The Real Cost of Not Having a Virtual Receptionist

June 11, 2025February 7, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

We recently heard from an attorney:

“I’m just looking for a job where I can maintain a relationship with my kid and have a bit of time each weekend to go fishing or something. I don’t need the level of grief from a 60-hour work week, just want to balance good pay with quality of life.”

We have seen this trend become more and more prevalent among new lawyers, who demand not only career advancement opportunities but a healthier work/life balance. But what about small law firm owners?

Most lawyers who went solo came from a corporate background, so they know what it’s like to put in 60 hours of work each week. The difference is that, when they start their own firm, they have to keep doing all the legal work PLUS the countless tasks of managing a business.

With time, having time to explore nature on the weekends or even go to your kid’s dance recital becomes a pipedream. Your days run fast, calling client after client, handling paperwork, going to court, and looking for new associates.

Despite wanting to offload some work and free your schedule for higher leverage activities (like serving top-tier clients and growing your firm), it’s normal to hesitate when making a full-time hire for your firm. After all, you started this business from scratch and do not want to dip profits to hire someone who may or may not work. What if you don’t have enough work to keep them occupied?

It is for all these reasons that Amata’s Virtual Receptionist service can have such a great impact on both your firm’s growth and quality of life.

Why Busy Lawyers Need Virtual Receptionists

There are many tasks beyond serving clients that are added to your schedule once you decide to run your own law firm:

– Managing new client intake
– Scheduling appointments
– Answering the phone during off hours (for emergencies)

And while big firms have assistants doing these tasks for lawyers, so they can focus on billable hours, most solo practitioners and small firm owners don’t have this luxury.

With so many tasks to do, how do you know what is the best and most productive use of your time?

You calculate your target hourly rate.

Here’s how that works:

Determine the revenue you desire to generate from your law firm each month.
Define the number of hours you plan to dedicate to your business each month.
Calculate your target hourly rate by dividing your desired revenue by your allotted hours.

So if you aim to earn $10,000 per month and plan to work 30 hours per week (equivalent to 120 hours per month), your target hourly rate should be $83.33.

Now, assuming that HALF your time is devoted to billable hours, that number should be $166 minimum. And if you want that $10,000 per month to be profit (not just revenue), it would have to be even higher.

This is why having a virtual receptionist is crucial. It allows you to delegate as many non-$166/hour tasks as possible, so you can focus on billable hours and growing your bottom line working the hours that you desire.

What is a virtual assistant and what do they do?

Let’s face it—no one became a lawyer to spend their time answering phones and filing stacks of paper.

Virtual assistants are remote professionals who specialize in all those essential but routine tasks like scheduling, document management, and phone answering. At Amata, our Virtual Assistants are trained in the legal industry, so they know how to manage urgent inquiries on your behalf and recognize when to filter a call.

Some of the tasks a virtual assistant can do on your behalf include:

Email Management
Payroll, Billing, and Accounting
Database Management
Document Conversion and Management
Phone Answering and New Client Intake
Appointment Reminders and Scheduling
Legal Correspondence and Transcription

Anything that must be done in the office that would otherwise take you or your attorneys off casework is best left to a virtual administrative assistant.

But if virtual assistants are so important, why do so many law firms wait to hire them? There are 4 reasons:

They don’t know they can delegate these things
They feel like nobody can be trusted
They are afraid hiring will cost them too much money
They genuinely enjoy doing administrative tasks

That is why we created a Virtual Assistant solution that fits your budget and consistent quality needs:

With Amata, you don’t have to hire an in-house legal assistant. Our vetted assistants work only for the hours that you require and act as an extension of your team. We train them to serve the specific needs of law firms, so you can confidently delegate to them.

Investing In Your First (Or Next) Virtual Assistant

As we have seen through this article, the real cost of not having a virtual receptionist is:

Losing precious time and focus from serving your clients.
Getting stuck in the weeds of daily management, phone answering, and office tasks
Not making the money that you want nor having the freedom that you started your law firm for.

But despite the high costs, we understand that investing in your first (or next) virtual assistant can be difficult. That is why all our virtual office clients receive a 30% discount when they use our attorney support services, which in many cases more than offsets the costs of the virtual office program.

So if you want a professional to enter billing, update social media posts, and return client calls for you, we can help. Contact us today to explore how Amata’s virtual assistants trained in the legal industry can save you time and focus.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Practicing Law Without The Errands

June 18, 2025January 31, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

It’s 3:30 pm and you are in the middle of a client meeting. You know City Hall closes at 4:30 p.m., yet you still need to obtain certified copies for an important hearing tomorrow at 8 a.m. What are you going to do?

Running a solo or small law firm can be stressful. There are so many tasks that need to be done, and they need to be done well. The American Bar Association called missing any filing deadline ‘a lawyer’s worst nightmare’. So the question arises:

Should you delegate those small but important errands? And who can you trust to handle things like obtaining Apostille, filing police reports, and paying court fees?

That is one of the questions that prompted us to create our attorney support services packages. We recognized solo practitioners and small law firms needed administrative tasks to be done correctly and efficiently, because mistakes or delays could have serious legal consequences. So we built a team of professionals specialized in ensuring documents, filings, and other legal tasks.

Can You Afford To Delegate Your Daily Legal Errands?

While attorneys need their daily legal errands to be executed on time and with precision, they also face cash flow constraints. This means most of them are not in a position yet to hire a full-time paralegal who can offload their work and allow them to focus on their billable hours.

