As the hybrid work model is increasingly embraced, it seems apparent that attorneys from big firms to small practices will continue to work-from-home for part of the work week, and firms will implement other remote work strategies such as coworking stipends to support the new ways of practicing law.
However, attorneys have been avid users of flexible office spaces for decades, and providers like Pacific Workplaces have made it a priority to reconcile the benefits of flex space with the demands attorneys need to do their best work. With an array of services from private offices, virtual office plans (which we’ll get into more detail later), coworking memberships, professional meeting rooms that take privacy into consideration, and our All Access Pass that’s specifically designed to support hybrid work, we make it as easy as possible for attorneys to plug into our environment and successfully run their practice.
We’ve also implemented more discounts for attorneys through our new partnership with the State Bar of California. In a joint effort with Premier Workspaces, we are excited to offer attorneys with CalBar and Cal Affinity memberships an exclusive 10% discount on services in at over 100 locations throughout California.
The value proposition of a law-firm utilizing a flexible office space
In case you need a refresher, the value proposition for attorneys using a coworking pace can be summarized in these five elements:
- Reduced cost, by accessing a shared infrastructure on a pay-per-use basis
- Improved customer service by utilizing shared staff and phone answering services
- Flexibility in the use of various workplaces (especially private offices, open coworking, and meeting rooms) and the ability to work when and where you want
- Privacy, by securing access to private offices and soundproof meeting rooms
- Networking, by providing ample opportunities to meet other professionals at in-house events, some of whom may become future clients or will simply form the attorney’s professional support system as relationships develop organically.
This works well for attorneys who secure a private office in a shared office space location, like at Pacific Workplaces Sacramento which has attracted more than its fair share of attorneys and lobbyists, due to its location just a couple of blocks away from the California State Capitol. But the benefits of all five elements of this value proposition can also be attained with the use of inexpensive Virtual Offices.
Put simply, a virtual office plan gives the attorney access to the entire coworking office infrastructure on a pay-per-need basis. It gives users the time and freedom to schedule work around personal and professional needs. Users can work-from-home on the days they want to and head into the office on the days they don’t.
The new attorney Law Firm can be formally established at the chosen location and use the business address of the coworking place on its website, business cards, and other collateral. With the addition of amenities such as digital mail services, business mail will be received on your behalf and made available for pick up, or forwarded, scanned, or shredded according to the attorney’s direction. Digital mail services can be added on to any Virtual Office plan for just $49!
Many additional services are available on a pay-per-use basis. For example, Will Call services allow clients to drop off or pick up documents when the attorney is in court, at meetings, or out of the office.
For a fraction of the price of a full-time office, the virtual office plan user can also have access to 20 hours or 50 hours of day offices per month, depending upon the Virtual Office Plan subscription level. A day office is a part-time office, fully furnished and fully functional, but one where you can’t leave your golf trophy or kids picture on the wall – sorry! The day office hours can be redeemed for access to large meeting rooms via a simple credit system (day offices will cost you one credit per hour, larger rooms more credits).
A full fledged legal Virtual Office will also provide the attorney with a local phone number and live phone answering service that will answer calls on their behalf 12 hours a day. There are two main benefits for that service that are highly utilized by attorneys:
- Presence and responsiveness to a client call any time of the day during business hours, which starts with a friendly “Thank you for calling the Law Offices of XYZ, this is Jamie, how may I help you?”. Calls can be forwarded to voicemail or patched to the user’s cell phone, per his/her direction.
- Call announcing may give the extra few seconds necessary to recollect the case that the caller is inquiring about – enough to be fully on top of the situation when the phone attendant transfers the call.
To summarize, legal virtual offices work particularly well for three kinds of attorneys:
- Attorneys who wish to establish a new practice under a tight budget
- Attorneys who prefer a hybrid work schedule and want to work-from-home but need a professional “storefront” and a private, professional office place to meet clients and work productively when they need a break from the home office
- Regional or national firms that want to establish branch offices at a reduced cost
Special offer for CalBar and Cal Affinity Attorneys: Get 10% off any of our flexible office space solutions including private offices, virtual office plans, coworking memberships, meeting rooms, and All Access Passes.