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Improving Client Retention With Done-For-You Relationship Nurturing

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There’s a story of a realtor who became Michigan’s top realtor by doing one thing really well: Building relationships. Instead of going door to door bugging people, he would keep a list of all his clients’ birthdays and favorite restaurants. When the client’s birthday arrived, he would send them a handwritten note with a coupon code to claim a dessert at their favorite restaurant.

That was it. No advertisement, no expensive marketing, or secret selling secrets. People would be shocked that this person (whom they have seen once or twice) would remember their birthday, and immediately refer him to the next person looking to sell their home.

By simply sending a special gift on people’s birthdays, he became Michigan’s top realtor for several consecutive years.

 

 

You probably know this, but relationships are the key to attracting and retaining clients. Long-lasting business relationships are built on trust, affinity, and going the extra mile. The question is, how can you nurture your relationships while also leveraging your time?

 

Enter Outsourced Relationship Nurturing

There are certain things that only you, as a founder and lawyer, can do. You are the only one who can go to networking events, create strategic relationships, and lead the strategy on cases. But one of the things you CAN delegate are micro-experiences that delight clients.

 

Small gestures like sending birthday greetings, remembering significant events like your client’s mother’s surgery, sharing insightful articles, and sending occasional thank-you cards might seem insignificant, but they can have a profound impact. These actions, which require minimal investment, can set you apart from the competition, forge deeper connections with your clients, and solidify their loyalty.

 

Not only will they be more likely to stay with you, but they’ll also be inclined to recommend your services to their network, expanding your reach and influence.

 

Most founders genuinely care about their clients, but the challenge often lies in finding the time to nurture these relationships effectively. This is where leveraging the support of a part-time virtual assistant can be transformative. By strategically delegating the task of relationship nurturing within your law firm, you free up valuable time to focus on core business activities. This not only enhances client satisfaction and loyalty but also has a direct positive impact on your bottom line.

 

 

Designing An 11-Star Experience

One of the things that has made Airbnb so successful is, in the words of their founder Brian Chesky, “scaling a magical experience.” When they were thinking about how to create a thriving company that would revolutionize the entire hospitality industry, they came up with the 11-star customer experience.

“What would it take for me to design something that you would literally tell every single person you’ve ever encountered?” Asks Chesky.

 

What would a 5-star experience for a law firm be? Maybe it is entering the office and being told to wait in the lobby. A 6-star experience might include a drink while the client waits.

 

Now, if you thought about a 10 or 11-star experience, it could include things like picking up clients at the airport on a Rolls Royce, listening to them with extreme care, solving their issues promptly, and going the extra mile on every single one of their requests. The point is to find the sweet spot between overdelivering for clients and creating a wow experience, while also being able to replicate this experience and sustain it over time.

 

So ask yourself: If there were no limits or constraints, what would you do for clients so that they couldn’t help but speak about you to every single person they encounter?

 

 

Building Relationships At Scale

Most lawyers are busy already. How can they find time to remember their clients’ birthdays and send them thank-you notes?

 

With Amata’s new Fractional Support Packages, you can hire an executive virtual assistant, an in-person administrative assistant, and paralegal support just for the hours that you need. No more overpaying for hours that you don’t need. You can pay as you need it with our flexible services that scale up and down to accommodate to your growth and seasonality.

 

By outsourcing these minor yet impactful details, you’re standing out and ensuring you remain at the forefront of your clients’ minds. This strategy also cultivates a loyal client base that will continue to seek out your services and enthusiastically refer others to you for years to come.

 

With Amata’s on-demand, fractional support, you can nurture your most important business relationships and create a direct ROI — Without the necessity of committing to a full-time hire.

 

Click here to learn more about our Fractional Support Services!

Starting Your Own Practice? Here’s How Amata Saves You on Costs

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Starting your own practice is both exciting and scary. You envision all the things you want to do, achieve, and create, but at the same time the road to getting there feels uncertain.

That is why today we want to show you a simpler, more cost-effective way to start your law firm: Amata’s full-service law firm programs.

 

The 2 Biggest Costs Law Firms Incur

Achieving profitability is a constant balancing act between increasing revenue and decreasing expenses. In the beginning, when you probably have only a handful of clients, you want to keep a close look at expenses. This is what creates the positive cash flow to invest in team and infrastructure, so you can grow your business.

At Amata we have served attorneys for more than 21 years. That is why we designed unique solutions to reduce your two biggest expenses: Hiring and office space.

According to the 2020 Report on the State of the Legal Market by Thomson Reuters and Georgetown University’s Center on Ethics and the Legal Profession, law firms’ biggest expenses are:

 

  1. Personnel Costs: This includes salaries, benefits, and bonuses for lawyers, paralegals, administrative staff, and other professionals. They typically represent the largest expense for law firms, accounting for around 55% to 60% of total expenses.
  2. Office Space: Rent or mortgage payments for office space can be substantial, especially in prime locations. Additionally, expenses related to utilities, maintenance, and insurance also contribute to office costs. Office space and related occupancy costs account for approximately 10% to 15% of total expenses.
  3. Technology Infrastructure: Law firms invest heavily in technology for case management, document storage, billing, and communication. This includes software licenses, hardware purchases, IT support, and cybersecurity measures.
  4. Marketing and Business Development: Law firms often allocate significant funds to marketing and business development efforts to attract new clients and retain existing ones. This may include advertising, website development, networking events, and sponsorships.
  5. Professional Development and Training: Continuing education and professional development are essential for lawyers to stay updated on legal developments and maintain their expertise. Law firms may incur expenses for training programs, seminars, conferences, and certifications.
  6. Litigation Costs: For firms engaged in litigation, expenses such as court fees, expert witness fees, deposition transcripts, and travel costs can be substantial.
  7. Insurance: Professional liability insurance is a significant expense for law firms to protect against malpractice claims. Additionally, firms may purchase other types of insurance coverage such as general liability and cyber liability insurance.
  8. Administrative Expenses: This includes costs associated with office supplies, postage, printing, and other day-to-day operational expenses.

