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Hybrid Work

A Look at Hybrid Work for Small and Midsized Law Firms

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By Ron Bockstahler

We are going on our third year living with Covid-19 and some of the early predictions about a hybrid work/office model are starting to become reality. But the truth is, this reality looks different for almost every law firm and is heavily influenced by personal preference, type of law practiced, and individual situations. When it comes to creating the perfect hybrid work environment, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Over the past 30 days, I have worked with five law firms helping them to create a hybrid work environment that will allow them to optimize resources, maximize profitability, and maintain firm culture. All these firms were successful prior to the pandemic and their work volume has been consistently increasing since the pandemic began. Their challenges include maintaining firm culture, developing new associates, coordinating work projects, and keeping their work force from leaving for new opportunities. I will even add my own company, Amata Law Office Suites, into the discussion since we too have experienced similar challenges during the pandemic and are now wrestling with how we move forward. Let’s look at a couple of these firms, their situation and how, at least for now, they are moving forward with hybrid work/office solutions.

Let’s start by talking about the largest of the five firms I’ve recently worked with. Since the project is ongoing, I will not mention the firm name for confidentiality purposes. The firm is based in Florida, with locations in several other states. In Chicago they have 38 attorneys and occupy two adjacent floors in the Chicago loop, about 35,000 sq. ft. in total.  I started talking with this firm about a year ago, late in 2021, as they were considering the best way to move forward with their office space. Like most of us, they wanted to see how the pandemic would play out and how their lawyers and staff would adjust to remote work before making any big decisions on their office space. With enough experience working remote and a lot of input from their lawyers, they are now ready to move forward with a hybrid work/office model they believe will work well for their firm. Their model involves giving up both floors at their Chicago office in a partnership with Amata Law Office Suites, with the firm maintaining twelve offices for lawyers and staff who have elected to come into the office regularly and four offices for hoteling among lawyers and staff that come into the office only occasionally. The firm is signing a licensing agreement with Amata and will use the common areas and conference rooms in the same way as other Amata client. The lawyers and staff without offices have elected to work remotely, only coming into the office for firm meetings or to occasionally meet with clients. By giving up their permanent office space the firm can reduce expenses by just under $800,000 each year.

Next is a three-attorney law firm with two staff members. For the partners of this firm, the remote work model did not suit their work preference. In fact, since the beginning of the pandemic, they have been coming into the office every day. It is common to see the partners meeting serendipitously to discuss a client or case they are involved in. They are all old enough to be empty nesters, so they can work at home without interruptions. Instead, they enjoy the camaraderie the office provides. If I were to rank the reasons lawyers give me for coming into the office, camaraderie and the social aspects would be at the top of the list. For years one of my favorite sayings when talking with my managers has been, busy makes busy. Create a busy environment and people will gravitate to that environment.

Want to learn more about how Amata helps law firms leverage hybrid work? We can help you find the right fit – start a conversation with us here.

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Five Things to Look for in Shared Office Space (Revised)

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By Ron Bockstahler

Recent events in the shared office space realm compel me to update this article with a couple of very important points that were not mentioned originally. Today I met with an attorney who was originally introduced to me more than three years ago when he was considering changing his office space. At the time, my company didn’t win his business because he wasn’t unhappy with his space and the perceived hassle of changing addresses for active cases just didn’t seem like it was worth it at that time. Two days ago, the shared office this attorney runs his law firm out of, a large international shared office company, provided a 13-day notice that they are closing the center and all tenants will have to relocate to one of their other locations or find new office space on their own. Now anyone that has ever looked for new office space knows that 13 days is hardly enough time to secure new office space and coordinate a move, especially if your firm has a large active caseload.

Last night I was reminded of another operator that closed their offices and gave their tenants less than two weeks notice to vacate. Many tenants believe that there is little chance of this happening if they join a large national or international co-working company or hared office provider. But almost all the large providers set up each of their locations as individual LLC’s, making it very easy for them to close the non-performing centers with little to no recourse to their parent company. When they do close a center, they provide a very short notice to force their clients to move to another one of their centers that are remaining open.

It’s impossible to eliminate the risk of a center closing, but here are a few questions to ask that will help minimize the risk of going through this very difficult experience. First, inquire about the remaining lease term at the center you are considering. If the co-working operator owns the building, ask them about future plans, what their building-hold strategy is and if the co-working operation has a lease with the building, even if both have the same owners. The next question is to find out what the current occupancy of the center is. We use 85% as a measure of full occupancy and anything under 70% is a red flag that the center could be on the block to close soon. The obvious exception to this is if the center opened less than a year ago and is in the early stages of leasing. To that point, a new center is generally a safe bet that it will remain open for the next 1-2 years, regardless of occupancy. Finally, make sure you understand if the operator is a local, regional, or national operator.

