Discover several perks (many of which you’ve probably never even thought of) that come with operating a law firm within a lawyer focused office suite.
It’s not uncommon for new solo or small firm lawyers to work remotely, using virtual offices for their professional business addresses while actually working from home or a coworking space.
But at the same time, lawyers who work in an office or shared workspace definitely appreciate the subtle benefits of working in the same place as other lawyers and professionals. Which leads to the question, if it’s available, why would anyone choose not to work in an environment that is going to help accelerate your firm’s success?
Of course, running a law firm from home (with help from a virtual office) comes with benefits, too. Some lawyers talk about a boost to productivity. The feeling of control and flexibility. There are obvious money savings. You can build our work environment and work schedule around how/when/where you work best.
But the benefits that come with working in an office every day, with other lawyers and professionals, can not only bring many of the same benefits but can also change your practice for the better and accelerate the growth of your new solo or small law firm.
Collaboration Opportunities
You don’t get much random and sudden in-person interaction with your peers when working from home. Those moments when people from different practice areas or backgrounds strike up a conversation about a client or something at the coffee machine or in the elevator. The downside of not having those conversations is that those spontaneous interactions can often lead to a new idea or way of thinking about something you’ve been stuck on.
Focused Environment
Studies have shown familiar environmental cues can automatically trigger your brain to ignore distractions and focus. This could be why it’s so easy to work and ignore dirty dishes in the office sink, but your kitchen must be squeaky clean before you can start working at home.
An office tells your brain that it’s time to work. And you can control your office design to encourage focus with quiet areas, dim lights and white noise.
Plus, by seeing the focus and determination the other lawyers in your shared office space put into their daily routine will only motivate you to do the same.
Serious Client Referrals
Referrals are way more common in an office, and especially in a space shared with other legal professionals. And that additional revenue can make a world of difference for a small firm or newly solo attorney.
The right mix of attorneys is crucial to keep in mind when choosing a shared office space. For example, while a personal injury attorney can certainly co-exist with a bunch of tax or patent lawyers, the better fit from a business development perspective would be a suite with immigration, workers’ comp and matrimonial attorneys.
Being selective about practice niches is less of a concern in a larger shared law office suite with many attorneys from diverse practice areas. For example, in a shared office space like Law Firm Suites, where over 125 attorneys in different practice areas share space, there will always be an opportunity to build a referral connection.
Learning and Grow Quickly by Watching Others
Lawyers are a competitive bunch. The competitive drive of attorneys who share office space will actually push them to be as successful as the best lawyers in the suite.
Here’s how it generally happens:
Lawyers will naturally size up the other successful attorneys in the suite.
Often they’ll say to themselves, even subconsciously, “you know, there’s no reason I can’t be as successful as that other guy, there’s nothing that impressive about them that I don’t have”. The friendly competition pushes these lawyers to play a bigger game, resulting in faster revenue growth.
Given the large number of attorneys that work from our suite, we have the benefit of seeing this happen over and over. But you don’t have to rent an office in a professionally managed law suite like ours to benefit from X-Factor. A law firm sublet would work just as well!
Watching how other lawyers work is a very powerful professional development tool. And it’s not something that needs to be formal.
Working alongside other talented lawyers in a shared law suite will dramatically improve your skills. You will see what works exceedingly well for some lawyers, and what habits makes you cringe.
The end result is that, no matter your experience level, your skills will constantly improve when you surround yourself with other attorneys.
The Commute
I know it sounds crazy but your commute can actually be a big advantage to you and your practice.
What normally would be unused time, you can turn your commute into an excuse to further learn or develop skills. One such way to do this is to listen to podcasts. The average American’s commute to work about is 26 minutes (each way). That’s nearly an hour per day to educate yourself through podcasts or audiobooks. Now if you were sitting at home, how many of you would carve out an extra hour of your day to listen to a podcast or audiobook that might improve how you work or manage your life/practice?
Second, if you live somewhere like New York City or Chicago, then you could potentially even be within a short walking distance to your office. That’s an easy way to start and end your workday with a little physical activity. Being active is a great way for many people to relax and clear their minds. Making the effort and sticking to it will help you to lead a healthier, less stressful and more productive life.