 

As you can see, personnel costs and office space can account for up to 70%-80% of a law firm’s expenses. If you can reduce costs on these two items, you give yourself a massive advantage over every other competitor in your market.

 

 

How Amata Saves You On Personnel and Office Expenses

Our full-service law firm programs are designed to do three things:

 

  • Give you access to everything you need to grow your law firm, including paralegals, virtual assistants, administrative staff, conference rooms, and more.

    Whether you’re running 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 help you cross tasks off your to-do lists and get back to growing your business.


  • Grow in a flexible way that adjusts to the ups and downs of the market. For example, if an associate suddenly leaves, you can drop office space without penalties. Or if you see a surge in clients and need new offices, you can also add them without rigid lease terms that impede it.

    Amata provides 12-month lease terms with a 30-day notice to adjust office space. This allows you to reduce costs and maintain profitability when you need it most.


  • Build a team you can delegate to, so you and your associates can focus on billable hours and enjoying a healthy work-life balance.

    When revenue goes down, you need to reduce expenses to maintain profit. Amata provides flexibility to achieve this in your office space and personnel costs.

 

Fractional Support Services

Our newest package allows you to hire pre-vetted talent at just the hours that you need. There are five pre-made packages, plus a pay-as-you-need-it option:

 

Program Benefits

  • Save 60% compared to a full-time employee
  • Take mundane tasks off your daily to-do list
  • Spend more time working with your clients
  • Work with a team to support your practice, not just one or two employees
  • No more time or money spent recruiting
  • Zero employee benefits costs
  • Scale team up for busy periods, scale down when done
  • No more payroll to cover during slow periods
  • Get expertise to help organize your days and reduce the anxiety created when you feel under pressure
  • Make more client deadlines without sacrificing work/life balance
  • Make time to take on more clients

 

To learn more about our program, contact our team here. Our programs allow you to hire support staff and access premium offices at flexible rates. We are ready to support your new law firm and see you thrive!

3 Steps to Boost Your Law Firm’s Profitability

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There is nothing more heartbreaking than working extremely hard the entire month, only to realize there is little to no money in the bank account and wondering where did all went.

Law firm owners work way too hard in order to not enjoy reliable profits from their business. That is why this article will center around a 3-step formula to boost your law firm’s profitability.

 

Sales Do Not Equal Profits

 One of the most common mistakes beginner law firm owners make is equating sales to profits. It is simple to chase one client after another without considering that revenue is not the same as profits.

In simple words “revenue is what you make, profit is what you keep.” Recognizing this, you will see that what most lawyers are looking for when they think “I want to make more money” is profits, not revenue. Because profits are what pays for your vacations, your kids’ school, and your growth plans; not revenue.

 

 

How to Boost Your Profits: A 3-Step Formula

Now that we have established that it is profits that most law firm owners want, it’s time to set a proven formula to increase them. Melissa Houston, a Forbes contributor and CPA with over 20 years of experience, explains this as a 3-step formula.

(Pricing x Sales) – Expenses = Profits

It’s simple when you think about it. Your pricing times your sales volume, minus your expenses, equals your profits. Here’s an example:

($300 per billable hour x 60 billable hours per month) = $18,000 in revenue

$3,000 in office rent + $5,000 in staff + $1,500 in tech + $500 miscellaneous = $10,000 in expenses

$18,000 in revenue – $10,000 in expenses = $8,000 in profits

When you consider that the number above ($8,000) is pre-tax, you realize how important it is to keep healthy margins in order to generate sufficient profits from your law firm. Here are 3 non-exclusive ways to improve profitability:

 

1. Increase Prices

Most law firms never do a price audit to see if there’s room to increase prices. And if they do, it is based on a “gut check” instead of objective data from the market.

The reality is that, with high inflation, raising prices is a reality that needs to happen every year. The key to doing it while retaining clients is to always provide value that exceeds your prices and to think about the relationship between pricing and volume.

Do you want a low-volume, high-touch law firm that only works with a handful of affluent clients? Or are you willing to lower prices, but serve more clients? Both models are viable, and each law firm needs to find the spot in between that makes the most sense to them.

2. Increase Sales Volume

Once you test higher prices and find a spot where you can be profitable while also remaining competitive, it is time to increase sales. We can do this by engaging in activities that generate new business, such as networking, strategic partnerships, advertising, and touching base with past clients.

The key is focusing on one strategy until you see significant results. For example, instead of trying to post content on every platform, you can double down on LinkedIn. Amata’s virtual assistants can save time by creating & scheduling your content, updating your CRM, and processing new client intake forms.