There’s no question that from time to time, offices will close for various reasons, many reasons that are out of the control of the operator. The issue is when operators do not provide adequate notice for tenants to research options and make an educated decision on a new office space. If an operator only has one center, that should be a red flag and you need to scrutinize the deal they are offering very closely. Regional operators usually have several centers, are privately owned, and generally go to extreme lengths to protect their reputation. Even if they do close a center, chances are they will handle it in a professional manner, providing as much notice to clients as possible to protect their reputation in the industry and in their areas they operate.

The last point I will make is regarding taking an office with another law firm. For example, I have worked with several lawyers that have taken an office with a law firm that has a direct lease. The comments I hear most often when a lawyer is electing this option, is the cost is cheaper than a professional co-working operator and they do not need to sign a lease. It is true that the cost is generally cheaper because the lessor law firm is looking to offset a small portion of their fixed expenses for a short period of time. However, the benefit of not signing a lease, often, becomes a liability when the law firm provides a very short notice, generally less than two weeks, that the lawyer must move out because the law firm has hired new staff and will need the office. This almost always leaves the renting attorney in a difficult position at the most inopportune time.

You still want to focus on paralegal support, professional atmosphere and amenities, private office options, the legal network opportunities, and location. But even before you consider these things, make sure you are working with a reputable operator and that the location you are considering checks all the boxes highlighted above. Doing due diligence prior to selecting your next office will save you time and money in the long run.

Looking to get the most out of your office space? We can help you find the right fit – start a conversation with us here.

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Developing New Associates

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By Ron Bockstahler, CEO

As most of the world is emerging from the pandemic and trying to figure out what the new normal will look like, many law firms and professional organizations are moving to a hybrid work environment. It’s not like most of us have a lot of choice. It’s an employee labor market and to keep great employees, you must be more flexible than in the past. This past Sunday I was at a benefit for The Simon Wiesenthal Center and sat with the co-managing partner of an 18-attorney law firm. At dinner he stated, “If I go into the office tomorrow and demand our attorneys come back to the office every day, most will quit. They all are in high demand, with too many options and do not want to come into the office every day.” He even referenced a law firm larger than his that recently announced they are transitioning to a 100% virtual work environment.

The one area my dinner guest was concerned about is how do you develop new associates if you rarely see them in person? It turns out this is a big concern for many firms that hire young associates. Virtual law firms have been around for years, and most have grown at a fast pace during the pandemic. The difference is most of the established virtual law firms such as FisherBroyles only recruit experienced lawyers or as they claim, “partner-level attorneys”. But if you’re a solo with ambitions of growing your firm by adding young associates, a purely virtual office model can be difficult.

In full disclosure, I founded a company that provides flexible office space to law firms back in 2002. So, I have been singing about the values of flexible and virtual office space for a long time, mostly on deaf ears in the legal community. Well, maybe not totally deaf ears, we do serve over 800 law firms. My point is, if you are a rain maker and want to grow your firm by hiring young associates to perform the lion’s share of the work, you need some type of office space where you can spend time with your associates to develop them. You are building a law firm based on a different business model than firms like FisherBroyles or Potomac Law Group.

In a different meeting with a founding partner of a 7-attorney law firm last month, this issue of developing new associates was a hot topic. This firm gave up the office space they had for 20 years midway through the pandemic and took a virtual office at one of my Chicago offices. It seemed like this would be a permanent arrangement since the senior partners are empty nesters and enjoyed working from home. But when two associates, with 5 and 7 years’ experience respectively, left for in-house positions, mindsets changed. The question became, how do we develop two new associates working 100% remotely? The solution they settled on was for most of the firm to remain virtual, but to add two permanent offices to spend 2-3 days each week working with the new associates in-person. When you break down the cost between 2 offices in a law firm office suite versus their long-time home with a direct lease, the savings amount to a bit over $240,000 annually.

More important than the financial savings, the firm has been able to create a hybrid work model that satisfies the needs of the partners and the young associates. I’ll keep singing the praises for flexible and virtual office space for 20 more years, but based on what I am seeing today, it won’t be on deaf ears. The legal industry is changing for the better and hopefully these changes will result in a more balanced work/life model that supports individual attorneys while allowing the firm to maintain the connection and culture that develops from in-person interaction between attorneys.

Want to find out more about how your firm could benefit from a hybrid work model? Start a conversation with us here.

