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Whether you’re trying to be one of the best lawyers Wodonga has ever seen or a top attorney in New York, you might assume you need to lease a commercial office in an expensive city and purchase the most costly suits you can find.
In reality, you can be the best lawyer your clients have ever had without even leaving your house. If you’re ready to embrace technology and the digital world while still providing outstanding legal services, you simply need to do the following things:
Establish a Professional Office Space
If you’re not welcoming clients into your home, you might think nothing of lying on the sofa with your laptop and smartphone. However, a dedicated office area is necessary for professionalism, comfort, and job satisfaction.
If you set up a dedicated workspace in your home that enables you to switch into ‘work mode,’ you can avoid distractions and keep your documents and equipment organized. So kit out a spare room with a desk, ample storage, an ergonomic chair, and maybe even a houseplant for good measure.
Create a Business Plan
There are plenty of logistics to work through when you establish any new business, and a home-based law firm is no different. First, create a business plan that addresses your organizational structure, practice areas, fee schedules, and hourly rates. Next, move on to your marketing plan, outlining how you’ll attract new clients.
You can download a business plan template from the U.S. Small Business Administration website and start filling in the gaps to determine how your business will operate from home. The more detailed your plan, the more questions you can answer before launching your new business.
Set Your Processes
Whether you work alone or with a team, it’s crucial to set processes for handling each task within your new home-based law firm. If everyone knows the best way to manage their workload, there will be less confusion and frustration.
At a minimum, you should have defined processes for invoicing, mail distribution, document storage, client intake, and internal and external communication. Write detailed processes in a guide that current and future employees can access.
Utilize the Best Technology
Technology has helped many businesses reach their full potential, but it can also be frustrating when you aren’t sure how to find hardware, software, and apps, to suit your needs. So before you open for business, research the best technology for law firms.
At a minimum, it’s helpful to have client and practice management programs, online research tools, a legal billing app or software, and time-tracking software to ensure you’re billing your clients accurately.
Develop a Functional Website
When launching a new law business that will operate entirely online, it’s crucial to have a website that allows current and future clients to interact with your firm as efficiently as possible.
Enlist the services of a web developer, and create a site that lets clients find out more about you, pay their bills, access your contact details, and learn helpful information about your services. Including a client portal via which people can access documents unique to their case is a great way to improve your efficiency and their peace of mind.
Many law firms now offer services online, and clients love how convenient this new format is. However, you’ll need to take the actions above if you want your new law firm to succeed. Thankfully, these steps are easy to follow, and once implemented, they should guide your business to great heights.
You may also like: Stepping Stones To Setting Up A Successful Law Firm
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