3. Control Expenses

This is probably the hardest part for growth-focused founders, but you need to control expenses. Actually, lowering expenses is probably the fastest way to increase profit margins and generate more “cash-in-hand” from your law firms.

Yet, we understand the struggle. Running a law firm is expensive, nevermind growing it. It takes a lot of financial, energetic, and human resources to take your law firm to the next level, and that is why we have created a unique solution for lawyers.

 

If you want to keep growing your law firm and invest in team members, assistants, premium offices, and tech, but you still want to watch your expenses and protect your profitability, our Fractional Support Services are for you.

With them, you can hire virtual and on-site assistants plus part-time paralegals all working only the hours that you require. This “pay-as-you-need-it” model allows you to invest in top-tier talent, delegate day-to-day operations, and focus on billable hours, all without breaking the bank. It is a solution that accommodates to the reality of your cash flow and growth needs, and that provides flexibility to scale on your own timeline and terms.

Interested in learning more? Set a time to speak with our team and we will explain how our Fractional Support Services plus Scalable Office plans can get you the resources that you need to grow while protecting your law firm’s profitability.

Achieving Sustainable Growth as a Law Firm Owner

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Achieving Sustainable Growth as a Law Firm Owner

Can you grow your business revenue without working longer hours?

That is arguably the biggest question law firm owners wake up with. The rush, the all-nighters, and the relentless pace that got them through law school and built their successful career is no longer serving their desire to scale sustainably.

As the author Margaret Bonnano said, “Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time.” Most business owners desire not only financial success but also freedom over their calendar, location, and the type of clients they work with.

The question is, how can do this practically? If working longer hours is not the solution, how can law firm owners grow their practices while achieving a healthier work/life balance?

This is where the Utilization Rate Formula comes in.

The Utilization Rate Formula

At a law firm, the traditional thinking is that to generate greater profits you either bill more hours or increase your hourly billable rate, an approach that can go against the best interest of the client.

Instead, here are Amata we use the Utilization Rate Formula to calculate what needs to happen to drive down expenses, produce more work, and increase your profitability.

Achieving Sustainable Growth as a Law Firm Owner

This formula allows us to achieve leveraged and scalable growth without hurting profitability or the client experience. The key is utilization – only paying for time that is billable to your clients, eliminating all under-utilized time and expenses.

Using the Utilization Rate Formula, you would divide the number of billable hours by the total number of available hours (x100). So, if a paralegal on your staff billed for 32 hours from a 40-hour week, they would have a utilization rate of 80%. This means you need to pay for the under-utilized time, in this example 8 hours, from your profits.

By employing the on-demand paralegal team at Amata, you are only paying for the time they do billable work for you. So, in the example above, you would only pay for 32 hours that you are able to pass along to your client, saving 8 hours that you won’t have to pay for. By delegating and using leverage in this way, you are able to scale your business and profits without placing constraints on your time.

The New Growth Model for Law Firm Owners

After working with more than 600 law firms and professional services companies, we created a unique model that helps you build a thriving company that supports your life — instead of taking away from it.

We do this by protecting your bottom line first. The fast-changing markets of today require service businesses to stay lean and flexible so they can respond to the fluctuating demand of clients. In months when this client demand is high, Amata can expand your offices and provide flexible staffing to meet your growth. In months of contraction, we can reduce your office space without penalizing you for it (like most office and staffing companies do).

Achieving Sustainable Growth as a Law Firm Owner

And when it comes to office space, you continue to enjoy the full benefits of a traditional office, with the added benefit of being able to add or remove office space as you need it. Considering that office space and staffing are the two greatest expenses for most law firms and professional firms poised for growth, this means a huge pressure is taken off your back. 

You can grow at your own pace, save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, and stay at the forefront of innovation.

Another reason our model is so powerful is that top talent today requires more than a lavish office. They expect reasonable hours, easy-to-access offices, and the freedom to thrive in their personal lives just as much as they do in their careers. We help law firms and professional service firms create an environment that attracts these top performers while staying lean in their operations.

Our role is to help you practice your profession on your own terms. So whether you are working remotely, on-site, or a combination of both, we have solutions for you.

For example, our flexible staffing options allow firms to work with the same staff every day but only pay for the time they actually use. This may mean 5 hours/month for a senior paralegal, 56 minutes/month for a receptionist, and 10 hours/month for an assistant.

By eliminating unnecessary spending (e.g., an 800-square-foot library in the middle of the office), we allow clients to invest in tech, team, and client relationships that will take their business to the next level.

From 7-Day Work Weeks to Exploring America

Amata was born out of a deeply personal pain. Ron Bockstahler, our founder, was a declared workaholic. For decades, he didn’t take two days off in a row until he realized that you should treat your personal life the same way you treat your career. This means having clear and inspiring personal goals and committing to achieve them. 

Looking for exploration and to break the patterns of tradition, Ron went on an 8-year RV adventure with his wife across all 50 States in America and 9 Canadian provinces. Surprisingly, his business continued to soar, and he was earning more while living life to the fullest.

Today, Ron competes in Ironman races and is a father of 6 children:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkiKO9bqqq4

Amata began by managing the backend operations for lawyers, including tasks like litigation copy work and small print jobs. From the beginning, our primary focus has been putting our clients first, doing whatever it takes to create an environment where you can thrive both professionally and personally.