Will a new hire be worth the money lost to the firm? Will there be enough work to keep them occupied eight hours a day?

This is where Amata’s on-demand, specialized legal support can be your solution. Our paralegals bill hourly, so you can use them only during periods of intense workloads or on a more consistent basis. They provide you the flexibility and savings you’ve been looking for, so you can get more done and focus on your firm’s growth plus providing an exceptional service to clients.

By using paralegals on an as-needed basis, you can reduce your fixed payroll costs and only pay for services that can generally be billed back to your clients.

4 Benefits of Delegating for Lawyers

Most of our clients come to us for our office space-as-a-service plans. This flexible and scalable model allows you to add or drop office space in the middle of a lease, without penalties.

But once they start to also use on-demand legal support, they never look back.

The reason is simple: even if there is an investment, there is nothing like knowing your tedious tasks are being done for you, while you can focus on more fulfilling and productive activities.

You probably have mixed feelings about delegating daily runs to courts, clerk’s offices, and sheriff’s offices, so here are 4 benefits that will help you make a decision:

1. 1. 1. Enhanced Focus on Core Legal Work: Delegating daily errands allows you to dedicate more time and attention to your core legal work, such as client consultations, legal research, document preparation, case strategy, and court appearances.
    2. Opportunity Cost: Time spent on administrative tasks could be better used for tasks that directly generate revenue or serve their client’s legal needs. By delegating your daily runs, you can focus on higher ROI activities and in turn grow your law firm.
    3. Reduced Stress and Burnout: The legal profession can be demanding and stressful, and many lawyers face burnout due to the constant pressure and long hours. Delegating daily errands can alleviate some of this stress, reduce the risk of burnout, and contribute to a healthier work-life balance by allowing you and your team to reclaim personal time.
    4. Increased Client Satisfaction: By delegating daily errands and administrative tasks, you will have more time and energy to provide better service to your clients. Happy clients refer and are more likely to return for future legal needs.

To sum up, delegating your daily runs to a trusted provider allows you to focus on your core billable work, provide better service to clients, and free up space to grow your practice — all while reducing stress and administrative headaches.

What Kind of Errands Can You Delegate?

Amata’s paralegal team makes daily runs to the Daley Center, Recorder’s Office, Secretary of State Office, and the Dirksen Federal Building. With an extended line of credit provided to all Amata clients, we can pay associated costs for your documents and filings, pick up certificates, search the court docket, and much more.

Here is a list of what you can delegate using our Daily Runs to Courts, Clerk’s and Sheriff’s Offices services:

Service of Process
Research of local court rules/procedures; pro hac vice admissions, foreign judgments, out-of-state subpoenas
Court docket searches and retrieval of documents – state, federal and administrative
Obtain certified copies
Obtain state corporate records on companies
File applications, amendments, annual reports, deeds, obtain Apostille, etc.
Police reports
FOIA requests
Pay fees
Birth and death certificates
Delivery courtesy copies
Record deeds
Water certificates
Estimates of Redemption
Obtain duplicate tax bill
Pay code violation orders

So the next time that you are pressed for time and wonder if there’s a team you can confidently delegate your legal errands to, give us a call. We will pick up certificates, search the court docket, deliver courtesy copies, and do any other tedious but important task for you.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

3 Steps to Growing Your Law Firm

June 11, 2025January 24, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

Growing a remarkable company is not an easy task. Building something that lasts requires time, work, resilience, and the ability to constantly pivot.

After working with over 600 law firms in Chicago of all sizes, we have seen a few things that separate those who build a thriving firm from those who stay stuck. In this article, we’ll explore what those key characteristics are, and how you can start implementing them today.

Step #1. Set a SMART Goal

We cannot define progress without first having something to strive towards. That is why the first step is setting a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goal. This is known as a SMART goal, and without it we have no way of measuring progress and will be more prone to stay reactive to whatever life throws our way. We want to be proactive.

Where would you like your law firm to be within 3 years? Define your target revenue, profit margins, team composition, client profile, and hours that you work. Only by being clear and specific about what we want, can we start aligning all our daily actions with our goals.

Try to also go deeper into the reasons WHY you desire those things. The only way to stick with your goals when things get busy and difficult (which they will), is by setting up goals that you genuinely care about and see the importance of. In other words, your goals should be musts and not only wants for you to truly commit to them.

Step #2. Protect Your Schedule

Now that we have a goal, the next step is to invest resources to achieve it. Those resources come in the form of work, money, attention, focus, and time.

Let’s say you want to double your firm’s revenue within the next 18 months. You would need to reverse engineer that target by asking yourself, “What would need to happen for me to double my firm’s revenue?”

This will give you a strategic set of actions that need to get done — either one time or recurrently — in order to achieve that goal.

Where most business owners get stuck is by thinking they will achieve their goals without some sacrifices. As Jim Rohn said, “What got you here won’t get you there”. There need to be real changes in your schedule, your activities, and your relationships for this new goal to materialize.

Dan Sullivan advises business owners to set an inspiring 10X goal. He says “Seemingly impossible goals spotlight a few pathways and enable you to clearly identify the 20 percent of things and people in your life that are producing most of your results, and the 80 percent of things and people in your life that are holding you back.”

“Going for smaller goals (2X growth) means you can keep 80 percent of your existing clients, roles, behaviors, and mindsets. Only minor tweaks are needed.”

“Going for inspiring goals (10X growth) requires a different kind of effort, often less in quantity but higher in quality. You’ve elevated your vision and focus and must eliminate 80 percent of your current reality. 10X requires a full-scale transformation of yourself as well as everyone and everything around you.”