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Five Things to Look for in Shared Office Space

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By Ron Bockstahler

In the past, law firms were known for sprawling offices, where even the most junior associates had their own private workspace. That changed as larger firms adopted standard-size offices, open floor plans and clustered workstations, and a growing cadre of lawyers — particularly solo practitioners — moved to shared offices. Prior to the pandemic, demand swelled for co-working spaces — including office centers designed specifically for the legal community.

With the pandemic, space needs shifted again. As law firms reconsider their space and hybrid and full-time remote work becomes the norm, the demand for shared office space is rising.

Here’s what you should expect if you’re shopping for legal-only shared office space.

  1. Paralegal support. Some centers offer paralegal staff who can assist with everything from basic administrative tasks to legal research. Some services come at an additional fee, but it saves you the expense of hiring a full-time legal assistant. Paralegals and support staff, typically employed by the shared office provider, can also help line up court reporters, file paperwork and serve subpoenas.
  2. Professional deposition rooms. While amenities like lounges and on-site gyms are common in most shared office suites, private deposition rooms don’t usually make the cut. In centers that cater to the legal community, look for access to private meeting rooms with videoconferencing capabilities to conduct depositions either remotely or in person. You can rent this space as needed, without having to cover the cost for the extra space every day.
  3. (Truly) private office space. Many co-working spaces have open floor plans that group tenants together in one large room or use glass partitions to wall off separate offices and meeting areas. This layout may appeal to startups and creative businesses that thrive on collaboration, but it’s not conducive to the day-to-day needs of most attorneys. Law-specific centers should provide access to lounges and other common areas where you can host guests and network with other legal professionals — without requiring you to give up a private office where you can have sensitive conversations with clients without them feeling like they’re in a fishbowl.
  4. Next-door expertise. Most people choose a collaborative environment so they can work alongside and network with people from different industries. In legal-only centers, you have an opportunity to tap into a built-in network of legal professionals who specialize in different areas of law.
  5. Location, location, location. Proximity to the courthouse is key for many lawyers, so most centers designed for the legal community are located in established legal districts close to the courthouse and other frequented buildings. If your office provider operates multiple locations — either in the same city or, in some cases, across the country — you may have the added benefit of working from whichever center is most convenient on a particular day, eliminating the need to commute back and forth.

The bottom line when evaluating any shared space is to make sure that you are able to reap the social and financial benefits of a collaborative environment without compromising either your professional responsibility or your image.

Looking to maximize your effectiveness in a shared office space? We can help you find the right fit – start a conversation with us here.

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Brand New Offices for Attorneys – 161 N Clark

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It’s hard enough to find good office space for lawyers in Chicago. Brand new office space with on-site paralegal and administrative services? Practically impossible. Unless you mean the latest floor that will open up at 161 N Clark. It’s an offer by Amata, and here’s what you need to know.

What Is Amata?

Amata is a co-working space that is designed and tailored specifically for attorneys and legal professionals. It’s a workspace where everything has been carefully curated and set up for the specific needs of the legal profession.

Which means all you need to bring with you when you work at Amata is your client files and your laptop. It’s the perfect, private downtown law office where it’s all done for you.

Perfectly Situated

161 N Clark - new floor

When they talk about real estate, they always say it’s all about “location, location, location.” That’s even more true when the real estate is going to be used for law offices. If you want to be seen as a top firm, have access to all the best cases and be taken seriously, you need to have your offices in the right part of town.

The new floor being opened up by Amata is located right across from The Daley Center and City Hall, and you don’t get more central than that. It’s right in the heart of the business district, a perfect location for your practice.

Stylishly Appointed

Let’s face it. Appearances matter. Your office, including the building, the décor and everything else tells your clients a lot about who you are, what you can do, and more importantly, what you can do for them.

Amata offices are always perfectly decorated. They’re understated, stylish, and designed to be modern and comfortable but also professional. In other words, they’re the perfect foil for your law firm’s brand.

Check out renderings for the new floor here.

On Site Services

One of the big differences Amata offers our clients is the option to make use of on-site paralegal and administrative services. You can take advantage of all the professional level help you need, when you need it, without having to hire full time staff of your own.

From answering the phone to helping with research, typing your briefs to welcoming visitors, it’s all done for you at Amata Law Office Suites. If you need to source an affordable and reliable court report or pick-up last-minute supplies on a Friday evening, the team at Amata has done it before and have the resources in place to take care of it.

Managed Buildings

If you’ve ever rented your own offices, there’s a good chance you’ve had to deal with cleaning, maintenance and repairs, maybe even some delayed and over-budget construction costs. There’s a lot that can go wrong in a building, and it eats up a lot of your time.

