Law Practice Tips

You can make your office a safer workplace by upgrading HVAC systems to improve air quality, moving work stations father apart to facilitate social distancing, and installing touchless technology to enhance hygiene. Learn how to make offices safer by reading articles about  office design  and healthy workspaces ,  watching  WSJ's video  on office trends, and visiting C&W's website  on design insights. Improve your office efficiency reading CAP's book  about organizing law offices.

You can  keep clients happy and increase profitability by improving client intake. Following are intake tips and resources for implementing them.  Tips Alternatives - offer in-person and Zoom alternatives for initial consultation.  Delegate - assign responsibility for processing inquiries to a lawyer or staffer. Forms - use a short intake questionnaire that is quick and easy to complete. Procedure  - adopt  procedures for welcoming clients,  evaluating ability to pay, and checking for conflicts.   Software - use contact management apps to improve efficiency and facilitate marketing.   Articles Automating Intake Creating Welcome Kits Establishing Procedures Handling Inquiries Making Clients Feel Special Improving the Intake Process Intake Tips Onboarding Clients Scheduling Appointments Training Staff Books Capturing Clients Guide to Law Firm Intake Intake Procedures Risk Management for Law Firms Writing Client Letters Forms ABA Georgia Bar Michigan  Bar My Shingle South Carolina Themis

The Coronavirus presents special challenges to solos and small law firms who are working from home.  Adopt healthy workstyles and  ergonomics . Stay ahead of the curve by reading   articles,   books  and  guides   to surviving and thriving when working remotely. Consider   staying remote after the Coronavirus situation.  And prepare for reopening your office by checking bar association resources and reading articles with reopening tips .

Receptionists can greet clients, receive packages and answer incoming calls and emails. Some firms have switched to online assistants as backup or to provide 24/7 coverage. Virtual receptionists cost about $100 to $300/month. You can choose from providers with live persons or use an automated attendant. Virtual receptionists can improve client intake and integrate with practice management systems. Read articles about in-person , virtual assistants , and  virtual receptionists . Also see  comparisons , guides ,  reviews , and  sample scripts  to add a virtual receptionist at your firm.     virtual receptionists

Virtual assistants are live people that work remotely to help with administrative tasks, marketing, researching, and writing. They can be hired part-time or full-time depending on your needs. Learn more by reading articles about benefits ,  choosing , ethics ,  using , recruiting , and supervising virtual assistants.  Also see a related post about using automated digital assistants  for calendaring, communicating, dictating, and note-taking .   

Smart speakers with video displays can improve your productivity . Popular devices include Amazon's Echo Show, Google's Nest Hub, and Lenovo's Smart Display. Apple fans can use their iPads or iPhones. Use them with digital assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google's Assistant for calendars, calls, clocks, email, reminders, and retrieving information. Learn more by reading articles about  digital assistants , home devices ,  smart displays ,  productivity tips , and  product reviews .

To do lists can help you stay on track during the Coronavirus situation.  Keep lists of clients to call, documents to prepare, and tasks to complete.  Keep lists in a paper appointment book or use an app accessible on your computer or smartphone. To learn how to manage to do lists,  read Richard Heinrich's insightful article about keeping to do lists .  and Wylde's comprehensive article about alternative formats .  For help selecting an app, read PC Magazine's review of t o do list apps and ABA books about   Evernote   OneNote , and other  productivity software.