This reinforces the point that, in order to achieve a higher level, many things that are keeping you stuck need to be eliminated or delegated. That is when the next step comes in.

Step #3. Focus On What Matters

Now you have a goal and know that strategic plan to reach it. The next step is to open up space in your calendar. This will give you the time and the mental bandwidth to take your law firm to the next level.

A tool like the Eisenhower Matrix can be highly useful in this case.

The thing is to filter any task you need to do with this set of criteria. If it’s not important and not urgent, you delete it. If it’s not important but urgent, you delegate it. If it’s important but not urgent, you schedule it. If it’s important and urgent, you do it.

In that way, you are only left with tasks that move the needle, while your team takes care of tasks that maintain your current level but don’t contribute strategically to your goals.

What If You Cannot Afford a Big Team Yet?

The reality for solo practitioners and small law firm owners is that, even by having goals, a strategic plan, and protecting their calendar, they do not have the team in place to delegate their work. That means that they need to keep serving clients, growing their firms, and trying to enjoy life all at the same time.

That is why at Amata we created a suite of support services, that allow lawyers to delegate admin work without the overhead costs of full-time hires. With these services, small law firms can focus on growing their firms while protecting their profitability.

Just imagine how much further you would go if you could reduce your workload by 10-30 hours a week with a part-time assistant. At Amata we find and train these assistants for you, and bill hourly for only the work that you require.

Our support services for attorneys include paralegals, law clerks, live receptionists, and virtual assistants who act as an extension of your law firm. Here is a list of some of the on-demand services we provide:

Appointments and Calendar Management
Mail opening/scanning
Court Runs (Including the assembly, print, and preparation of courtesy copies.)
Notary/Witness Service
Scan/Fax/Deliver documents
Review court fillings
Editing appellate briefs per your notes
Draft simple complaints and motions
Handle the back-and-forth aspects of discovery
Video conferencing set-up
New client intake
Hand Deliveries/Pick-Ups
E-Filing
Preparation of Notice of Filing, Notice of Motion, Certificate of Service, and forms.
Review of local rules, court’s standing orders, & any temporary procedural orders in place.
Spindle or piggyback motion hearing dates, and any communications with the court clerk.
Confirm acceptance of filing by the court clerk.
Document Translation and Proofreading
Formatting appellate briefs
Skip Tracing
Social media posting
Asset Search (bank accounts)
E-Recording
And much, much more!

By having these support services without the need to hire, train, and retain employees, solo and small firms can practice law on their terms. You can focus on billable hours, defining your vision, and being a strategic leader, all while enjoying the work/life balance you started your business for.

Contact us today and see how our on-demand, flexible legal support services can help you grow your law firm and free up your time while protecting your profitability.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

How to Stay Relevant in a Rapidly Changing Market

June 18, 2025January 17, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

According to CB Insights, 35% of businesses fail because there is no market need. All the growth potential of your business lies in its ability to pivot and meet the dynamic needs of a rapidly changing world.

How can you do this in practical terms? It all comes down to a commitment to innovation and service, which is exactly what this article will showcase through Amata’s case study.

The Genesis of a Disruptive Business

Plato said that the mother of invention is a necessity, and this couldn’t be truer in Amata’s case. Amata began when our founder, Ron Bockstahler, was working 10 to 12 hours each day while managing the backend operations of law firms.

For decades he didn’t take two days off in a row and was a self-declared workaholic. One day, he decided to go on an RV adventure with his wife across all 50 states in America and 9 Canadian provinces. This quest for a better work/life balance expanded across 8 years, hundreds of memories, Ironman races, and eventually having 6 children.

What Ron realized is that he could continue growing his business while living life to the fullest. And that’s how our innovative “office-as-a-service” model was born.

Listening to Clients: The Key to Continuous Innovation

Our innovative ‘office-as-a-service’ model started as a response to the ever-changing landscape of technology, economic cycles, and team dynamics that affect law firms and professional service firms.

When the pandemic hit and lawyers had to stay home, Amata quickly rallied clerks to make daily visits to the Recorder’s Office, City Hall, Sheriff’s Office, Clerk’s Office and Assessor’s Office for our clients.

Despite starting as a traditional co-working space, we quickly expanded to include crucial services our clients needed to grow. This includes paralegals to assist you with court cases, either on a part-time, full-time, or hourly basis. It also includes administrative assistants, law clerks, and receptionists.

When a client is coming to the office to sign documents and you need Notary and witness services, Amata has you covered. When you are too busy to pick up your phone, our receptionists got you.

It takes a village to build a thriving business. It is normal to get so caught up in serving clients that you stop focusing on the operations of running a business. We make this easier for you.

It has now been more than 21 years since we committed to staying at the forefront of innovation and creating a turnkey solution that allows you to keep expanding your firm while protecting your profitability, client experience, and work/life balance.

Our secret? Putting our clients first, listening to their needs, and doing whatever it takes to create an environment where they can thrive both professionally and personally.

Maximum Value With Greater Flexibility

Understanding our client’s needs has become the backbone of our innovation. We regularly ask clients for feedback and survey them, so we can meet their needs as they evolve.

Our comprehensive support combines four separate industries into one, offering flexible options for greater total value:

1 – Office space

We offer agreements that allow you to drop or add offices during the term of the contract, without penalty, resulting in true office flexibility.

Whether you just started your law firm, have a team of 10-20, or are ready to expand your big law firm with the flexibility to scale up or down, we have prestigious locations to suit your needs. No more letting long-term leases keep you from attracting top-tier clientele, enhancing your team’s productivity, and having a professional office that reflects your professionalism.

