A solo practitioner in Brazil was inquiring online of other lawyers about being isolated in their law practice. The responses from lawyers practicing on their own affirmed that solo lawyers can get segregated from other lawyers. Solo practitioners and small law firms (ten attorneys and under) make up approximately 49 % of active U.S. lawyers. While the American Bar Association has not broken down the number of actual solo practitioners versus small law firm practices, solo lawyers are so busy hustling for clients, performing legal duties and billing clients, that it can be isolating. Sarah Stock of Legal Back Office and Stock Legal in St. Louis, Missouri agrees. “When people start running their own firm, it can be overwhelming and lonely.” https://molawyersmedia.com/2018/12/11/new-services-or-products-that-support-missouris-legal-community-jaimee-hall-sarah-stock/
Attorneys are practicing in the same office with other lawyers absent the creation of a "law firm" across the United States. These lawyers are an association of independent attorneys. See Model Rule below.
- In our blog Tips for Sharing Law Space with other Lawyers, we talked about safeguard tips for sharing law office space with other lawyers who are not affiliated with your law firm. http://www.lawspacematch.com/posts/84 Considering the effect of conflicts and other ethical rules such as Model Rule 7.1 (avoid appearances of a partnership with attorneys sharing law office space), lawyers are finding a group of lawyers having synergy and practicing in a shared office space. This co-working situation among lawyers is a great solution. Not only could this increase potential revenues, it could zap that feeling of isolation in your solo law practice.
- And working with other lawyers (not necessarily a member of one’s own firm) can boost confidence and morale. Check out our blog post: Can Working in a Shared Office Space really make you Happier? https://www.lawspacematch.com/posts/54 According to Deskmag, an international online magazine about co-working, their survey suggested that there is a difference in levels of satisfaction on whether the lawyer formally worked in a traditional office versus the home. Simply, the lawyers sharing office space possessed more self-confidence. Deskmag reported 90% higher confidence where lawyers were working in a shared office space situation. Supporting reasons for this increased confidence included but were not limited to: the ability to choose co-working lawyers, and reduced stress due to choosing a LawSpace closer to home.
- Also, many law firms are moving forward on a “hub and wheel” approach. This means lawyers leave with their client base and work for newly innovative law firms allowing a type of sharing of law firm resources. These remote attorneys do not work in the principal law office of the larger firm but instead are allowed to take advantage of the efficiencies that technology makes possible. The remote attorneys find office space while they electronically tap into the hub law firm’s resources. Firms in Atlanta trying this approach include: Taylor English http://www.taylorenglish.com/careers-experienced.html, Fisher Broyles http://www.fisherbroyles.com. According to Taylor English, “One of the key distinguishing characteristics of our firm is our first-of-its kind hybrid business model in which we blend the full-service features of a centralized office – our “Hub” – with the efficiency and geographic scope of a virtual law firm, with our ‘Remote’ lawyers situated close to clients across the country while collaborating with our Hub attorneys and each other on a shared technology platform.” http://www.taylorenglish.com
These lawyers are looking for shared law office space. And that is one of the reasons we created www.LawSpaceMatch.com. Created by lawyers for lawyers who share law office space. We are revolutionizing how lawyers connect for space sharing.
Check out two offices located in Staten Island, New York. One is larger exterior office and one is interior office. Large secretarial area. Windowed office. Open lot parking. Great for your clients to access the law firm. Contact the law office manager by searching 10305 zip code today. 