Amata offices come with all the maintenance, repairs and cleaning built in. You never have to worry about anything that doesn’t directly impact your clients. After all, if you wanted to be in property management, you wouldn’t have gone to law school!

Tech On Tap

Of course, Amata offices have the very best internet connectivity and all the technology you need to stay connected, including pre-established VLAN connections for your law firm to protect the privacy of your documents and communications. But there’s another level to the Amata legal office service.

Everyone who works from an Amata office also gets premium access to the Amata app, which allows you to call, text and email your clients without revealing your personal contact information. So, you can take your office in your pocket without risking your personal security and privacy.

Work From Home While Maintaining a Digital Office

We’ve all learned recently that many of the important functions of our businesses and jobs don’t actually require our physical presence. If you’re planning to keep your services hybrid, you can still use your Amata office space as a virtual office to receive your mail, answer and forward calls and more. It means you’re finally free to have the work life balance you’ve been struggling to find for years, while still offering your clients the service they expect.

Who Benefits Most from Amata Law Office Suites?

Amata Law Office Suites are the perfect solution for lawyers who practice on their own or have a small partnership or practice. They are perfect for law firms that need a satellite office or are expanding into a new market. They’re perfect for the virtual law firm or law firm where many of the attorneys have moved to a hybrid office model. They’re perfect for people who want to keep their overhead costs low, but still project a professional image.

Amata offices also have all the extra services you might need built in, so you don’t have to hire extra staff until you’re ready to.

Whether you’re just starting a law practice or winding down before you retire, this is the perfect solution for people who want the amenities without the responsibilities and high costs.

They’re also great for lawyers who want to expand their services into Chicago, but want to test the waters before they commit to a long-term lease.

So, whatever your situation is, if you’re looking for a clever workspace solution that is flexible and accessible, chances are you’ll find it on the new floor at Amata.

A Downtown Presence

Even if your law firm has a larger office space in another part of the city, there’s a good chance many of your clients work and do business downtown. Maintaining an office at Amata for those times when you need to meet a client and they don’t want to travel to your office is a great way to compromise. You don’t need to relocate, and they don’t have to come to you.

How Far Is the Project?

If you recognize the value of getting an office at the new floor that Amata is launching in 2022, you’re certainly not alone. There are hundreds of lawyers who are already using Amata offices to take their legal business to the next level. These offices are in demand, and they’re likely to be snapped up soon after they are released.

Currently, work is expected to be completed on the new floor of Amata offices at 161 N Clark in July of 2022, and applications will open closer to that time. If you’re interested in this innovative legal office option, you can sign up for early notifications now.

Getting early notifications about the new floor at Amata is easy. Simply sign up on the website or call the office to speak to someone for more information.

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How Flexible Attorney Offices Future-Proof Your Legal Practice

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In 2021 working from home has become the new normal. For some, this may still feel like a big transition, but it’s essential to stay up-to-date with changing expectations in the professional world. This goes for all business owners, and is especially true for law offices hoping to stay relevant in a competitive legal climate.

So how can you “future-proof” your legal practice? Think of “future-proofing” as anticipating trends and adapting your law practice to embrace the newest technology. With tech updates, flexible law offices, and cloud-based solutions, your legal practice will be ready to take-on the future.

 

What is a Flexible Law Office?

A flexible law office offers attorneys the opportunity to customize their schedule. This means that attorneys select their work hours and may conduct work from any location. Although a flexible office format might seem too unstructured at first, many attorneys are eager to work in an environment that values their personal preferences and offers an adaptable schedule.

According to an article in Reuters, “a recent survey from legal recruiter Major, Lindsey & Africa found the vast majority of the incoming generation of lawyers prefer to work remotely at least some of the time.” Fostering an environment that values a healthy work / life balance and encourages flexibility is key to maintaining a thriving law practice.

 

What Tools Do You Need to Get Started?

While flexible law offices are the way of the future, it’s unrealistic to expect to transform your law practice overnight. Before you offer lawyers the flexible schedule they crave, you need to implement tools and resources to make the transition possible.

 

Update Your Video Conference Capabilities – Working remotely means relying on technology to get the job done. For lawyers working today, it’s essential to have video conferencing tools that are easy to use and provide reliable connectivity. Since client interviews and meetings need to be done remotely, it’s imperative that you use secure video conferencing platforms to keep meeting content confidential. An article in Bloomberg Law discusses the emergence of “telepresence rooms” to create a more authentic experience during video calls: “advanced audio-visual systems and large, mirror-like screens are used to make it appear that a client or colleague is in the same physical conference room, even if the person is at the other end of the globe.”

