17 Dec Law Firm Management 101: An End-to-End Guide for 2022
With the hybrid workforce showing no signs of slowing down, many law firms are facing new law firm management challenges, especially when it comes to handling IT issues and developing trusted vendor relationships.
Your law firm’s management needs will vary depending on your location as well as the size of your organization.
Start with a Plan
Every practice — even a solo attorney — needs a business plan to be successful. A law firm business plan is the foundation of your business development goals. This document should address everything from your financial strategy and compensation plan to your preferred methods for marketing your practice.
Your law firm business plan will also help you establish budgets for business essentials like practice management software as well as needed compliance and security programs.
Create Policies and Procedures for Clear Communication
Your firm’s policies and procedures will likely be a living document where things are updated as conditions change. When everyone at the firm is on the same page, work days are more predictable and everyone is more efficient and productive. Your policies and procedures should cover every member of the staff from the receptionist to the senior attorneys.
If you aren’t sure exactly how things work in a certain aspect of your firm, don’t be afraid to ask an expert. Your experience as a managing partner may be different than an associate or a paralegal. By asking questions, you may uncover places where billable hours are hiding and improve productivity.
Another opportunity to improve your legal practice management is to have a trusted vendor partner assist you with creating and implementing security and compliance procedures. An expert in law office technology can suggest products that will safeguard client data, help streamline staff and attorney collaboration using smart document management tools, and even provide virtual desktop applications that make switching between home and office feel effortless.
You may want the input of a cybersecurity and cloud computing specialist when drafting a 2022 update to existing Bring Your Own Device policies. Ensuring endpoint security is a must for today’s law firm. Everyone from staff to senior attorneys are logging in from anywhere and it’s critical that security is never compromised.
Develop a Collaborative Working Environment
Achieving work/life balance can be difficult in a high-pressure industry like the law. Everyone in your practice likely feels the pressure to perform at a high level, but the right technology can improve job satisfaction and productivity.
Giving everyone the option to work at home without sacrificing the security of sensitive case files and client information can be achieved with smart technology and cloud-based solutions.
For many law firms, remote and hybrid teams work better now than ever before. Efficient file and document management tools that operate in the cloud allow lawyers, paralegals, and legal assistants to annotate and update case files in real time – even if everyone is miles apart or just down the hallway.
Consider the Client Experience
Smart technology doesn’t just improve the working conditions for your employees, associates, and partners. The right cloud-based tech can also improve the client experience as well. By offering a simple, secure portal for uploading documents you can elevate the client’s opinion of your law office operations.
Be Ready for “What If” Moments
With new Covid variants may come new public health measures. When the pandemic first hit, it was a scramble to cobble together a way to work from home. Now, it’s easier than ever to get ready and stay ready for the unexpected.
And while it’s easy to think that the only potential problems will come from the ongoing public health emergency, other productivity killing events can affect your law practice. From necessary security updates to data loss, having the right vendor partner who understands how and when your practice works can have you up and running faster in the event of a software patch or needed system restoration.
Make sure your data is properly backed up onsite and off site, so you’re protected from costly downtime or from lost client data. With today’s robust cloud solutions, most law firms can reduce IT overhead without reducing IT coverage by using proven virtualized solutions.
Review Your Law Office IT Management Plan
It can be overwhelming to build the right suite of applications to improve workflows and security. If you’re ready to upgrade your law office management using smart, cloud based solutions and virtual desktops, it’s time to schedule a no obligation demo with an industry leading vendor with modern law practice management expertise.
We’d like to put together a customized demo to show you what’s possible for your firm. Schedule your appointment with us today.