attorneys Archives

26 08, 2013

How Do I Decide Where to Locate My Law Office? Part 1

2019-03-20T21:48:08+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Do I Decide Where to Locate My Law Office? Part 1

Debra L. Bruce’s previous 5 part series, What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have?, addressed the different kinds of available law office arrangements you might pursue. Today Debra starts a new series that discusses how to determine the actual geographic location of your office. Of course, if you have decided on a home office, perhaps that settles the question. If you have the option of relocating your home base, or you won’t have a home office, here are some thoughts to factor into your location decision.

Practice Focus

Your primary practice area may significantly influence your choice of location. If you have a practice that requires you to appear in court several times a week, often on short notice, a location near the courthouse can save a lot of time.

If you have a business practice, think about where your clients congregate. Are certain industries zoned to the same part of town? Is there a high-tech or manufacturing corridor? Can you open your office in the same building as an important industry association or near a popular meeting venue for the industry? […]

23 08, 2013

What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 5

2019-03-20T21:49:51+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 5

Today’s Post, the final part of Debra L. Bruce’s 5 part series on figuring out the best location for your law practice, focuses on the home office + Office Hoteling. Part 4 addressed the executive suite, part 3 subleased space, part 2 shared office space and part 1 the home office.

Home Office + Office Hoteling

Pros:

Office hoteling packages allow you to work from a remote location most of the time.
You are able to maintain a business mailing address, a building directory listing and a phone line with reception services.

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22 08, 2013

What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 4

2019-03-20T22:01:50+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 4

This post is part 4 of a 5 part series by Debra L. Bruce on factors to consider in determining what kind of law office arrangement to have for your law practice. Part 1 discussed the home office, Part 2 looked at shared office space and Part 3 considered subleased space. Today Debra addresses the executive suite.

Executive Suite

Pros:

1. You have cost efficiencies of shared space, and a full-time receptionist to answer the phone and greet clients.
2. Office furniture may be included.
3. The term of your lease is not dependent on the term of any other tenant’s lease.
4. Professional management deals with most of the equipment maintenance, staff performance issues and problems with other tenants.
5. You have your own direct telephone line, and the receptionist answers with the name of your firm. […]

21 08, 2013

What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 3

2019-03-20T22:03:47+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 3

Today’s post is part 3 of a 5 part series by Debra L. Bruce on determining the best kind of office for your law practice. Parts 1 and 2 discussed the home office and shared office space. Today Debra addresses the issue of subleasing.

Subleased Space

This is another version of shared office space, only you don’t have a direct lease with the building owner. Your landlord is another law firm. In a slow economy many law firms may cut their employee count, but they can’t reduce their office space due to a long-term lease, so they sublease some of the offices.

Pros:

Sometimes a law firm will offer free or cheap space to new lawyers or laid-off lawyers to give them time to build up some clients.

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20 08, 2013

What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 2

2019-03-20T22:04:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

This is the 2nd post in a 5 part series of posts by Debra L. Bruce addressing the pros and cons to consider in deciding on a location for your law practice. Yesterday she discussed the home law office. In today’s post, she considers shared office space.

Shared Office Space

Pros:

Landlords usually charge a lower price per square foot for larger spaces. Therefore, you can achieve some economies of scale by sharing office space with other lawyers. […]

19 08, 2013

What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 1

2019-03-20T22:06:13+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on What Kind of Law Office Space Should I Have? Pros and Cons – Part 1

Today’s post is the 1st in a 5 part series by Debra L. Bruce about the relative pros and cons in the decision about where you locate your law practice.

Whether you are a new law grad or a seasoned attorney, you might be scratching your head about the best place to open up a new law office. Some of you are thinking: “That’s easy. I’m going to have a home office until I get enough clients to pay the rent somewhere else!”

That may be a good decision for many of you, but I hope you will make that decision based on a thorough analysis of your options. This series will discuss some of the available choices, along with factors to consider. Today’s post discusses the Home Office. […]

6 08, 2013

How Your Daily Routine Can Help Keep Your Law Practice Cutting Edge

2019-03-08T00:13:31+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Your Daily Routine Can Help Keep Your Law Practice Cutting Edge

Introducing guest blogger – Chelsea Wilson

Chelsea Wilson is the Community Relations Manager for Washington University School of Law’s online LL.M. degree program, @WashULaw, which provides foreign trained attorneys with the opportunity to earn a Masters in Law degree from a top-tier American university from anywhere in the world. Join the @WashULaw Community on Twitter.

Are you an attorney that has trouble managing time? If not, do you know someone who does? This post is for attorneys or people you may know who struggle to fit everything—online marketing channels, pursuing bar association activities, reading legal books, and participation in other professional and business development strategies—into their day. […]

25 07, 2013

Bloomberg Law Makes My Day!

2019-02-26T19:26:11+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Bloomberg Law Makes My Day!

OMG! I am excited and I owe a big “Thank You!” to Bloomberg Law. Finally Siri can understand me!
Maybe I can pay it forward by helping other sufferers from my problem. Let me explain.

I’m an avid fan of technology and I use my iPhone a lot. I’m not a good thumb typist, however. So when I want to send an email or text, do a Google search or jot a note to myself on my iPhone, I prefer to dictate it to Siri. […]

9 07, 2013

How Legal Management Software Can Make Your Firm More Efficient

2019-02-26T19:32:30+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Legal Management Software Can Make Your Firm More Efficient

Introducing Guest Blogger Paul Simms –

Paul Simms is Sales & Marketing Director for Reflect Digital, a digital marketing agency based in the UK, who specialise in design, development and marketing for legal websites.

In the past, lawyers and solicitors relied heavily on paper-based systems, and whilst many professionals coped dealing with their workloads in this manner just fine, few would argue against the contention that computer based systems such as legal case management software have made life easier for all concerned. When a law professional has so many clients to bill, it can be a tough juggling act working out just how much time has been spent on a case and what to charge. Law firm software is designed to put an end to all that, providing enhanced levels of efficiency and accuracy. […]

10 01, 2013

Keep a Success Journal to Be a Happier and More Productive Lawyer

2019-03-11T21:41:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|2 Comments

It’s that “rubber-meets-the-road” time of year again. When solos start closing out the books on their law practices for the year, it spurs them to look back and take a little personal inventory. Some law firms and law departments ask their lawyers to summarize their accomplishments in connection with their annual performance review. I ask my clients to scrutinize their successes and their disappointments for the year that is ending, before setting their goals for the year to come.

As I assist lawyers with these processes, I notice that, although they may remember their shortcomings and disappointments with all the gory detail of a train wreck, they often forget significant achievements from the first half of the year. They also forget the heartfelt note of appreciation they received from a client four months ago and the midnight oil they burned for weeks to meet an important deadline. Sometimes when they master a skill or change a habit, the new behavior becomes so natural that they don’t count it as an achievement. They forget the awkwardness of their first attempts and how daunting the hurdle initially seemed.

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