 

Use Cloud-Based Platforms

Since remote workers don’t have a centralized hub for information, Bloomberg Law asserts that “law firms are also shoring up their IT infrastructures now that a lawyer can’t simply count on their colleague down the hall to answer a question, or the filing cabinet with a particular document being nearby.”

In order to create accessible IT infrastructures, more law firms are embracing cloud-based document sharing tools. Cloud-based platforms allow documents to be securely uploaded, organized, and stored on an accessible online database. This way, lawyers have access to important files and information no matter where they are.

Flexible law firms are also implementing virtual mailbox services. Virtual mailbox services provide clients with instantaneous access to mail via a secure online platform. Mail is sent to a secure physical address and then promptly uploaded onto the database by a licensed handler. These services are an excellent option for law practices who don’t have a permanent location.

Cloud-based software also allows your legal team to optimize daily tasks. With easy-to-use communication platforms and simple scheduling and bookkeeping software, switching your systems to online services will save you time and money.

 

What are the Benefits of a Flexible Attorney Office?

Flexible attorney offices provide benefits for lawyers and clients alike.

Connect with a Wider Audience – Since lawyers who work in a flexible law office can conduct their work from anywhere, flexible law offices are able to serve a wider population and extend the reach of their business. This helps diversify caseloads, and increases client numbers.

Save Money – Attorneys who work in a flexible environment don’t need to be locked into a 12 months lease to practice the law. With money saved on rent, power, office supplies, and managerial staff, most law practices who switch to a remote model end up saving money in the long term.

Improve Retention – Remote work isn’t just a request anymore, it’s an expectation. Switching to a flexible schedule demonstrates your dedication to fostering a work environment that aligns with current demands.

 

Find Your Office Space at Amata Law Office Suites

Amata Law Office Suites provides lawyers and legal practitioners both in-person and virtual law office accommodations. With flexible pricing and unbeatable legal support services, Amata Law Office Suites has served the Chicago area by providing dedicated conference spaces, offices, and much more.

Now is the time to embrace the future of your legal practice. At Amata Law Office Suites, we’re here to help. 

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

Work-From-Home Lawyer? 5 Things You Need to Outpace Your Competition

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Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become more common for lawyers to implement a work-from-home model for their law practice. Working from home certainly comes with benefits like less commuting time, flexible work hours, and access to the best snacks in the fridge.

But adapting your law practice to a work-from-home model takes planning and hard work. While working from home can be a welcome transition for many legal professionals, it’s important to have the right tools in place to keep up with the competition and remain relevant in the legal sphere.

Here are our top 5 suggestions to help your law firm operate remotely and still achieve success.

 

#1 Create a Dedicated Work Space

If you don’t already have a home office, dedicating a space for work is a must. Creating a functional, private space helps spark productivity and delineates a boundary between home-life and work-life. Maintaining work / life boundaries is particularly important for your mental health, since legal work is often all-consuming and stressful. When you have a separate work-space it’s easier to set aside your professional concerns and rejoin your family when the day is over.

Although some folks have a tendency to overwork themselves at home, it’s also easy to procrastinate and do chores around the house, watch TV, or get distracted by family or roommates. Having a separate work space enables you to limit distractions and tackle the task at hand with greater efficiency.

 

#2 Focus on Marketing and Advertising

Now that your law office is operating remotely, it’s more essential than ever to advertise your skills to the public. Folks might expect you to have a brick-and-mortar location and may be confused by your lack of permanent address. To combat this confusion, it’s wise to broadcast your availability online.

You can market your law firm by:

–          Making sure your website is full of accurate and SEO keywords the target the types of things your clients are looking for. 

–          Investing in specific ways to point people to your website like advertising on spaces like law organization websites and Google Adwords or creating engaging content to post regularly on social media.

–          Starting an email newsletter with frequent updates and answers to general legal questions.

–          For more ideas on marketing strategy, just ask us! We have partners ready to help you take control of your digital marketing.

#3 Use Video Conferencing Software

Video conferences have become a ubiquitous form of communication. There’s no doubt that online meetings are the new normal and more folks are comfortable navigating online forums. To keep up with the ever-evolving legal world, it’s imperative to have the latest and fastest video conferencing software. 

Double check to make sure your camera is updated, your internet can handle video calls, and your microphone provides sufficient audio. Once you have your video-chat set-up complete, you’ll be ready to take meetings with clients and conduct interviews from the comfort of your home office.