We believe that growing a business without enjoying life is not worth it. That is why we offer innovative solutions that allow you to keep expanding your firm while protecting your profitability, client experience, and work/life balance.

Contact our team and explore how our unique model can help you achieve sustainable growth.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Law Firm Billing: How to Collect Payments in a Timely Manner

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Billing can be a huge pain point for lawyers. In the 2023 Trends Report by Clio, it was found that 14% of billable hours never get invoiced and, from those that get invoiced, 11% never get paid by clients. This means a significant portion of most law firms’ profits never reach their bank account.

How can you, as a solo practitioner or law firm owner change this? Read on to discover one actionable tip to get paid in full, on time.

Timing Is Essential

In his book How to Start & Build a Law Practice, author Jay G. Foonberg talks about an essential concept that impacts billing: The Gratitude Curve.

Essentially, in most people approach lawyers when they are in a desperate situation. If there is a fit and they become clients, their immediate sentiment is relief. They’re glad to have a lawyer by their side.

As time passes, the client’s perception of the value reaches its peak. They couldn’t be more grateful for having their lawyer. And then, depending on the nature of the case and the duration of the trial, the “gratitude curve” starts to fall down.

Image credits: Clio Legal Trends Report

The longer the case moves away from a significant milestone, the more a client will feel like they no longer need their lawyer. It is the same with doctors, accountants, advertising agencies, and most professional service providers. If there is not a frequent demonstration of value, clients start to feel like ‘this is just another bill to pay’ and that they can solve the problem on their own (or with cheaper assistance).

So is there a solution? Here 3 strategic moves to make the most out of Foonberg’s Gratitude Curve.

Strategy #1: Bill up front and at the points of maximum perceived value

Needless to say, a client is more likely to pay their bill and see it as an investment when their perception of value is high. This means that bills should be sent up front, as soon as an important milestone is reached, or just before the clients need their lawyer to make the next strategic move.

While this may be common sense, Clio’s study found that 15% of clients never received a bill from their lawyer, and 28% of bills are sent weeks or even months after the work is done, reducing their chances of getting paid.

The solution is to bill clients right when their perceived value is at its highest, and always invoice all billable hours.

Strategy #2: Constantly Overdeliver

There is a concept in customer experience called the “wow” moment. This is when you enter a hotel and see that they left free water or a welcome letter in your room. By integrating these “micro experiences” into your engagements, the perception of value not only increases but can be preserved much longer.

Strategy #3: Simple Payments

Most clients want to pay their lawyer. However, a large portion of law firms are still sending bills by mail, only accepting checks, and not setting clear deadlines.

A bill should be easy to pay. And it pays to do so. In Clio’s 2023 Trends Report, it was found that firms using online payments on average collect 50% of their bills within 7 days of issuing them, while those not using online payments get paid in 15 days or more. This is twice the time it takes for a law firm to receive new funds and be able to reinvest for growth or pay the owner.

At the end of the day, work doesn’t finish until the invoice is fully paid and received. By billing up in a timely manner, keeping the perception of value high, and making it easy for clients to pay their bills, law firms can avoid cash flow problems and get compensated for all their hard work.

If you are having trouble keeping up with invoices and billing clients in a timely manner, a virtual assistant can help. Amata’s administrative assistants are trained in the legal industry and can support in any of these areas:

  • 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

Our flexible plans allow you to pay for only the hours that you need, so that keeping your firm’s operations running smoothly doesn’t come with unnecessary overhead costs.

Click here to discover how our Virtual Assistants can assist with billing (and a whole lot more!)

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

The New Office Model for Attorneys

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The “office-as-a-service” model, often referred to as OaaS, is a flexible approach to providing office space and related services to professionals, including attorneys. This model saves costs and provides law firms with all the support they need to thrive, with the flexibility to stay competitive in today’s changing marketplace.

In this article we’ll explain eight benefits of the office-as-a-service model (OaaS) for attorneys, and why it is perfect for solo and small law firms.

Benefit 1: Flexible Workspace

Most lawyers start their own law firms seeking freedom – the freedom to have more control over how they work and to generate higher revenue from the book of business they’ve built.

Freedom and profitability. The problem is that large offices with long-term contracts give you none.

With Amata, attorneys can rent office space on a flexible basis, whether they need it for a few hours, days, or months. This flexibility allows you to adapt your office space to your specific needs, such as client meetings, research, or collaborative work with colleagues.

For example, our conference rooms can be used in 15-minute increments, and you only pay for the time you use (they are not rounded up to the nearest hour).

Most lawyers do not need to come into the office on a regular basis. You can free key resources by having a flexible workspace that adapts to your exact needs. 

Benefit 2: Cost Savings

Instead of committing to a long-term lease and incurring the associated costs of maintaining a traditional office, attorneys can save money by paying only for the space and services they use.

In today’s economic environment, the ability to adapt by adding or removing office spaces without penalties is crucial. That’s why our plans offer 12-month lease terms with a 30-day notice period for adjusting office space, allowing you to reduce costs and maintain profitability when needed.

Benefit 3: Access to Prime Locations

You probably don’t need a 240-square-foot office with a lavish library. What you need is a space that conveys professionalism and is strategically located near courthouses, government offices, and transportation routes for your team.

