Client Newsletter March 2014

By March 19, 2014 March 3rd, 2020 No Comments

As I write, it’s a gray day and a persistent Seattle spring rain gently taps against my window. I’m pleased to be cozy and comfortable at home, and grateful for the advantages of a home-based law practice. As I explained in my January newsletter, I am writing a four part series for the American Bar Association’s GP|Solo eReport on running a virtual law practice. My January newsletter included Part One of my first column, providing the first three recommendations for how to run a virtual business. Part Two, which sets forth the final portion of the column, is reprinted below with permission from American Bar Association’s GPSolo eReport. Already, since this article was originally published on November 18, 2013, one change is evident: I now have two Of Counsel attorneys on my team with the addition of Sherry Bosse Lueders!

Is a Virtual Law Practice Right for You?
Seven Factors to Consider before Making the Move

Factor 4: Staffing

My primary office consists of an office administrator/legal assistant, an Of Counsel attorney, and a paralegal. Our team has worked together on a long-term basis, always out of our individual home offices. The larger your team is, the more difficulties you’ll face in implementing a virtual office structure, due in part to your inability to physically monitor the work being performed.

Factor 5: Costs

I rent a $35-per-hour conference room in an office suite filled with lawyers, located less than a mile from my home. Additionally, for $28 per month I rent a nearby private mail box so that my home address is not associated with my law firm, and delivery of office supplies and documents is convenient. In 2012, my average monthly cost for the conference room and mailbox combined came to $160—undoubtedly, a tremendous savings over typical office rent! However, you’ll need to budget for additional technology costs to run a virtual firm effectively.

Factor 6: Time

I create significant time savings for my virtual law firm by avoiding a daily commute, office chit chat, and the need to dress up on the days without meetings. However, my set up also requires some tasks that a brick-and-mortar lawyer would not face, including the need to drive to my conference room and private mailbox, additional organizational time, and time spent communicating with staff by telephone, e-mail, and instant messaging as opposed to the efficiency of direct in-person communication. In deciding whether to choose a virtual model, consider which aspects of your practice will be time savers and which will be time consumers. For example, if you are driving back and forth five times every day to a conference room to meet with your clients, your virtual law firm will cost time rather than save it. If you are communicating daily with ten staff members rather than three, again, the virtual office may not save time.

Factor 7: Personal Priorities

This tops my list of factors to consider when contemplating a virtual practice. As a former college tennis player and a lifelong athlete, I currently work out six days a week. My fitness program, although time consuming, creates a foundation for my life. Having a home-based office allows for the extra flexibility I need to meet my fitness goals. As an additional component to my law practice, I speak frequently to groups, teach continuing legal education courses, and publish articles. Additionally, I serve on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization Tennis Outreach Programs. My days tend to be jam-packed and time pressured. I appreciate every bit of time saved and flexibility achieved with my virtual structure, and I put it to good use! Spending time commuting or in office chatter would seem unproductive and frustrating to me. And despite my outside activities, I’m an introvert at heart. I love being at home, enjoying the calmness of being around pets during the day and the luxury of concentrating on work without continuous interruptions.

Not everyone is wired to work virtually. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you enjoy daily personal interactions with colleagues or do you often shut the door to your office, hoping to have quiet uninterrupted work time? If you were to work at home, would you consistently be able to stop working, shut the office door, and relax when it’s time for your workday to conclude? What are your personal aspirations outside of work? Would a virtual model help you achieve these goals? Take an honest look at yourself, and visualize how your life might change—for better and for worse—if you were to have a home office.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know!

Stacey Romberg


I was thrilled to participate in my first Google Hangout on March 4th thanks to LexisNexus, Business of Law You Tube Channel. We spoke on (what else!?) Virtual Law Firms. You can check out the video below, or read their follow up blog post.

Legal Tech Briefs: Stacey L. Romberg on Virtual Law Firms

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