Building a virtual law firm isn’t easy. It’s just as hard, if not harder, than building a “brick and mortar” firm. But it’s not complex. The building blocks are all available – in fact, they’re probably easier to find, procure, and put together than starting a traditional office staffed with full time employees.
The biggest advantage solopreneurs and small law firms that want to go virtual have today over previous years is the advent of new technology focused on improving operations and profitability. The practice of law has become increasingly competitive and to succeed small firms in particular have to run their practice at maximum efficiency. Special purpose LegalTech tools and the introduction of online freelance networks puts a virtual law firm owner minutes away from getting the help they need to finish a project on time and within budget. Freelance lawyers specializing in everything from eDiscovery to bankruptcy take the fear and hassle out of going virtual.
To get started, below are a few tips to consider for getting a virtual law firm off the ground and generating a profit.
Start with a Solid Practice Management System
One of the first steps for building a successful virtual law firm is to select a practice management system. This will help organize your calendar, deadlines, tasks, time keeping, billing and much more in one convenient place. Thankfully there are many to choose from including Clio, MyCase and RocketMatter to name just a few. Plus, most practice management systems will offer integrations with other tools such as document management systems or automated payments.
Timekeeping and Billing.
Any office—virtual or not—needs a strong backoffice. While practice management tools are a necessary part of running a business, other tools like automated payments and accounts receivable (such as Headnote or Lawpay) or automated timekeeping (i.e. Smokeball) are also necessary to gain a comprehensive view of the financial health of the virtual firm.
Delegate Work, Where Possible.
One of the great benefits of running a virtual firm is not having to maintain a large staff and office space. But you are still going to need some help. Yes, virtual receptionists like Abby Connect or Smith.ai can help answer phones but they can also do a lot more by helping to set up client appointments, returning calls, and helping with screening of potential clients. As mentioned in the introduction, online freelance marketplaces are another great way to delegate work to qualified lawyers on a flat fee basis. Marketplaces like LAWCLERK help small and aspiring law firms compete by providing the services of experienced freelance attorneys on a project basis. These types of networks provide a secure and confidential online platform where virtual law firm owners can look for attorneys with the right skill set and the right price.
Servicing Clients.
Client consultations can be time consuming even for a virtual firm. Save time by automating as much of this process as possible. Systems like ClientSherpa are great at gathering information quickly from potential clients and populating the information into other systems. Calendaring systems like Calendly and x.ai are useful for scheduling all of those consultations. Once a new client is being onboarded, services like Docusign can be used to send out engagement letters.
Get Automated.
Once a new client is signed up, there are lots of options for getting the work done as quickly and professionally as possible. For routine forms or documents, taking the time to automate those forms via services like Lawmatics or Zapier can be a huge timesaver. For specific practice areas, there are even custom automation tools like Wealth Counsel for estate planning and Docketwise for immigration.
Tap Expert Resources.
Being in a virtual law firm doesn’t lend itself to knocking on a neighbor’s door to ask advice especially if you need guidance on a form or the latest updates in a particular practice area. Tools like LexisNexis Practical Guidance or Thompson Reuters’ Practical Law can help in a pinch to access standard documents, checklists, legal updates and how-to-guides in addition to delivering advice from experts in different practice areas. Also, don’t forget to check out available resources via your state bar!
Get the Word Out!
Even though you are building a virtual practice, it’s essential to stay connected. Video is a great way to market yourself and connect with clients. Any marketing expert will tell you that incorporating video within your website and social media marketing is a smart way to attract new clients. The Virtual Bar Association is a great resource and there are many groups on the various social media platforms to help connect with other virtual attorneys.
With so many available resources, the time is now to begin to scaling your business if the desire and need is there. A virtual law firm is a great low-overhead option and a profitable way to be a successful business owner.
Kristin Tyler is Co-Founder of LAWCLERK, where attorneys go to hire freelance lawyers. She is also a trusts and estates lawyer, busy mom and firm believer that the practice of law can be rewarding despite its daily demands.