Our offices are located in professional and prestigious addresses in Chicago. All locations are within walking distance from major public transportation, and some are even steps away from the courthouse.

This enhances your law firm’s professional image and accessibility to clients. We have 3 locations to choose from and meet your exact needs.

Benefit 4: Fully Equipped Offices

You don’t need to be an AM250 firm yet to access top-tier support. Amata’s offices come fully equipped with essential office amenities, including furniture, high-speed internet, phone lines, printing and scanning facilities, and conference rooms. This minimizes your need to invest in office infrastructure.

Benefit 5: Support Services

One of the downsides when transitioning from a big corporation to running your own solo or small law firm is giving up the numerous support mechanisms that make life easier.

That is why Amata provides on-demand (hourly) support services in the form of admin assistants, paralegals, receptionists, and business phone/phone app services that free your time to focus on billable hours and enjoy your life.

Imagine having:

  1. Hourly paralegals that work as if they are on your staff.
  2. Administrative assistants that work with you virtually and in person, depending on your needs and circumstances.
  3. Paralegal assistants that go to city hall, the Recorders Office and deliver courtesy copies to judges for you.
  4. Live receptionists who can screen your calls, handle new clients in-take, and greet your guests.
  5. Notary/witness service program at all locations; plus a remote notary/witness service program that includes video recording.

These are all examples of what our law firms get with our Attorney Support Services.

Benefit 6: Networking Opportunities

Growing a solo firm can be, as the name implies, pretty lonely. But with Amata’s model it doesn’t have to be this way.

You’ll get to meet professionals from other industries, which can lead to new clients, referrals, or joint ventures. We also organize monthly meetings with over 600 other attorneys, where you can expand your network and business opportunities.

Benefit 7: Scalability

When your revenue goes down, as a business owner you need to reduce expenses to maintain profit. Amata allows you to drop or add offices during the term of the contract without penalty, resulting in true office flexibility.

Whether your law firm grows or downsizes, you can easily adjust your office space needs without the complications of breaking leases or finding new locations. This scalability in your office space costs (which typically represent a significant portion of expenses) can be invaluable during fluctuations in client demand.

Benefit 8: Virtual Office Services

Working from home can be phenomenal, but there’s one problem: you can’t use your home address for client services!

That is why we provide a virtual business address, so 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, receive phone calls, and enjoy mail processing and forwarding from the on-site staff.

The New Office Model, Perfect for Solo and Small Law Firms.

The Office-as-a-Service (OaaS) model was born to provide attorneys and law firms with flexible office terms and help them reduce costs while improving operational efficiency.

This enables legal professionals to focus on billable hours, serve their clientele, and enjoy life on their terms. You can access fully equipped offices in prime locations, along with a suite of AM250-level support services, all tailored to your unique needs.

For more than 21 years we have helped attorneys like you to serve more clients without sacrificing their health, family life, or profitability in the process. Give us a call today if you’d like to explore our flexible and scalable office solutions.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

How to Access Top Legal Support Services Without Being an AM250 Yet

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According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the average American lawyer works 50 hours per week. But what if we told you only 35% of that represents billable work?

That is what the 2022 Legal Trends Report by Clio found: only 3.5 hours of most attorneys’ long work days are billable. The rest of the time is spent booking calls, mailing clients, running meetings, and doing admin work.

This runs contrary to the reason why most small firm founders started their practice. Attorneys can easily fall into high-stress, low-pay months, daydreaming about the support services AM250 firms enjoy.

But what if you could have the support system of a coveted AM250 firm, but with the flexibility and affordability you require now?

 

Enter Amata’s Lawyer Support Services

For over two decades, our mission has been clear: Support law firms in serving more clients while enjoying a healthier work/life balance.

Let’s say you started your solo practice after leaving an AM250 law firm. You went from billing $450/hour to $325/hour, but it was okay because that convinced some of your clients to come with you. You expected less overhead, higher profitability, and more control over your time.

The problem is that without assistants, senior paralegals, and accountants, you had to work longer, non-billable hours just to keep up. A 10% drop in billable hours can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars less in potential business that could be developed. That is the opportunity cost of trying to do everything by yourself.

But what if you decide to hire support and focus on billable hours? The list of support services can be long, but very worth it depending on your case:

  1. Copy & Mail Handling: A virtual assistant can manage your office mail and make copies of essential documents when needed.
  2. Deliveries: Office staff can assist with physical document deliveries and handling paper checks for legal fees.
  3. Research Assistance: A virtual assistant can handle legal research and document requests through Lexis-Nexis.
  4. Paralegal Support: A paralegal can manage caseloads, client intake, deadlines, court paperwork, and client inquiries.
  5. Administrative Help: Office and virtual assistants can provide support with tasks like mail retrieval, email management, project management, marketing, social media, proofreading, and document scanning.

The question is, how can you afford these services without being an AM250 law firm yet?

Flexible Support Services Without the Overhead

The demand for legal services has been volatile over the last 3 years. Firms need to manage staffing and resourcing effectively to remain flexible and serve clients without the stress.

Here’s how Amata legal support services in Chicago help you do that:

1. On-Demand Paralegals

No longer do you need to worry about keeping a paralegal busy for a full eight-hour day. We vet paralegals who can act as an extension of your team and bill only the hours you require.

