Office Automation Is The Virtual Law Firm Too Good To Be True

The virtual law firm has become a new way to practice law using enhanced technology to better serve clients. Away from the stress of high office rent and a long, taxing commute.

Virtual law firms can range from no brick-and-mortar buildings at all to a cloud-based, distributed firm with a set number of fixed locations and several hundred attorneys.

And they are successful, check out Fisherbroyles' success story.

Virtual law firms are the new reality

The larger virtual firms may have more than two dozen fixed locations and a secure, sophisticated infrastructure so that partners are free to work from the location of their choice while passing savings on to the client.

Administration

The smaller firms rely on technology, automation, and outsourcing, removing the need for support staff. Check out this article to learn more about using artificial intelligence in the legal workflow.

In terms of legal and administrative workflow, virtual firms have several benefits. In contrast to a weekly meeting in which cases are assigned and discussed, virtual firms can encourage collaboration between attorneys across all geographies and disciplines to best serve the client.

Clients are busy too

Technology serves to foster and sustain collaborative relationships at low costs, prioritize data security, host email services, incorporate central document management, promote secure collaboration and file-sharing, and provide the opportunity for effective communication through calls and messages.

Clients can attend consultations over the phone after making appointments with a virtual reception service or on an online calendar. Firms can provide clients with a client portal for communication, sharing documents, and making payments. Because clients are very busy themselves, even traditional firms are doing just about everything over email, phone calls, or video conferencing.

Client satisfaction

Clients seem to be extremely happy with the virtual firm model. They understand that most legal services are provided over the telephone and email and they might not ever meet the lawyer who they are working with. In this way, virtual firms are no different from brick-and-mortar firms.

The freedom that virtual firms have to decide against hiring paralegals and junior attorneys helps clients to understand that they are paying for services from experienced lawyers, not fancy offices and junior personnel.

Hard work pays off

A virtual practice is an asset to attorney retention, supervision, and motivation. Attorneys can work the hours they choose and are free to attend to personal matters without being judged for time off from the office.

The cloud-based approach allows partners to be at home about twice as much as is possible at a traditional firm. At the same time, an esprit-de-corps is maintained through regular all-firm conference calls, community service activities, or annual partnership retreats.

The rewards

Partners are incentivized to work together and produce high-quality work for the benefit of the client. Reducutions in overhead and formula-based compensation systems save clients money and create happy partners.

Updating the model

It can be a struggle to change and adapt a model created more than a hundred years ago, especially for lawyers who value tradition over practicality.

But at the end of the day, the hard work involved in running a virtual law firm pays off. This model can be extremely rewarding, both professionally and personally.

How Doccly Lender helps firms to virtualize

Doccly Lender is a highly functional platform where clients and staff, with the help of Dealbots, can manage transactions to completion, quickly and efficiently.

Our Dealbots can perform tasks such as document, contact, and contract management, notes, calendaring, and so much more, so that attorneys and professional staff are free to do other things. You are notified by the Dealbot when any events occur which require your attention. So, until then, you can enjoy your work life balance.

If you are interested in how Doccly Lender could benefit your business, get in touch!