Do you see other practitioners implementing aspects of the Virtual Law Office into their practice; how?
Technological change is moving so rapidly that these days almost everyone can work remotely; Ipads and Iphones are changing the way I practice on a daily basis. I think that this model – call it what you will, virtual, or remote, or paperless, or offsite practice – is the answer for boomers who wish to “retire” gradually, for young lawyers who want to be parents with integrity while continuing to meet client needs, for anyone who wants a life and particularly for mentorship of junior lawyers in remote areas by senior lawyers who wish to pass the torch and leave an access to justice legacy in the community.
Moving into this model has allowed me to travel and still stay in business. I used to tell clients when I was out of the office, but these days the office is wherever I am, provided that I have invested in good systems and a team to support me when I am in the field – or in my southern Alberta home with the guy I love.
Virtual law is marriage friendly. Of course, it didn’t help that my two youngest firm members decided to tie the knot and leave town…….But as I said, we are marriage friendly, family friendly and enthusiastically embracing “virtuality”. Every body is doing it these days, and the legal world is being changed by it. All that is needed is an open mind, an open wallet, an open heart – and an IT Guru named Casey.
I often look behind me to see who the “hi-tech” person is that people acknowledge. It can’t be me, surely? I took my last bath at home at 19 in a tin wash tub. There were 100 chicks in a cardboard enclosure over the floor heater in the living room. The nights were still cold and the brooder house wasn’t warm enough yet. I heated the water for the bath on the stove, the house having no hot water heater, nor bathtub. And I flagged down a Greyhound bus out on Highway 2, carrying all my wordly effects in my single suitcase banging against my leg as I ran after the bus.
And here I am, too many years later to count, having fun staying married while practicing law, looking forward to coming to work every day, be it in person or online. Eating cake while making bread. Having it all…………….. smelling the roses.
Oh – yes – did I mention Champ, the divorce dog? Perhaps not – more about him later……………….
Stayed tuned for Part 5: The Legal Assistant Perspective