Our senior paralegals have 20 or more years of experience and specialized knowledge. We also can connect you with junior paralegals ready to handle:

  1. Editing appellate briefs and other briefs per your notes
  2. Handle the back-and-forth aspects of discovery, which can last for months
  3. Draft simple complaints and motions
  4. Assess and prioritize cases
  5. Close on real estate transaction

All so you can ease your caseload while paying only for what you require.

2. Legal admin support

With the right support, lawyers are able to boost their productivity, grow their practice, and do what they do best — practice law.

Amata’s legal support services include receptionists and administrators who can help scan documents, track packages, and review court filings. We also understand you don’t have time to train, and that is okay. All our staff is experienced and vetted to understand your unique needs.

3. Virtual assistants

The traditional formula for growing a law firm is billing more hours or increasing rates, but there comes a point where that approach goes against the client’s best interest.

With virtual assistants, there is a third option. Eliminate all under-utilized time and expenses, delegate administrative work, and focus on billable hours. This increases your profitability and allows you to scale, while serving your client’s best interests.

Some of the tasks virtual assistants can handle for you are:

  1. Document review, organization and summarization
  2. Data entry
  3. Calendar management
  4. Meeting scheduling and coordination
  5. Technological support
  6. Invoice preparation and payment
  7. Social media assistance
  8. Non-legal correspondence, transmittal letters, and email
  9. Case management system update
  10. Internet and public database research

4. Live receptionist

Busy lawyers require professional receptionists. And with Amata, there is a better alternative to hiring, training, and retaining full-time, in-house receptionists yourself.

Our legal virtual receptionists ensure that you never miss a caller. They can screen calls, schedule appointments, reply to messages and return phone calls for you. All the information is updated in your database, so you can follow up at your own pace while clients are taken care of.

Hiring the exact receptionist support you need for only the time you need is possible. This significantly reduces the risk when hiring staff to support your operations.

5. Office options

Amata’s revolutionary concept is that office space should be consumed and paid for the same way we use and pay for software. You wouldn’t purchase 5 licenses of your practice management software when you only need 2, so why do we sign long-term leases for space with 5 offices when we only need 2?

Modern law firms require office plans that can be scaled up and down without penalty.

Imagine a place where you can enjoy the comradery of other attorneys, meet with clients in an impressive law office setting, and enjoy coming to the office. If an associate leaves or joins your firm, you can give up or add offices as needed. It’s all about only paying for what you need, not wasting money on office space you are not using in anticipation of growing into the space.

Access AM250-Quality Legal Support On Your Terms

Amata’s paralegals, paralegal assistants, law clerks, and virtual assistants act as an extension of your law firm. Here is a list of some of the services we can give you access to:

  1. Notary/Witness Service (Amata Location or Remote, includes video recording)
  2. Court Runs (Including the assembly, print, and preparation of courtesy copies.)
  3. Mail opening/scanning
  4. Assistance with certified mailings
  5. Scanning/copying documents
  6. Faxing documents
  7. Preparation of FedEx
  8. Set up assistance and coordination of services (phone, copier codes, messenger)
  9. Bank deposit
  10. Catering support/ordering
  11. Faxing support
  12. Special orders/3rd party ordering
  13. Video conferencing set-up
  14. Hand Deliveries/Pick-Ups
  15. E-Filing
  16. Preparation of Notice of Filing, Notice of Motion, Certificate of Service, and forms.</span
  17. Review of local rules, court’s standing orders, & any temporary procedural orders in place.
  18. Spindle or piggyback motion hearing dates, and any communications with the court clerk.
  19. Confirm acceptance of filing by the court clerk.
  20. Document Translation
  21. Interpreter – Remote or On-Site
  22. Preparation of Table of Authorities
  23. Formatting appellate briefs
  24. Skip Tracing
  25. Asset Search (bank accounts)
  26. E-Recording

Inquire today to learn how our on-demand, flexible legal support services can help your law firm increase profitability without the stress.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

5 Things Law Firms Should Consider When Choosing Office Space

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The legal industry is changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way lawyers work, with some embracing the flexibility of remote work while others emphasizing the importance of in-person collaboration.

But for most small firms, office space rental is a big expense that needs to be considered carefully. As the legal industry continues to evolve, so do the needs and preferences of law firms when it comes to office space. Is there a solution in-between costly office spaces and having no office at all?

Before you sign that lease, consider these 5 factors that will help you select an office space that meets your unique requirements.

1. Location, Accessibility, and Client Convenience

Having an office with strategic proximity to courthouses, government offices, and clients can significantly impact your firm’s daily operations and client relationships. A conveniently located office not only reduces travel time for attorneys but also makes it easier for clients to reach the firm for meetings and consultations.

Deciding where your law firm will be located also plays a huge role in attracting and retaining the best employees. A recent study by Thomson Reuters of solo and small law firms found that work/life balance is a top priority for attorneys, and your office location can significantly impact this with commute times.

Top clients AND talent are attracted to Class A office buildings in the Chicago area. And with Amata, you can access them in a way that suits your growth needs and budget.

2. Space Design and Layout

When selecting office space, consider the layout and design to ensure it aligns with your specific needs.

For example, most lawyers do not need to come into the office on a regular basis, but they will occasionally require a conference room. Whether it is for client meetings, gatherings with your team, or space to focus outside of home, your office space should have conference rooms available for the day.

