PrivyCounsel

View Original

Breaking the Mold: Achieving Extraordinary Results by Challenging the Status Quo - A Case Study

Privy Counsel


In our recent Blog, New Generation of Legal Professionals women continue to outnumber men in law school, the upward trend of aging population, inflation, and the changing demographic of attorneys, as well as other other factors that have caused a paradigm shift of how work is done in the legal industry. Not only has there been a paradigm shift in the way work is done, but moreover, there has been a shift in our focus between career path and personal lives.

The legal industry is no different, experiencing a changing environment in how work is done and services are provided, with an influx of younger, more progressive attorneys, more women becoming attorneys and many attorneys reaching the end of their careers. The solo and freelance attorney trend in the US is also on the rise, due to factors such as the popularity of flexible and remote work, the rise of technology and online legal resources, the growing demand for affordable legal services, and the desire for more autonomy and control over one's career. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 also caused a dramatic increase in people having to Restart and Reboot, and working remotely, resulting in a surge of new businesses and a change in focus toward work-life balance. This has motivated many to shift away from traditional employment with large institutions to become freelancers and start their own practices, redefining the legal profession in the new 'Knowledge - Creator Economy.'

One of the toughest things an Entrepreneur Attorney can do is to look beyond the “normal” or traditional structure of a law firm. In other words, have a progressive mind set. The legal profession has undergone profound changes and more so since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. One striking result is how the legal profession is adjusting to the widespread transition from in-office work five days a week to more flexible hybrid and remote schedules. According to the ABA’s report, 87% of lawyers say their workplaces allow them to work remotely. Nearly two-thirds of lawyers in private practice can work remotely 100% of the time or have the flexibility to choose their own schedule, while 23% are required to work in the office one to three days a week. More than half of in-house lawyers can work remotely 100% of the time or make their own schedule, and 32% must work one to three days in the office.

Remote work is particularly important to younger lawyers, many of whom are women and lawyers, who feel so strongly about this option that 44% of them would leave their place of employment for a greater flexibility to work remotely or hybrid elsewhere. Significantly, the majority of lawyers report that working remotely did not adversely impact the quality of their work, productivity, or billable hours. With remote and hybrid work comes access to a considerably larger talent pool, alongside the added perk of enhancing work-life balance, especially for women lawyers who balance work and family responsibilities.


CASE STUDIES

Our previous case study showcased Lorena , Oscar, and Stephanie’s journeys as working parents and caregivers in the solo and contract legal practice. James's case study, "Challenging the Status Quo," awaits us, as he leads a thriving boutique law firm with an intricate balance of business growth, work, and life.

James

Meet James, a forward-thinking attorney who has been practicing law for 30 years. He began his career as an associate attorney at a traditional large brick and mortar law firm, where everything was done on paper and computers were primarily used for word processing. As the digital age emerged, James recognized the potential of technology to streamline the practice of law and improve client satisfaction.

When, James started his own law firm, which initially remained primarily paper-oriented practice. However, over the years, James and his team focused on finding ways to integrate technology into their practice. They adopted digital tools and processes, such as the PrivyCounsel attorney client portal, which unified access to digital files and client information and streamlined communication. By 2020, James's firm was equipped for remote access and had fully adopted PrivyCounsel as their unified practice management system. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and business all but shut down, James's firm was able to continue practicing law seamlessly with hardly a skip in their beat. They had built a resilient and powerful law practice designed for remote and hybrid work. Additionally, the transition to online and zoom court appearances and virtual appointments in our area closed the gap to make the law practice 100% virtual.

Looking back, James recognizes that without embracing digital transformation, his firm would not have the client base, level of client satisfaction, or profitability that it currently enjoys. The adoption of digital tools and platforms not only improved the efficiency of his practice but also allowed for a higher level of client service, resulting in a higher referral rate. James's story is a testament to the importance of forward-thinking and preparation in building a successful and resilient law practice in the digital age. James favors a simple unified communication portal that's easy to adopt for new clients and law office team members, allowing real-time collaboration among clients, staff and attorneys to ensure everyone's on the same page. His law firm dashboard provides the team of the daily calendar and task prioritization. Moreover, the system sends activity notifications to keep the team abreast of client comments and upcoming tasks and appointments.

Key Takeaways

The law firm's client portal and unified communication dashboard have substantially improved collaboration, client engagement, and overall team effectiveness and efficiency by ~40%.

The use of PrivyCounsel for managing contract and freelance attorneys has enabled the firm to take on more clients and complex cases without sacrificing quality or flexibility. The firm values simplicity and ease-of-use in software adoption, emphasizing the need for a single source of collaboration and truth that captures ALL case activities (data).

The dashboard's real-time Key Performance Indicators prioritize the most important factors, while the reports provide valuable insights for analyzing case performance, tracking time and expenses, monitoring client communication, measuring team performance, and forecasting future workload. With these insights, the firm can make data-driven decisions that optimize resource allocation, improve profitability, and increase client retention and referral rates.

Share your journey as a legal entrepreneur. Tell us about the challenges you've faced and the lessons you've learned. Help us achieve our mission of inspiring entrepreneurship in the legal profession with your story. Join PrivyCounsel's mission and make a difference.

Case studies


Resilience and Flexibility: Case Study of Rebuilding a Solo Law Practice after the 2020 Pandemic

Balancing Family and Career: A Journey to Work-Life Harmony with PrivyCounsel

Achieving Work-Life Harmony in the Changing Legal Field: A Case Study for Attorneys and Paralegal Entrepreneurs


SOLO ATTORNEYS AND BOUTIQUE LAW FIRMS