 

#4 Embrace Tools for Collaboration

If you work in a firm with multiple partners, paralegals, and assistants, it’s crucial to maintain fluid communication even when working from home.

  •         Implement Online Chat Services – Instead of relying on text messages or phone calls to communicate, invest in online communication services to keep your team organized and on the same page. This way, you can keep communication all in one place and instantaneously send and receive messages through a secure platform.
  •         Use a Virtual Mailbox – You don’t want to receive business-related correspondence at your personal address. Aside from the obvious infringement on your privacy, receiving sensitive documents at a non-secure location may cause heightened anxiety. A virtual mailbox service provides you with all the benefits of a physical address without the need to pay any rent. Your mail will be directed to a real, secure address and instantly scanned and uploaded to an online server by a licensed courier. A virtual mailbox allows you to view your mail online instantaneously, and you don’t need to worry about packages being stolen or clients sending sensitive mail to a PO box or personal address.

#5 Employ Virtual Legal Assistance

Running a successful law firm entails completing a lot of paperwork and conducting extensive research. To help lessen the load, consider hiring a virtual legal assistant. Virtual assistants, or virtual paralegals, offer your firm the support you need on a case-by-case basis. Instead of hiring a full-time employee, virtual assistants offer all the expertise of highly trained legal professionals on a flexible scale. If you find yourself facing an increased caseload, or are going through a dry patch, you can scale-up or scale-down as needed to receive the support you need to tackle your workload.

 

Work with Amata Law Office Suites

At Amata Law Office Suites, we offer lawyers and legal professionals in-person and virtual law office opportunities. We are dedicated to fostering a community where lawyers can work, meet, and utilize legal resources to improve their business. 

Amata Law Office Suites provides the tools you need to upscale your virtual office, including virtual mailbox services, in-person conference spaces, and professional phone services. Come and join the Amata community today!

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3 Considerations for Becoming a Virtual Law Firm

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The COVID-19 pandemic has offered a hard reset to the legal profession. No longer are lawyers confined to big firms in big offices, and clients are happier than ever to take meetings from the comfort of their home computer. Becoming a virtual law firm comes with a host of benefits that can not only benefit your business, but makes your clients more satisfied.

But what does a virtual law firm need to succeed in today’s legal landscape? In this blog, we examine three pivotal considerations when deciding to make the switch to becoming a virtual law firm.

What is a Virtual Law Firm?

A survey conducted in an ABA Legal Technology Survey Report shows that the term “virtual lawyer” means many different things to many different legal practitioners. The most common consensus is that a virtual lawyer lacks a traditional office space. As lawyers have entered the 21st century, the common notion of a law firm has developed and evolved, particularly for solo or private practitioners.

Yet in the wake of COVID-19, the definition has once again evolved, as over 80% of law firms transitioned to working remotely some or all of the time. With this meteoric change, the way lawyers work has changed dramatically, and their tools with it. Nearly every law firm might now be called a “virtual law firm” to some degree.

The unprecedented shift towards virtual business across nearly every segment of the economy has also changed how customers engage with law firms. 

Minimum Requirements for Becoming a Virtual Law Firm

No matter how a lawyer defines a virtual law office, lawyers who use the internet to conduct business must make careful considerations around how they interact with clients. Failing to acknowledge certain aspects of your practice can put you in legal hot water, including:

  • Office Address Requirements
  • Client Engagement
  • Cybersecurity
  • Practicing Within Your Jurisdiction

Office Address

Two different types of office address requirements exist in the legal field: a physical office requirement, and an advertising office requirement. Depending on your state or jurisdiction, these requirements vary widely.

For instance, some states with an integrated bar requirement mandates a physical residence address necessary for Board of Governors elections. These are different from mailing addresses, which often don’t need to be tied down to a working space. In these cases, a physical office is mandatory.

An “advertising office requirement” is an adaptation of the ABA Model Rule 7.2(d), requiring that all legal marketing materials include the name and contact information of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content. Most states have some variation on this rule.

The internet offers a robust network for expanding your client base through online advertising. By targeting online content to prospective clients, lawyers can quickly net qualified leads by leveraging digital marketing strategies based on search inquiries. Before you start practicing law virtually, ensure that you check any office address requirements in your area.

Client Engagement and Cybersecurity

At the beginning of the pandemic, the speed at which lawyers were able to adapt to a new working environment was largely contingent upon whether they were a paper-based or paperless law office.

Paperless law firms provide lawyers with tools that help streamline their day-to-day operations, such as quick retrieval of documents and electronic signature authentication, all without being present in an office setting. Not only can this help put hours back in your day, it can also be of tremendous benefit for those who work off flat fees.