2 – Reception

Virtual assistants are remote professionals who specialize in all those essential but routine tasks like scheduling, document management, and phone answering. Amata’s Live Virtual Assistants are trained in the legal industry, so they know how to manage urgent inquiries on your behalf and recognize when to filter a call.

With Amata’s live virtual receptionist, law firms receive customized phone answering services with receptionists that act as an extension of their law firm. This means you do not need to hire a full-time receptionist to enjoy the benefits of enhanced productivity, such as never missing a caller.

3 – Administrative assistants

A virtual assistant can be an invaluable gatekeeper for your law firm, saving you time and reducing the anxiety and stress of running a law practice. Our pre-vetted professionals can help manage all office operations, so you don’t have to and can focus on billable hours.

Some of the tasks administrative assistants can take off your plate are phone and email management, scheduling meetings, confirming appointments, making travel arrangements, managing contact lists, updating CRM software, preparing reports as needed, filing and organizing important documents and files, creating presentations, and more!

4 – Legal support

Amata has created the back-office operations of an AM100 law firm, for solo and small law firms. Paralegals, paralegal assistants, law clerks, and virtual assistants all act as an extension of your law firm, without needing to become full-time hires.

Leveraging Amata’s experienced resources allows you to manage your law firm around your bottom line. When you aren’t paying for under-utilized staff on your payroll, your profits increase, along with your capacity to produce more work and gain new clients, without creating constraints on your time.

With the combination of scalable office plans and flexible support & staffing services, we create a new environment for law firms and professionals. One in which they can do their very best work, increase their profitability, and have the resources to enjoy life on their own terms.

Contact us today if you’d like to experience the Amata difference. And remember, in order to create a thriving business yourself, the key is placing your client’s success at the forefront of everything you do.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Litigation Support — What Solo and Small Law Firms Need to Know

June 11, 2025January 10, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

The economy might be slowing down, but the demand for litigation is definitely not. A 2023 study by Thomson Reuters Corporation showed that the demand for counter-cyclical practices is accelerating — particularly litigation. BTI Consulting Group found that there is ‘more litigation than ever’, and Crowell & Moring stated in their Litigation Forecast 2023 that class actions will ‘continue to be a significant part of the litigation landscape.’

With no shortage of work to be done, but with potentially fewer funds due to the economic climate, how can solo and small law firms effectively manage their caseloads while protecting their budgets?

Litigation Support Services You Can Afford

Litigation support services assist lawyers and legal teams during high-volume, complicated trials. Anything that doesn’t require the expertise of a lawyer can be delegated to experienced paralegals, taking admin work off the attorney’s plate so they can focus on billable hours.

Amata’s senior paralegals have more than 20 years of experience and have reached a high level of competence and understanding in several areas of law. Many of them joined Amata after spending several years accumulating experience at law firms. And they can be such a cost-effective solution for solo and small business owners because they bill hourly.

Our pre-vetted paralegals work only on the tasks that you require, for the hours that you need. Most small and midsize law firms are not handling case assessments, depositions and discovery on a daily basis, which can lead to over-paying for full-time employees. With Amata, you can rely on our team of professional paralegals and legal administrators only during periods of high workload, so you can take on more cases while protecting your profitability.

Case Assessment Support Services

Case assessment requires a cautious analysis of all available facts, potential legal strategies, and a deep understanding of the client’s needs. This usually happens under time constraints and with high stakes, as even a small oversight can have significant consequences in the case.

That is why we provide professional Case Assessment services covering a wide spectrum, including:

Fact investigation – Assisting with discovery by conducting basic research into the details of the case.
Client interviews – Conducting initial interviews with potential clients and filling out intake forms.
Case files organization and maintenance – Sorting and filing key physical documents and using a case management system to store electronic documents.
Act as liaison with local counsel – Communicating regularly with counsel and staying informed and updated on case progression.
Discovery requests and responses drafting. Obtaining documents for you
- Under attorney supervision, preparing discovery requests and responses using Microsoft Word and mailing/emailing.
- Helping clients to gather pertinent documents that they have saved either electronically or physically.
Prepare document productions – Reviewing and following ESI order regarding production format, ensuring documents are unitized, redacting confidential, PII, privileged information, Bates number, adding Confidential designations, and creating/maintaining document indices (i.e. pleadings index, production log with documents received or produced).
Prepare documents/exhibits for mediations, arbitrations, depositions, trials, and motions for summary judgment – Organize and display evidence/exhibits per attorney request and instruction.

Managing a court case can be a full-time job, which is why more than 600 attorneys rely on Amata. Our case assessment support services allow them to focus on billable hours, client relationships, and a healthier work/life balance.

Depositions & Discovery Support Services

Depositions are a pivotal point leading to the outcome of civil and criminal charges. They usually advance to an out-of-court settlement but, for cases that do end up in court, Amata’s discovery and deposition management teams are here to ensure a smooth deposition process.

Our deposition experts manage all phases of the deposition, including:

Conference room set-up
Helping deponents prepare
Reviewing document productions and discovery disclosures
Developing comprehensive witness handbooks
Processing supporting written questions
Implementing any special considerations required for a deponent.

Depositions may be represented as a written transcript, videotape, or both. After the session ends, Amata’s team manages all follow-up requirements, including distributing the transcript and supporting documentation to attorneys for review.

