liabilities.
But almost with the same degree of possibility, lawyers can end up working all day, feel isolated and burnt out, and see a massive drop in productivity. In fact, the 2022 Practice Forward Report by The American Bar Association found that only 13% of lawyers practicing 10 years or more would leave their place of employment for the greater ability to work remotely.
The reality is that established lawyers thrive on relationships and human connection, and remote work can make this significantly harder. That is why a new option is rising today, which is hybrid work.
The Benefits of Hybrid Work
There are 9 things that law firms risk losing when going fully remote, and that can be mitigated by choosing a hybrid work environment:
- Limited Access to Resources: Lawyers often rely on law libraries, legal databases, and physical documents. Remote work may limit access to these essential resources, making legal research more challenging.
- Client Confidentiality: Remote work environments may not always provide the same level of security as a traditional office, increasing the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information.
- Collaboration Challenges: Remote work can hinder spontaneous interactions and face-to-face collaboration, potentially affecting teamwork and communication.
- Client Meetings: Building rapport with clients can be more challenging through remote interactions, as it lacks the personal touch and trust-building opportunities that come with in-person meetings.
- Technical Issues: Remote work relies heavily on technology. Technical glitches, internet outages, or software problems can disrupt work, delay deadlines, and lead to frustrations.
- Isolation and Burnout: Lawyers working remotely may experience feelings of isolation due to the absence of regular social interactions with colleagues. This isolation can contribute to burnout and negatively impact mental health.
- Ergonomic Challenges: Lawyers often spend long hours reviewing documents or writing briefs, which can lead to chronic pains and postural issues when working from home without a proper office setup.
- Lack of Supervision: Junior lawyers or interns may miss out on valuable mentorship and supervision when working remotely, which can affect their professional development.
- Client Perception: Many top-tier clients prefer their lawyers to work from a traditional office setting, viewing it as a sign of professionalism and commitment.
So could there be a way to work how you want, from where you want, without missing out on the benefits of having a well-equipped, professional office?
How Flexible Office Arrangements Work
Amata pioneered an innovative ‘office-as-a-service’ model in Chicago, which allows lawyers to work remotely while enjoying the benefits of a traditional office space. Law firms can take care of business from virtually anywhere, and still access:
- A Business Address in a Prestigious Chicago Area
Your clients need to trust who they’re working with. Amata provides the hospitality and the professional and personal touch your clients deserve. Amata provides a virtual business address, so clients associate your organization with Class A, prominent office buildings in the Chicago area.
- Mail Handling, Scanning and Forwarding
A virtual business address also entitles you to receive correspondence at the location and enjoy mail processing and forwarding from the on-site staff.
- Conference Rooms & Private Offices for the Day
With Amata, you can keep protecting your firm’s bottom line by having a physical office available as needed. Our flexible options allow you to access luxurious conference rooms and fully-staffed offices on demand, and your clients will never know that you aren’t renting the entire space because we customize everything for you.
Our shared office spaces also allow you to pay for only the space that you need. No need to pay for a lavish 200-meter library that you won’t use. And as your firm grows, our scalable plans provide the perfect solution for expansion. These plans allow you to add or drop office spaces during the term of the contract, without penalty, so that you can stay agile without the hassle of relocating.
- Flexible Legal Support Staff, Including Paralegals and Administrative Assistants
With Amata, you can access corporate-level law firms without the costs of hiring full-time employees. We provide a wide variety of support services to attorneys including paralegals, legal assistants, administrative assistants, and receptionists (both in-person or virtual).
This allows you to focus on billable hours and growing your firm with a healthier work/life balance, while all the important but tedious tasks are taken care of professionally for you.
Our paralegals research cases on your behalf and draft documents while a virtual legal assistant manages your calendar, returns client phone calls, and plans events. They are all vetted and managed by Amata, ensuring you only pay for the services you require without the increased costs of full-time employees.
- Live Receptionists to Meet and Greet Your Clients
Not all firms are created equal, and your office space should reflect that. Our Live receptionists will project an image of reliability and stability to your clients, meeting them as they arrive at your office and handling any urgent task on your behalf.
Live receptionists protect your time and handle important office-related tasks like phone answering, call forwarding, message taking, appointment scheduling, calendar management, CRM updating, and much, much more.
- Networking Events
Having served more than 800 law firms for over 21 years, we have noticed that successful lawyers are in the business of building relationships. Amata’s unique model allows you to continue working remotely, but to attend networking events with like-minded professionals you can connect with to expand your partnerships, referrals, and connections.
A Better Way to Practice Law
The concept of a traditional, fixed brick-and-mortar office is evolving. Law firms are increasingly opting for hybrid office spaces that provide flexible solutions to meet their specific needs.
With Amata, remote law firms can continue working how they want and from where they want, while having professional offices and support services on-demand. This provides the perfect arrangement to expand your reach in Chicago while protecting your profitability and the work/life balance you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Contact us today and learn how our virtual office solutions allow you to increase profits while practicing law on your terms.