Technology

Coworking For Lawyers: Passing Trend Or Wave Of The Future?

Coworking spaces for lawyers simply make sense in the face of societal and technological change.

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Over the years, coworking spaces have become increasingly prevalent, in part due to advances in technology that have made it easier than ever to work remotely. As a Rochester, New York, attorney has who worked remotely for the past decade — first for a local law firm and more recently for MyCase, a California-based law practice management software company — I’ve followed this trend with interest.

Working remotely has its benefits — and its challenges. For me, the benefits have always greatly outweighed the drawbacks, but the sense of loneliness and isolation that accompanies  remote work can sometimes be difficult to overcome, especially during the winter months. Certainly technology helps bridge the gap with my California colleagues, and social media helps me feel more connected to lawyers across the country and the world, but sometimes that’s just not enough. And while working from Starbucks provides a sense of connectedness, it’s really just an illusion; not to mention it isn’t exactly the most ergonomic experience and the constant background noise and chatter can sometimes be distracting.

That’s why I looked into coworking spaces a few years ago. There weren’t a ton of options here in Rochester at that time, and after visiting one of the most likely suspects — a coworking space located downtown that I regretfully realized was infused with an odd smell — I got stuck in rush hour traffic. Since avoiding the daily commute is one of the many benefits of working remotely that I appreciate, I decided then and there that that particular odiferous coworking space wasn’t for me.

In recent months, the idea of coworking crossed my mind again, in part because a number of new coworking spaces began to open up around town. But it wasn’t until I learned about a brand new coworking space during the monthly solo and small firm meeting at the Monroe County Bar Association that I began to give the idea serious consideration. The space mentioned at the meeting, The Loffice at Basin Park, is specifically intended for use by solo and small firm lawyers, and it’s on the east side of town where I live, which was a huge bonus.

I stopped in to check it out a week later. After a short drive I arrived, and I was happy to discover that the coworking space was well thought out, with a light, airy feel, and sleek, streamlined decor. And importantly, it was devoid of any strange smells.

I was sold. After obtaining approval from my employer, I signed on the dotted line.

I’ve now worked from this coworking space for the past few weeks, and I’m happy to report that this setup — and ones like it that are cropping up all over the country — is ideal for lawyers. Whether you’re practicing law from a home office and need office space for meetings, work remotely for a larger firm located in a different geographic location, or are looking for a home base in an outlying county where your law firm occasionally handles cases, a coworking space specifically for lawyers may be just what you need.

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One of the most obvious benefits of using a coworking space rather than leasing your own office is cost. For just a few hundred dollars you have access to a furnished office and its accompanying address — which is an important feature for lawyers in New York and similar jurisdictions who can’t use a P.O. box for their attorney registration and would prefer to avoid having their home addresses made public as part of their attorney registration.

Coworking spaces also provide you with flexibility in terms of the office setup. Most will typically provide you with a number of different options to choose from. In my case those include include a collaborative workspace, a shared office, or a private office.

You also have access to printers, a paper shredder, a copier, a a fax machine, secure wifi, and a community kitchen. Because the particular coworking space I work from is associated with the law firm located next door, attorneys who use this space also have the option of using the firm’s receptionist for greeting clients, receiving mail and packages, etc.

Like most coworking spaces, there’s also access to conference rooms for meetings with clients, and a telecommunications room. So when you need privacy, it’s available. But when you need some camaraderie, a sense of community, or a colleague to bounce an idea off of, you have that, too.

So, are coworking spaces for lawyers a passing trend or the wave of the future? I’d say it’s the latter. Coworking spaces for lawyers simply make sense in the face of societal and technological change. The ability to work remotely is only becoming more common over time, and lawyers and law firms are not immune from this phenomenon. As your law practice grows or changes over time, don’t overlook coworking spaces; they might be just what you need.

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Niki BlackNicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and the Legal Technology Evangelist at MyCase, web-based law practice management software. She’s been blogging since 2005, has written a weekly column for the Daily Record since 2007, is the author of Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York. She’s easily distracted by the potential of bright and shiny tech gadgets, along with good food and wine. You can follow her on Twitter @nikiblack and she can be reached at niki.black@mycase.com.

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