HOW TO RUN YOUR LAW FIRM FROM HOME

Whether lawyers should practice from a home office has been a subject of debate in the legal field for many years now. While people who oppose the idea of working from home say that real lawyers need an office, the proponents of the home office say that besides being economical and feasible, it is better and more preferable than a traditional office. Whether you prefer to work from home or traditional office would depend on the type of work you handle and how comfortable you feel working from home. At the end, it’s a matter of personal choice which also takes into account the high rentals that one has to pay to maintain a traditional office. Many top corporate lawyers in India and top lawyers for Setting up business in india, work from a home office.

But once you decide to run your law practice from home, the first step would be to set up your workspace. How you set up your home office and what tools you use to improve your productivity would have a major impact on the success of your home-based law practice. This article tries to offer some tips on how to build, design, and organize a profitable home-based practice.

Get a Professional Address

It doesn’t make a positive impact on potential clients if your office address is that of your home in a residential area of the city. If someone searches for you online or has to send you mail, then the address in a residential area may send a negative signals to the prospect in terms of professionalism. One easy way to avoid such a situation is to rent a virtual office. The virtual office provider usually offers a reception facility and your clients can send mail or drop packages at the office which is then sent to your actual address.

Virtual Office in an Executive Suite

Your home office may be perfectly suited to do all the paperwork involved in legal practice, but meeting clients and other associates at home may not be good for your practice and is quite impractical as well. You have the option to schedule meetings in coffee shops or libraries, but there are confidentiality and privacy issues associated with such public places. You should choose a virtual office provider that allows you access to conference rooms where you can meet your clients in a quiet and secure atmosphere, besides letting you come and get some work done at their place.

Set a Work Schedule

Interruptions and distractions have a negative impact on your productivity. Working from home has its share of interruptions, mainly from family and friends. It is highly desirable that you set a proper schedule and share it with everyone so that they do not disturb you when you are at work. Let everyone know that you don’t like to be disturbed while working unless and until there is an emergency. People around you would generally not take your working from home too seriously and would be prone to causing frequent interruptions. You have to be proactive and let everyone know in no uncertain terms that you do not appreciate unnecessary interruptions.

Remove Distractions

According to top corporate lawyers in India, you have to do away with all the possible distractions if you want to be productive while working from home. The chief sources of distractions are on TV and the phone. You must keep the TV off and put your phone on silent mode when you are working. Keeping away from social media will allow you to focus on your job. You have to make yourself inaccessible if you won't concentrate on your work.

Avoid Meeting Clients at a Coffee Shop

Meeting clients in some unprofessional setting can leave a bad impression on the client. Instead, meeting clients at temporary meeting rooms offered by executive suite providers will convey the right impression of professionalism and confidence. Such meeting rooms offer catering and reception services at an affordable rate.

Get Formally Dressed

It is important that you get properly dressed before you start working.  Not necessarily put on a suit, but change to some work clothes. Getting out of your night suits will give you a feeling of actually working in an office. Getting into the work mode will give you the right mindset to work professionally. You might have to do some video calling or attend video conferences, and for that, you have to look presentable.

Use the right Tools Equipment

Work from home implies that you will have to work online most of the time, except when you go out to meet clients. It is, therefore, imperative that you use the right and equipment. Investing in good software will pay rich dividends in terms of growing your business. Management practice software and CRM and marketing tools help in running your practice smoothly. On the physical equipment side, a good computer and phone are a must. Further, to keep yourself comfortable and focused, you should have an ergonomically designed chair. Not being physically comfortable can adversely impact your productivity. 

There are many lawyers and law firms that operate from homes, and whether you want to hire a business attorney or a lawyer in appellate practice, you can find many top corporate lawyers in India working from home. They charge less than those who work from traditional offices.