To successfully pull this off in a virtual law office setting, you will need to consider how you will engage with your clients without being present in the same room. Cloud-based client portals are quickly becoming a requirement for keeping a client and their lawyer aligned on a case, provided that due diligence is taken to ensure that their information is safe from cybersecurity attacks. The Illinois State Bar Association has outlined several methods for selecting a cloud-based service provider.

Taking the time to digitize existing paper documents can be arduous, but it future-proofs your legal practice and makes it easier to serve clients in the long-term.

Practicing in Your Jurisdiction

While your practice may be virtual, your ability to practice in different states is not.  Virtual law offices need to be extremely diligent in avoiding the unauthorized practice of law, or UPL.

Even if your business is not actively soliciting clients from other jurisdictions, you can only serve clients in regions you are licensed to practice in. Marketing efforts can usually be tailored from state-to-state, but the best digital strategy you can use to ensure you can serve your clients comes from the intake process.

Whether you opt to use an online form or virtual legal receptionists, your intake process should be clear about what states you can and cannot represent. The more structured this process, the less likely you will represent a client out of your jurisdiction.

Amata Law Office Suites: Providing Tools for Tomorrow’s Virtual Law Office

With more lawyers opting out of a physical office for a virtual one, Amata Law Office Suites provides clients with all of the tools you need to succeed in today’s legal environment. We provide a community where lawyers can work side by side and access the expertise across a wide variety of specializations, which can also be accessed on a hybrid or virtual model. Come in for client meetings as-needed, or utilize our legal services to bolster your business. Virtual receptionists and contract paralegals are all a part of our services, making us the premiere legal office experience. Full program and pricing details available here.

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Tired of Working from Home? These Lawyers Share The Importance of Maintaining a High Quality Office Presence.

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Stephanie Sexauer

While some lawyers have enjoyed the flexibility of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, others have had enough. According to a 2020 survey from design and architecture firm Gensler, only 10% of U.S. lawyers want to work from home five days per week.

Stephanie Sexauer, a Chicago attorney focusing on probate and estate planning, can relate.

“Even before the pandemic, I was never somebody who wanted to be virtual,” Sexauer said. “I wanted to be in the office. My work demands that.”

Over the past three-and-a-half years, Sexauer has doubled her firm size from two to four team members at Sexauer Law, P.C. Everyone has come to the office almost every day throughout the pandemic. Technology may be a huge convenience, but she said it’s often easier to see coworkers’ expressions and review documents together in person.

Lawyers Largely Prefer the Office Over Home

Nearly half of lawyers polled in the Gensler survey cited scheduled client meetings as a top reason why they wanted to come into the office. For Sexauer, another reason is the quality office space that she receives at Amata Law Office Suites — Chicago’s first legal community of more than 700 attorneys and Class-A downtown offices — where she has operated her firm for nearly four years.

Until last month, when she moved to another Amata location, Sexauer’s office overlooked Michigan Avenue, with views of Lake Michigan and Millennium Park. She said her clients were consistently “blown away” by the space. As a result, she was able to attract even more clients.

“It was a beautiful location,” Sexauer said. “And it was great when clients would arrive. I could hear the front desk greet them so warmly.”

Fellow Amata-based attorney Jon Masini of Masini, Vickers & Hadsell, P.C., who specializes in construction and commercial litigation and also serves as a mediator and arbitrator, said his clients have also been impressed with his Amata office for the past two years. When he and his partners branched off from another firm, they wanted to maintain a downtown Chicago presence that was affordable and high quality for clients. Now, their 150 S. Wacker Drive office is also close to the Circuit Court of Cook County and public transportation.

“Amata is just perfect for both our firm and our clients,” Masini said, noting the elegant conference rooms. “In Chicago, meeting in the Wrigley room or Comiskey room is always a great icebreaker.”

Sexauer’s office moved to Amata’s 180 N. LaSalle St. location due to a recent consolidation, and Amata made the transition as seamless as possible.

Don’t let high commercial real estate prices deter you from maintaining a fabulous physical office presence as your firm grows. Call us or visit our website and take an online or in-person tour of one of our Class-A law firm office spaces. Join the Amata community and find out how our flexible office options can help you save on costs and grow your business.

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Struggling to Work From Home? These Law Firms Safely Returned to Their Offices Amid a Pandemic

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On March 23, 2020, Chicago personal injury attorney Tim Rhatigan of Rhatigan Law Offices, LLC found himself like many other attorneys across the state: working from home. This marked the first working day of Illinois’ “stay-at-home” order, issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in an effort to flatten the curve of spiking COVID-19 cases.