We also provide virtual remote deposition technology. It is estimated more than fifty percent of all proceedings will be online this year with the trend continuing to increase. In addition to saving time, deponents are more relaxed when testifying from a preferred location, increasing their willingness to share information. Amata offers state-of-the-art virtual deposition software for deponents unable to attend in person. This technology automates the discovery process and teams benefit from powerful data analytics tools and a proven interface to collaborate from anywhere. It also includes artificial intelligence capabilities for increasing accuracy and capturing details such as emotion and movement.

Our team has more than 21 years of experience, and we understand that every deposition is unique. We are committed to managing and following up through each step of the process, so you can focus on the intimate details of the case.

Here is a list of services we provide for case discovery:

Advanced document productions – Delivering or making available for review documents in response to a request for production and a subpoena. This may include producing hard copies of documents or locating electronically stored information.
Document review projects, coding, case management.
Assisting in the analyzing and sorting of produced documents to determine which items are within the scope of the case.
Collecting email in the proper format.
Creating Bates stamps for documents.
Utilizing docketing software to track deadlines pertinent to a case.
Drafting privilege logs.
E-Discovery consultation (tools for litigation hold/preservation, document review platforms, document production planning, etc.) – Aid in facilitating the manner in which documents will be shared with parties in the discovery process. This includes various document-sharing platforms.
Collection of basic ESI (custodian interviews, emails, text messages, video, documents) – The extraction and organization of electronically stored information into separate files for the legal team to use.
Coordination of expert collection of ESI (forensic, social networking sites, video, audio, email, text messages, etc.) – Communication with third-party data forensics providers to collect electronically stored information.

Learn more about how Amata can assist with Depositions & Discovery Here

Litigation Support to Win More Cases While Protecting Your Profitability

Whether you need to draft simple motions, coordinate with the Sheriff, appear for clerk’s hearings, or schedule court hearings, we can assist you. Our hourly paralegals work as if they were on your staff, with senior paralegals drafting subpoenas under your supervision, and paralegal assistants going to City Hall, the Recorder’s Office, and delivering courtesy copies to judges for you.

This support, on-demand services allow small and mid-size law firms to clean their schedule with errands and get back to growing their business. You aren’t paying for under-utilized staff, and suddenly your profits increase along with your capacity to serve and attract more clients — without creating new constraints on your time.

Contact our team and see how we can assist your cases. We will match you with the perfect fit paralegals and legal assistants, getting you the best quality work at the lowest possible cost. They can support your firm during case assessment, depositions, and discovery year-round, without creating the financial burden of full-time employees.

Discover our paralegal services in Chicago.

Virtual Office vs. Physical Office: Finding the Right Fit with Amata

June 11, 2025January 3, 2024 by Amata Law Offices

Should you pick a physical office or a virtual workspace? There are benefits either way. A virtual office offers flexibility, cost savings, and remote access. But a physical office provides a dedicated space for collaboration and productive meetings.

Here are Amata we offer the perfect middle. With flexible office spaces, we can serve your needs with the advantages of both a physical and a virtual office. This article is going to explain how.

Virtual Office vs. Physical Office

Here are 3 ways we can help virtual offices:

Cost Efficiency

Virtual offices eliminate the need for physical space, utilities, and maintenance. This option helps businesses maintain profitability, so they can invest more into tech, team, and growth.

At Amata we offer cost-efficient virtual office solutions, so your business can maintain its professional presence without the overhead expenses of a traditional office space.

Flexibility

We understand the importance of adaptability in today’s fast-paced world. That is why we provide 12-month lease terms with 30-day adjustment notice periods, which allow you to quickly pivot if needed.

With our scalable plans, you can also add or reduce office space as needed during the term of the contract, without penalties. Our shared spaces also virtual law firms to maintain their professional image while reducing on the second largest expense for most professional service companies: office space. You can better allocate those resources to improve technology, serve more clients, and grow your team.

Access To Legal Support Services Chicago

Whether you opt for a virtual or physical office, Amata’s support services are readily available to smoothen your operations. Our pre-vetted professionals act as extension of your team including:

Administrative assistants
Paralegals
Live receptionists
Business phone services

All of which can off-load your essential but tedious tasks like phone answering, posting on social media, keeping your databases updated, and even drafting first drafts for important cases.

Here are 3 ways we can help non-virtual offices:

Modern, Professional Office

Amata’s modern office spaces in Chicago are strategically designed to project a professional image and an environment for enhanced productivity and collaboration. You can enjoy all the credibility, safe facilities, and fully-equipped offices from a large corporation, but without the costs or 5-year leases.

Collaborative Environment

Our physical offices are designed to promote your very best work, where collaboration and innovation can flourish. With a combination of private offices, strategically placed workstations and networking events, law firms and professional service firms can focus on client service while everything is taken care of for them.

Secure and Private Environment

Physical offices provide an unmatched level of security and privacy, which is particularly important for law firms and professional service firms. We equip our offices and conference rooms with robust security measures, ensuring your data and confidential meetings remain protected.

We Can Help You Grow, On Your Own Terms

The choice between virtual and physical offices depends on your unique situation. While virtual offices offer flexibility and cost savings, physical offices provide a professional space for enhanced productivity and collaboration. With our flexible office plans and scalable solutions, we ensure you’ll find the perfect solution for your business, whether you require a modern office space, virtual office services, or legal support in Chicago.

Contact our friendly team and discover your ideal office solution to grow — whether you work remotely, on-site, or with a hybrid arrangement.

Discover our virtual offices in Chicago.