With Amata’s hybrid office model, solo and small law firms can have on-demand conference rooms for up to 18 people. You can book a room with tech capabilities for presentations and lots of coffee, so you can impress clients without the fixed cost of a traditional office space.

3. Technology and Infrastructure

A well-equipped office should provide the necessary technology to seamlessly run your law firm. This includes high-speed internet, secure networking, video conferencing, and reliable phone systems to support your legal teams. 

This is why at Amata we provide a full-service law firm space with the flexibility you require. More than 800 law firms and professional services companies benefit from the following (either directly or through our vetted partnerships):

  1. A client in-take process
  2. Support staff (on-site paralegals, live receptionists, docket clerks)
  3. Practice management software and/or a CRM
  4. Billing software
  5. Computers/printers/copiers/mail equipment/phone
  6. Private and virtual offices
  7. Networking opportunities

In today’s competitive environment, reducing your office costs is vital to investing more in technology, automation tools, and compensation. As international lawyer Sandra Chiarlone realized, the result is effectively servicing your clients and growing a successful law practice.

4. Flexibility and Lease Terms

With today’s fluctuations in caseloads and staffing needs, having flexible lease terms becomes a must. Ideally, you would find a comfortable space with a short-term lease that is not costly to terminate.

At Amata, we focus on affordable AND scalable plans. After all, cheap rent may not lead to a reduction in costs. For example, without having the ability to add or drop offices during the term of the contract, you may not know the true cost of hiring a new associate.

But with Amata, if that associate leaves the firm for any reason, that office and the associated costs are terminated — protecting your profitability from incremental overhead expenses.

5. Health and Safety Measures

A home-based work setting may pose challenges in ensuring adherence to post-COVID-19 health and safety protocols. A professional workspace will ensure proper ventilation, sanitization protocols, and established contingency plans for emergencies and crises.

This not only protects the firm from potential liabilities but also strengthens the trust and confidence of both clients and personnel in the firm’s dedication to their well-being.

Conclusion: Selecting the right office spaces comes down to flexibility

It is hard to predict all the factors that may impact your office space. Will you require extra offices? A conference room? New technology?

That is why choosing the right office space for your law firm comes down to flexibility. Location, accessibility, space design, technology, and health and safety measures are all key factors. By having flexibility around these aspects, law firms can create a workspace that not only meets their current needs but also positions them for future growth and success in the ever-evolving legal landscape.

At Amata, we have traditional and modern designs to choose from. All locations are professional, in prestigious locations, and within walking distance from major public transportation. Find the true office flexibility you seek.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.

Why Your Law Firm Needs a Professional Legal Answering Service

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Why Your Law Firm Needs a Professional Legal Answering Service

 

Growing a small law firm is no small feat. Attorneys and paralegals are stretched thin, and most clients expect an immediate response whenever they need them.

Think about the last time a client called your office. Were they happy to wait a few days for a reply? Or did they expect to talk to a professional on the phone immediately?

Customer service standards are high in the legal profession, and negating immediate attention comes with the risk of losing great clients. Yet for solo law firms and many private law firms, hiring a full-time, in-house receptionist can be out of reach. After all, you require a professional receptionist who understands the legal terminology and procedures, and has outstanding communication skills to enhance the client experience.

Finding, interviewing, onboarding and training such a person can require a lot of resources. But thankfully, another option is available.

 

Never Miss a Caller and Keep Generating Business — Even When You Can’t

Gone are the days when small law firms maintained full-time, in-house receptionists at the office. The changing dynamics of the modern workforce have paved the way for more flexible and cost-effective solutions. The alternative? Professional legal answering services that act as an extension of your law office, without the costs of hiring, training, and retaining an employee.

At Amata, we provide you with a Live Virtual Receptionist who will ensure that you never miss a caller. You can free your time to focus on billable hours, while your receptionist screens calls, schedules appointments, replies to messages and returns phone calls for you. All the information is updated in your database, so you can follow up at your own pace while clients are taken care of.

There are many reasons to keep your company phone number the same, which is why we use a proprietary app that allows your receptionist to reply from your phone, while you keep full ownership over your phone and all your information private. In this way, clients can feel the personal touch of your replies, while you maintain the phone number that you’ve worked so hard to promote.

Access to this app can be shared with as many members of your law office as you require. Voice mails are organized in a firm directory, so they reach you or your associates. You can easily transfer calls, manage your availability, and receive daily reports from the call activity of the day within the app.

 

Legal Answering Services vs Generic Answering Services

Should you choose a legal answering service or a generic answering service?

Legal virtual receptionists understand legal terminology and the inner workings of law firms like yours. They are trained to address legal inquiries, identify the urgency of each case, and assist clients when they need it most.

Our US-based, focused legal virtual receptionists understand your unique needs and can be trained with special handling instructions and scripts that represent your firm. They create a welcoming experience for your callers, and filter calls so you never have to deal with unwanted robocalls again.

It is also more cost-effective to outsource to a professional receptionist service than a full-time receptionist who is sitting in the office all day. Our scalable plans are designed to suit your exact needs: We can handle after-hours calls, assign a full-time or part-time receptionist, and become a true extension of your team that builds long-term relationships with clients on your behalf.