Rhatigan doesn’t have a home office, so he set up a makeshift desk with his laptop and scanner in his bedroom. But he struggled to write a brief due to intermittent Wi-Fi. In another room, his wife tried to help their children with remote learning. Emotions quickly ran high. Before the morning was over, he decided that the only way to be productive was to return to the office.

“I was back in the office by lunch time,” Rhatigan said. “I didn’t even last half a day.”

Since last March, 84% of law firms had at least three-quarters of their attorneys working remotely, according to a Bloomberg Law survey. While some lawyers have successfully transitioned to at-home offices, a separate survey from design and architecture firm Gensler found that 74% of U.S. lawyers at large firms want to return and work from their physical offices for a majority of the week. The lawyers polled indicated that they miss face-to-face interaction and socializing with colleagues as well as scheduled client meetings. Nearly half also found it more difficult to avoid distractions at home.

But before attorneys rush back to work, even if only for a few days a week, they want office spaces to make specific safety adjustments. In addition to stricter policies preventing sick workers from coming into the office, 45% of attorneys want their offices cleaned more frequently and 38% want air purification systems added. More than 30% would also like to see provided hand sanitizer and touchless bathroom fixtures/doors.

While many of these safety measures are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health, air purification systems and touchless doors are expensive to install, and some firms in traditional commercial spaces simply wouldn’t be able to afford them.

“My business is contingent upon a case resolving, and there are no trials right now,” said Rhatigan, who has three full-time team members. “So, there’s an income hit because of the pandemic.”

But if attorneys return to work without safety adjustments in their offices, they risk exposing themselves, family members, coworkers and visitors to the virus. If someone gets sick, it could pose legal issues. One employment law attorney at an Am Law 200 firm told the Wall Street Journal that he has advised roughly 600 companies on COVID-19 questions. Of those considering reopening, one-quarter decided against it due to challenging legal requirements.

So, what’s the solution? Upgrading home Wi-Fi and working around family distractions for the foreseeable future? Moving physical files and equipment to a makeshift home office?

There’s a better option, and law firms are jumping onboard. Since 2018, Rhatigan has housed his firm at Amata Law Office Suites, Chicago’s first legal community of 700-plus attorneys operating out of seven Class-A downtown offices. Early in the pandemic, Amata CEO, Ron Bockstahler, recognized that attorneys wouldn’t want to completely abandon office space.

Amata quickly contacted O’Malley Construction Co. and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement important safety measures, ensuring attorneys would feel as safe and comfortable as possible when returning to the office. Now, each location is equipped with glass sneeze shields, touchless entry doors and bathroom fixtures, directional signs, touchless temperature guns, sanitation stations and more.

“It’s been reassuring to see what Amata has done because it has taken every possible step,” Rhatigan said. “How quickly the team got it all in was remarkable.”

Along with building improvements, Amata scanned lawyers’ mail for 90 days and handled document preparations (free-of-charge) to encourage firms to make choices based on safety, not financial concerns. They even waived some related fees on items that needed to be shipped. Fellow Amata attorney Sarah LeRose of the Law Office of Leonard J. LeRose Jr., Ltd. found the complimentary mail services to be extremely helpful during the stay-at-home order.

“As a small firm, it’s an obvious issue if you don’t get your mail for months,” she said. “We all have bills to pay.”

LeRose returned to her office in late August and has been coming in a few times a week. She “absolutely” visits frequently because she feels safe with Amata’s installations. Both LeRose and Rhatigan have also noticed other Amata-based attorneys return to their offices over the past several months.

Although COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed, most Illinois residents won’t be able to get their shots for months. But in the meantime, Rhatigan thinks Amata has successfully created a safe culture.

“They always have a tenant-first approach, so they’re always asking if there’s anything they can do to help your practice or even you personally,” Rhatigan said. “Even these COVID-19 implementations … they were implemented not only to comply with CDC recommendations but definitely with us in mind. Amata does a terrific job of fostering a comfortable environment without compromise to safety or other resources. It is their commitment to the providing of these resources that puts its tenants in a position to succeed. I love it here.”

Don’t struggle with productivity and challenging work-from-home conditions any longer. Whenever you are ready to return to an office outside of your home, Amata prioritizes your safety and offers other services to help you focus on practicing law, including virtual offices, live reception and paralegal support.

Call us or visit our website and take an online or in-person tour of one of our seven Class-A law firm office spaces to learn how our COVID-19 safety measures will help keep you safe as you return to work.

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