Litigation Services: Win More Cases With Less Stress

June 11, 2025December 7, 2023 by Amata Law Offices

Office, meeting and documents of business people, clients or team for taxes, audit or revenue report in accounting. Paperwork, review and advice of woman, financial advisor or accountant support

Litigation can be inherently stressful. There are counterparties, financial and reputational risks, and time-consuming processes. But could it be less stressful?

At Amata, we provide attorneys with litigation services, so they can take the administrative side of litigation off their plate and focus on strategy and client management. We allow attorneys to do their best work while we do everything else that is important to win cases: from scheduling court hearings to drafting motions and answers.

Two Reasons Why Attorneys Don’t Delegate

Most solo practitioners and small law firm owners have a corporate background. They experienced the comfort of having a paralegal attending administrative hearings on their behalf, researching cases in a fully-equipped library, and delegating calls to an assistant.

So when they took the leap to start their own firm, they gained more freedom and higher profits from their book of clients, but also gave up something important: a support team.

That is why the first reason why attorneys don’t delegate is that they simply cannot afford an army of paralegals, virtual assistants, and receptionists to support their work.

But there is another reason. Many times, attorneys assume hiring support staff is not only expensive but stressful. They are busy enough to add hiring, training, and managing a team to their plate.

Hiring more legal support staff then becomes a catch-22 situation for most attorneys. On the one hand, they are overworked and struggle to keep up with never-ending tasks and casework. But on the other hand, they have a tight budget.

Will a new employee be worth the investment? Will you have enough work to keep them occupied eight hours a day? Will revenue increase with this new hire?

That is why at Amata we created a solution that is cost-effective, flexible, and doesn’t add more stress to your plate.

Get Legal Support, Without the High Costs or Stress

Our team of paralegals, virtual assistants, and live receptionists act as an extension of your team. You can hire them hourly and not incur the costs, risks, and stress of hiring full-time employees. Only pay for the work that you actually need!

On-demand legal support is the affordable solution you’ve been looking for. During periods of intense workloads, our pre-vetted paralegals can help relieve you from the added stress. You can get more work done, focus on your clients, and grow your firm while protecting your profitability.

Here are the litigation support services that we provide on demand:

Electronic filing – state, federal, and administrative (IWCC, IDHR, EEOC).
Coordinate/schedule court hearings, depositions, mediations, expert witnesses.
Draft simple motions and answers.
Coordinate service of process with the sheriff or private process server.
E-discovery consultation (tools for litigation hold/preservation, document review platforms, document production planning, etc.).
Draft routine motions, orders, and affidavits (i.e. motion for leave to file sealed exhibits, motions for extension of time, motion to appoint special process server, motion for alternative service).
Appear for clerk’s status call; administrative hearings; enter agreed orders.

Prior to any work being performed, our team members will review the scope of work with you and establish cost expectations. Our professional paralegals, printing and mailing services, live receptionists, and virtual assistants have different experience levels that adjust to your budget. Alternative fee and project-based fee arrangements are also available for certain projects.

The reality is that Amata started as a bootstrapped startup handling litigation copy work for attorneys. Giving you a healthier work/life balance and supporting your profitability is what moves us, and litigation services are an example of that.

So if you want to win more cases without stressing about court runs, assembling copies, coordinating depositions, preparing witnesses, and drafting subpoenas, contact us today and get a quote of our litigation support services.

Discover our paralegal services in Chicago.

The New Business Card for Lawyers

June 11, 2025December 4, 2023 by Amata Law Offices

Time is everything for lawyers and professional service providers. It is their greatest asset, and the thing that they need to protect the most.

But in today’s world, there are many more tasks beyond serving clients that need to be done:

Keeping your inbox clean
Responding to new client inquiries
Creating a professional website
Staying top of mind with social media

This blog post is for those lawyers who recognize the importance of executing those ‘business building’ tasks, but who still want to protect their time to do what they love most: serve clients, strategically lead their firms, and enjoy life.

How to Keep Up With The Digital Era

The legal industry has shifted in so many ways during the last decade. From remote work to AI legal tools and smart contracts on the blockchain, there is so much innovation that many times is it hard to keep up.

Take, for example, social media: In the last 3 years alone, Twitter became X, Facebook shifted to Meta, and 6 new platforms were launched. Yet over 80% of law firms maintain an active social media presence, according to a 2021 survey by the American Bar Association.

This is because social media has become the new business card. Clients now want to look at your website and social media posts to stay informed, read client reviews, and screen your law firm before deciding to engage you. Social media becomes a filter through which potential clients vet your firm’s reputation and expertise.

Consider this data from a 2022 survey by the National Law Review: 87% of clients surveyed said they check lawyers’ social media profiles before deciding to engage their services. Today, when potential clients consider hiring a lawyer, they are not limited to evaluating credentials on a piece of paper or a static website.

Social media platforms provide a dynamic window into a lawyer‘s professional life, offering insights that extend beyond traditional qualifications, such as:

Professionalism: Clients need to trust their attorneys. That is why inconsistencies, unprofessional behavior, or a lack of presence will raise red flags.
Expertise and Specialization: Lawyers who actively share valuable insights on social media platforms are positioned as industry leaders — especially if they are sharing expert articles, case studies, and legal updates.
Client Reviews and Testimonials: Just like on Amazon, positive testimonials and reviews from previous clients can significantly influence purchasing decisions.
Relevance: Clients expect lawyers to stay informed about the latest legal trends and use your social media presence to signal connectivity and up-to-date knowledge.