 

Seamless Integration: Outsource Without Legal Ramifications

One overlooked benefit of hiring an outsourced legal receptionist is the decreased legal ramifications for your law firm. Business owners intimately know the significant costs and complexities terminating an employment relationship can carry. In contrast, letting go of an outsourced virtual receptionist can be justified through simpler contractual terms.

A professional virtual receptionist will be able to sort out problems and pull things together for you to review, but they will not be experts at everything. Their role is to be your point of contact and coordinate the best resources for the work that you need to be completed.

Amata’s virtual receptionists are trained to be a part of your team. They will learn your preferred greetings and adapt to your firm’s culture. And with our streamlined arrangement, you can remain agile without fearing any potential legal ramifications for your law firm.

 

10 Benefits of a Virtual Receptionist for a Law Firm

A full-time receptionist sitting in the office is no longer necessary. There are more cost-effective solutions today. Your outsourced virtual receptionist can take calls and do client intake for a fraction of the cost, providing an agile solution that enhances your client experience, frees your time for more billable hours, and streamlines your operations for growth.

The list below sums up 10 benefits of hiring a well-trained legal virtual receptionist:

  1. Take care of urgent client calls, even when you’re busy
  2. Never miss a new client intake
  3. Schedule appointments
  4. Free your time for billable hours
  5. Filter robocalls
  6. Quickly respond to clients
  7. Cut down costs
  8. Provide client support beyond business hours
  9. Protect your availability and productivity
  10. Remain professional and accessible

A virtual receptionist can be an invaluable gatekeeper for your law firm, saving you time and reducing the anxiety and stress of running a law practice. This translates into increased ROI, word-of-mouth referrals, and more business for your firm.

Learn more about how Amata’s Virtual Legal Receptionist can assist your Firm here.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Achieving True Office Flexibility — An Underlooked Factor for Growing Your Law Firm

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Achieving True Office Flexibility — An Underlooked Factor for Growing Your Law Firm

 

Growing a business of any size can be hard. You need to generate new clients, serve the ones you already have, and constantly control your costs in order to ensure a profitable operation.

And when it comes to growing your law firm, the challenge can be even harder. Take, for example, an office. Most lawyers know the importance of having a professional office. The problem is that, according to a study conducted by BCG Attorney Search, Office Spaces can represent up to 50% of the expenses a small to medium-sized law firm has to incur.

That is why today we want to share what has helped more than 800 of our clients save money and achieve what we call Office Flexibility. You will understand how to access professional offices that adapt to your needs as a business owner, and that scale up and down with your operations.

 

The Support You Need, on Your Own Terms

Most lawyers started their own firm for one reason: Freedom. Freedom to work on meaningful cases, with clients they enjoy working with, controlling their hours, and at rates that truly compensate for the long hours they invest into providing an exceptional service.

The problem is that working in a small to medium-sized firm might come with the freedom, but at the expense of stability. This means that many of the support mechanisms that large firms take for granted are now impossible to afford, including:

  • Administrative assistants to delegate tasks to
  • Receptionists to take calls
  • Paralegals to assign law tasks to
  • A physical office space

So law firm founders find themselves in a conundrum: Should they sacrifice the quality of life they started their firm for in the first place, by trying to do all of the work themselves? Or should they hire other professionals to support them, but at the risk of facing a low cash flow month with high fixed expenses?

That’s where Office Flexibility comes in. Forget about having to choose between a professional, fully-staffed office AND labor costs so high that they erode your profitability.

Because if there’s a recurring trend in the legal world, it’s flexibility. From outsourced legal services to Fractional General Counsels, companies demand more flexibility in their costs to meet their exact growth needs. And having served the legal industry for 21+ years, Amata brings the flexibility you need to the office.

 

Professional Offices With the Flexibility You Need

At Amata Law Office Suites, we offer agreements that allow clients 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 are here for you. No more letting long-term leases or a small staff hinder your ability to make the scalable impact you envision.

Our flexible support services mean more impact and less stress. Paralegal assistants can go to City Hall, the Recorders Office and deliver courtesy copies to judges for you. Live receptionists can screen your calls, handle new client in-take, and greet your guests. Our senior paralegals can research local court procedures, investigate cases, and draft motions on your behalf.

Our team acts as an extension of your law firm and scales up and down as you need to, so you never have to pay for under-utilized staff.

Besides these on-demand, professional support services, Amata provides you with a physical or virtual office that grows with you. Some of our clients have described their Amata office spaces as untouchable, pristine, and “a place for relationships worth its weight in gold.”

In today’s economic environment, the ability to add or remove office spaces without penalty is paramount. That is why our plans provide flexible pricing, short-term agreements with options to adjust, and conference rooms that can accommodate every need, including live depositions, in-person meetings combined with video meetings, in-person client lunches and after-hour gatherings.

Most lawyers do not need to come into the office on a regular basis, nor do they need a large office with a lavish library. You can strategically grow your firm by allocating your resources to technology and talent, while still having a professional office that establishes your professionalism and provides all the support needed to thrive.

Because for most law firms, the two largest expenses are office space and compensation. Amata helps you reduce both with a fresh solution that scales as you do, without penalizing you for changes along the way.

After all, flexibility in your costs means more ability to serve clients, build a thriving firm, and enjoy the quality of life you started your business for in the first place.

Inquire today to learn how our flexible solutions can help your law firm reduce costs, simplify your growth, and scale.

Discover our offices for lawyers in Chicago.