Law Practice Law Practice ManagementManagement

Class #2 -Class #2 -The Law Office and The Law Office and Technology 1Technology 1 (Office Space, Location, (Office Space, Location,

Facilities Planning, Equipment) Facilities Planning, Equipment)

Locating your law officeLocating your law officeGeographic considerationsGeographic considerations

Growth AreasGrowth Areas Sunbelt v Rustbelt?Sunbelt v Rustbelt?

Probably not a growth areaProbably not a growth area

Ratio of population to lawyersRatio of population to lawyers300 to 1 (.36% of total U.S. population)300 to 1 (.36% of total U.S. population)

“Lawyers are the only profession where the more there are, the more are needed!”-- Robert Lucky

Access to court houseAccess to court house

40% of legal fees generated by litigation40% of legal fees generated by litigation

Demographic dataDemographic data

• Private firms (pay)Private firms (pay)– Demographics Now

Reports 1, 2, and 3

State, County and City Quick Facts

Fact Sheet for a Community

Gulfport, FL Data

Beyond $$$Beyond $$$

Juggling three ballsJuggling three ballsOne goes up, other two come downOne goes up, other two come down

• MoneyMoney

• Quality of professional lifeQuality of professional life

• Quality of personal lifeQuality of personal life

Choosing a Neighborhood and Choosing a Neighborhood and BuildingBuilding

Look for deferred maintenance Look for deferred maintenance problemsproblems

How to find spaceHow to find space

How much space?How much space?

Office design is importantOffice design is important

Acceptable Furniture Also Acceptable Furniture Also ImportantImportant

Getting most for moneyGetting most for money

Without Settling for a (Very Fancy) Cardboard Box

Lease negotiation considerationsLease negotiation considerations

What type of office settingWhat type of office setting

Law or Executive SuiteLaw or Executive SuiteMay be best choice for new lawyerMay be best choice for new lawyer

Like This One in South Tampa (Hyde Park)

Advantages of law suiteAdvantages of law suite

Disadvantages of law suiteDisadvantages of law suite

• Incompatible practice mix with other lawyers in Incompatible practice mix with other lawyers in suitesuite

• Risk of malpractice liability for acts of others in Risk of malpractice liability for acts of others in suitesuite– Clients don’t always understand that lawyers in same Clients don’t always understand that lawyers in same

suite are not same firmsuite are not same firm– Need clause in fee agreement making this clearNeed clause in fee agreement making this clear

• Lack of personal attention to clients by Lack of personal attention to clients by receptionistreceptionist

• Limited storage for closed files Limited storage for closed files

Local Suite ExamplesLocal Suite Examples

• New Urban Suites – Ybor City

• The Centers of Westshore

Practicing from homePracticing from home

• Most lawyers have an “office” at home for Most lawyers have an “office” at home for night/weekend worknight/weekend work

• Few lawyers practice primarily from home, Few lawyers practice primarily from home, but number is growing

• Cheap but reliable technology makes home-Cheap but reliable technology makes home-based practice viablebased practice viable

• Success depends on type of practiceSuccess depends on type of practice– May not work with practice that requires extensive May not work with practice that requires extensive

client contactclient contact– May be ideal for more solitary types of practice, such May be ideal for more solitary types of practice, such

as appellate workas appellate work

Suggestions for home-based Suggestions for home-based lawyerslawyers

• Rent a Virtual Office, Example Rent a Virtual Office, Example 1 and and 2, , Rates• Meet clients at their offices or borrow a Meet clients at their offices or borrow a

conference room from another lawyerconference room from another lawyer• Offer to pay small monthly amount to nearby firm Offer to pay small monthly amount to nearby firm

for conference room accessfor conference room access• Have separate business and personal telephone Have separate business and personal telephone

lines, email addresses, etc.lines, email addresses, etc.• Use an Use an answering service or virtual assistant or virtual assistant

when you are not available or forward calls to when you are not available or forward calls to cell phonecell phone

What About Mail????What About Mail????

• Use mail drop or P.O. Box address if home Use mail drop or P.O. Box address if home address is obviously residential.address is obviously residential.

• Use a receive and scan (aka digital) mail serviceUse a receive and scan (aka digital) mail service– Earth Class MailEarth Class Mail

• DemoDemo

– ZumboxZumbox– Traveling MailboxTraveling Mailbox– OutboxOutbox

If you meet with clients at homeIf you meet with clients at home

• Sound proof home officeSound proof home office

• Add law books (even if out of date) to give Add law books (even if out of date) to give more serious professional appearancemore serious professional appearance

• Separate entrance for clientsSeparate entrance for clients

• Separate restroom for clientsSeparate restroom for clients

This probably isn’t appropriateThis probably isn’t appropriate

ProblemProblem

What location and type of office will you What location and type of office will you select for your new law practice?select for your new law practice?

Why?Why?