In an era where information is readily accessible at one’s fingertips, clients WANT to find reliable information on social media to research, select, and evaluate your legal services.

But how can you post on social media while keeping up with the demanding nature of legal work?

Delegating Your Social Media Presence to Experts

Your online presence should convey your professionalism, expertise, and credibility. A well-maintained social media profile can serve as a powerful business development tool, attracting clients and enhancing your reputation.

That is where Amata comes in. Our virtual assistant service can help you take care of several tasks, including:

Social Media Posting
Email Management
Payroll, Billing, and Accounting
Database Management
Document Conversion and Management
Appointment Reminders and Scheduling
Legal Correspondence and Transcription
Legal Research
Live Virtual Receptionist

Most solo practitioners and small law firms do not have large teams or budgets, which is why our virtual assistants work on demand. They are carefully selected by us, and only work the hours that you need so you can save on salary and benefits.

We understand that the idea of posting on social media, building an online presence, and engaging with a digital audience can be an added layer of stress you don’t want. In fact, according to a 2021 survey by the American Bar Association, over 75% of lawyers feel overwhelmed by the demands of their profession.

That is why our virtual assistants will curate and post engaging content on your behalf. Your law firms can keep active on social media, strengthen your reputation, and demonstrate authority, without needing to hire an in-house legal assistant or a social media marketing agency.

This is a cost-effective solution that goes beyond posting on social media. We can offload your redundant but essential tasks, such as new client intake and calendar management, without you having to worry about employee benefits, providing the requisite software or training, or bearing any infrastructure costs.

Our experienced virtual assistants will take care of all this, so you can focus more on building your practice and serving clients doing the tasks that energize you.

Enhance Your Practice With a Virtual Assistant Specifically For Lawyers

We provide virtual assistants so you can stay relevant on social media while saving time and focus. If you want someone to update social media posts, enter billing, and return client calls for you, we can help.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Will Office Space Become Obsolete?

June 11, 2025November 30, 2023 by Amata Law Offices

With remote work on the rise, will office space become obsolete?

According to a study done by Boston Consulting Group, ‘1.5 billion square feet of office space could become obsolete’, with low utilization, high vacancy levels, and financial viability slipping away for many.

Here at Amata we provide office spaces for law firms and professional services companies in Chicago, so this is a trend that could deeply affect us. But the reason why we’re not worried (and actually feel hopeful for the future), is because we have lived this already through the pandemic and found that Office Space will not become obsolete, it just needs to twist to effectively serve the new demands of the market.

Enter The New Era of Office Space

During the pandemic one of our natural worries was, “Will people stop needing an office?”. And contrary to our fears, Amata grew and today we serve more than 800 clients all over Chicago.

There are a few reasons for this:

While companies had to go fully remote for some years, many have realized that this is not a sustainable work arrangement for them. Their associates desire human connection, a dedicated space where they can be productive, and the prestige that comes from an office in downtown Chicago.
This means that most solo and small law firms today are either working on-site or with hybrid arrangements.
Hybrid companies are giving their team members the option to choose between remote work or on-site work.

The 2022 Practice Forward Report by The American Bar Association found that 44% of lawyers practicing 10 years or less were more likely to leave their current job for one that offers a greater ability to work remotely. At the other end of the age spectrum, only 13% of those practicing over 40 years would leave their place of employment for the greater ability to work remotely.

This means that there is a clear generational divide, where more established lawyers desire to work at the office while younger generations work more flexible options. This is why hybrid companies choose to retain talent by giving their employees options.

But how can they keep an office space without spending excessively or being locked by a 5-year lease?

At Amata, we help them with our flexible plans which allow them to add or drop office space during the term of the contract, without penalty, so they can scale up and down as their company grows. This means that they can add new team members or create a leaner team without being worried about unutilized office space or relocating.

We also provide Hybrid companies solutions that match their desired flexibility, such as conference rooms for the day, support staff on-demand (only pay what you need), mail handling, and networking events.

Even fully remote companies can benefit from some physicality. For example, listing your home as your official business address can hurt credibility in the eyes of clients, and also not be the best idea for safety reasons.

That is why at Amata we provide remote companies a virtual business address, so that clients associate your organization with Class A, prominent office buildings in the Chicago area. A virtual business address also entitles you to receive correspondence at the location and enjoy mail processing and forwarding from the on-site staff.

What we have found is that office space will not become obsolete, it just needs to be reimagined. Lawyers and professionals want a healthier work/life balance, and they want office spaces that provide it.

That is why our unique model at Amata offers:

Flexibility – Programs that allow you to cancel offices during a contract term.
Hourly paralegals that work as if they are on your staff.
Administrative assistants that work with you virtually and in person, depending on your needs and circumstances.
Quarterly office socials to make new acquaintances and build relationships with others working in the center.
Monthly attorney socials with over 800 attorneys involved to expand your network and business opportunities.
Paralegal assistants that go to city hall, the Recorders Office and deliver courtesy copies to judges for you.
Live receptionists that can screen your calls, handle new client in-take and greet your guests.
Easy access to decision-makers and owners of Amata.
Notary/witness service program at all locations; plus a remote notary/witness service program that includes video recording.
Conference room usage is not rounded up to the nearest hour. You only pay for time you use in 15-minute increments

All so you can:

- - - Maintain profitability: When your revenue goes down, as a business owner you need to reduce expenses to maintain profit. Amata provides flexibility in order to achieve this in your office space costs (which are a large chunk of expenses).
    - Access office space on your own terms: Amata provides 12-month lease terms with a 30-day notice to adjust office space. This provides a key ability to reduce costs and maintain profitability when needed.
    - Be fully supported as you grow: Whether you’re doing a virtual or physical office, Amata provides on-demand (hourly) support services in the form of admin assistants, paralegals, receptionists, and business phone / phone app services that you get tasks off your to-do lists and back to growing your business.

