Nowadays, working remotely as a lawyer is no longer just an unorthodox arrangement. It’s a reality that most—if not all—law firms have to face. While court hearings and other legal transactions still operate as usual, lawyers now have to do online consults, much like most other professionals. Therefore, it’s not impossible to do some of a lawyer’s legal work remotely, only sparing essential physical transactions for traditional legal hearings.

Working remotely is a significant change for all sectors, including the legal industry. However, it’s an important and unavoidable change. For law firms to keep up with today’s trends, it’s important for them to also have a remote working arrangement whenever necessary.

While it may seem like a huge task to tackle, it’s certainly not impossible. Law firms can successfully do remote work with these insightful tips.

Schedule Daily Check-Ins

In a physical setup, when a lawyer arrives in the firm, one of the first things they’ll do is to check in with the clients. This is especially necessary for clients with impending deadlines or hearings. Lawyers also check in with the rest of the team, from the secretaries to the legal researchers, to ensure everyone is on top of their respective tasks. It’s during this check-in session that you can address any problems or concerns a client or staff member may have.

In a remote working arrangement, this daily check-in should still be present. This can be made possible through communication and collaboration tools the law firm should invest in. Not only can you call each other but you can also send and sign documents, as well as send a fax without a fax machine.

Communicate The Changes To Your Team

Before you implement a remote working arrangement in the law firm, be sure to communicate those changes with your team. They have to be in the loop and updated so you’re all on the same page. The same applies to your clients; you should inform them of your proposed changes so you can determine early on which of your clients would still prefer face-to-face consultations in your office and which ones prefer virtual consultations.

Don’t rush through this communication process. Schedule your team for a meeting and make sure no page is left unturned. Introduce your team members to the communication channels and apps or software you’ll now be using and how meetings will be scheduled. Making preparations early on can ensure that your law firm can still operate smoothly despite the upcoming changes in the working arrangement.

Stick To Your Schedule

Working remotely doesn’t give you the license to slack off and change your schedule or routine. If you want to maintain your productivity, you still have to stick to the routine you’re used to. This begins with keeping your normal working hours. 

The only difference you should experience when working remotely as a lawyer is the working arrangement. Instead of reporting to a physical office, you’ll be working in your remote setting, usually a home office.

Most importantly, sticking to your schedule entails getting dressed as you normally would. Put on your usual uniform as you would’ve if you were reporting to the law office. Also, don’t forget your socks and comfortable house slippers, too.

Provide Requisite Resources To Your Team

For team members who now have no choice but to work remotely as well, it’s a good idea for you also to provide them with the requisite resources. This doesn’t just mean equipping them with the apps and software you’ll be using. You also have to provide them with the tools and gadgets they need to get their job done but can’t afford to buy at the moment.

These include headphones and mobile devices that enable efficient remote work for the staff. Of course, a contract will also be in place to cover the use of those resources and to signify that the termination of the contract will also mean that those tools will have to be returned. The reason for this is that when the law firm shifts back to the physical working arrangement, those tools will no longer be needed and can be kept for use in the physical law firm for other new staff to use.

Conclusion

As you can see, technology has made it possible for law firms to operate remotely. This isn’t limited to consultations with clients. It also includes sending and signing documents, drafting pleas, and other legal bits and bobs—all while keeping your clients updated and without sacrificing confidentiality and data security. Switching to a remote working arrangement as a lawyer isn’t a change that happens overnight. However, by taking one step every day, you’ll soon realize the benefits of going forth with this change.