So if you are a small law firm considering not renewing your office lease, try Amata. Our model is designed with you in mind: To give you modern offices that boost your team’s productivity and your firm’s prestige, while protecting your bottom line and giving you a support team that grows as your firm grows.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

How Hybrid Law Firms Are Changing The Industry

June 11, 2025November 27, 2023 by Amata Law Offices

More than three years after the COVID-19 pandemic started, the way lawyers work is changing forever.

While many law firms continue to work remotely, many of them saw the need for physical interaction with clients and teammates and decided to go back to the office. But the generational divide is clear:

What this means is that there is not one generalized consensus about how remote work affects lawyers’ productivity and satisfaction. While some studies find that working from home increases productivity, other studies find that having no boundaries between work and life actually reduces productivity. While some studies find that workers feel more motivated working from home, other studies find that people’s mental health suffers when they stop those daily and spontaneous interactions with teammates and clients.

So what’s the truth? And what can law firms do to maximize their productivity and team retention, while saving costs on office space?

Enter the Hybrid Work Model

Instead of making people choose between remote work or on-site work, The 2022 Practice Forward Survey found that lawyers want the flexibility to decide for themselves when they work in the office and when they work at home. There is a strong desire to create flexible schedules and hybrid work arrangements, that will allow each person to control their day and tailor it to the way they know they can maximize productivity.

In other words, lawyers value optionality more than anything.

The Hybrid Work Model combines both in-person and remote work, offering lawyers and staff greater flexibility while maintaining the core functions of a traditional law firm.

This model allows firms to attract and retain top talent by offering a more attractive work-life balance, reduces overhead costs associated with maintaining large office spaces, and fosters agility and resilience in our age of disruptions.

However, there are 7 important factors to consider in order to implement the hybrid model effectively:

Clear Policies and Guidelines: Clear policies and guidelines should outline the rules that will govern the hybrid work arrangement. Include expectations regarding work hours, communication, data security, client interactions, and performance metrics. Ensure that all employees understand and adhere to these guidelines.
Technology Infrastructure: Invest in robust technology infrastructure to support remote work. This includes secure remote access to case management systems, cloud-based document storage, video conferencing tools, and cybersecurity measures. Ensure that employees have the necessary hardware and software to work effectively from various locations.
Communication Tools: New communication tools and practices are required to maintain seamless collaboration among team members. Utilize video conferencing, instant messaging, project management software, and virtual meeting platforms to facilitate communication and document sharing.
Performance Metrics: Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to assess employee performance and productivity in a hybrid work environment. These metrics can include billable hours, case progress, client satisfaction, and project completion rates. Review and adjust these metrics regularly as needed.
Training and Support: Offer training and support for employees so all of them can navigate the hybrid work model successfully. Provide guidance on using remote work tools, maintaining data security, and managing time effectively. Encourage ongoing skill development to adapt to evolving work practices.
Client Interaction Strategy: Develop a strategy for maintaining strong client relationships in a hybrid work environment. Consider offering both in-person and virtual client meetings, ensuring that clients can access legal services conveniently. Communicate the firm’s commitment to maintaining high-quality client service.
Employee Well-being: Prioritize employee well-being and mental health. Recognize the challenges that come with remote work and provide resources to support physical and emotional health. Encourage regular breaks, flexibility in work schedules, and initiatives that promote work-life balance.

The hybrid work model can represent a significant shift in how lawyers practice, so most team members will require support. By setting clear expectations and controls, but also trusting people will continue doing their jobs, law firms can successfully transition to this new model while maintaining high standards of service.

How Hybrid Law Firms Can Access Office Spaces — On Their Own Terms

At Amata, we saw long before the pandemic how the legal industry was shifting. Technological disruptions and changing attitudes towards work meant that people craved more freedom and meaning, while still prioritizing law firm profitability and growth.

This is why our office-as-a-service model is the perfect complement to hybrid law firms. It allows lawyers to work remotely and protect their bottom line, while still enjoying the benefits of a traditional office space.

Our shared office spaces allow lawyers and professional service companies to have a prestigious business address in Chicago, access a private office or a conference room for the day, and get support from paralegals and virtual receptionists only when they need it. This flexible office space plus support staff on-demand model is why more than 800 law firms choose us.

And there’s more. With Amata, you can access:

Scalable office plans where you can 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 (both in-person and virtual) that act as an extension of your work, without the costs and risks of hiring full-time employees.
On-demand paralegals, administrative assistants, and virtual receptionists. All pre-vetted for you.
A business address in a prestigious area in Chicago, so you can impress clients and keep their trust.
Mail handling, scanning, and forwarding.
Conference rooms & private offices for the day.
Professional live receptionists to meet and greet your clients.
Networking events, so you can keep building relationships and growing your business even if you are fully remote.
And much, much more!

If you’d like to adopt a hybrid work model for your law firm, but do not want to lose the support services and productive environment a traditional office provides, Amata is for you. Our flexible plans and scalable solutions ensure you protect your profitability, while having access to modern offices that meet your exact needs.

Contact us today to schedule a tour of our locations. Discover how can we support your growth, whether you choose to work remotely, on-site, or opt for a hybrid model.

Discover our virtual offices in Chicago.