The complete article will be published on the blog of K. Todd Wallace at
http://ktoddwallaceblog.blogspot.com/
Technology is advancing, and the legal profession must keep up with
these technological and societal changes. Many of us still remember when they
first saw a personal computer, when cell phones became widely available, and
when cell phones turned into smart phones that have become indispensable for many.
Incorporating technology into a law practice can make the practice more
efficient and increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the
practitioner to exceed client expectations. Here are a few, simple-to-implement options.
Phone
Systems
Phone systems have advanced greatly. A wealth of
call forwarding technologies enable clients to call a central number to reach
an attorney anywhere. Skype enables you to conduct video conference calls
during which you can share a screen and exchange documents.
But with phone forwarding, you may even have a
remote answering such as Ruby Receptionists (www.callruby.com),
which then takes a message or forwards the call to a specified phone
number. Other services with great
flexibility include Ring Central (www.ringcentral.com), Ooma (www.ooma.com)
and Jive (www.jive.com).
Suddenly a physical office or geographical distance
are less important. It has become almost normal for clients to work with law
firms at a greater distance from their home or business location. Having an
office close to your clients (or close to the courthouse) is suddenly not as
critical.
This also benefits clients, as they may decide to
hire an attorney whose office is not nearby. It affords clients access to much
greater legal talent and improved access to quality representation than was
once available to them in smaller towns/markets.
What used to be an in-person consultation can now
be done by email or a
video conference. Since the number of in-person
meetings is reduced, the cost to clients is reduced as well.
Virtual Meetings
Getting together for face-to-face meetings with clients can sometimes be difficult, especially when it includes travel. Skype (www.skype.com) and EZ Talks (www.eztalks.com), www.GoToMeeting.com and other video systems allow you to offer the experience of a live meeting, which can be much more productive and stimulating than a simple phone call, since human beings communicate to large extent non-verbally, through gestures, facial expressions, etc. Numerous Web-conferencing tools provide such visual and human elements of a live meeting. They allow attendees to communicate, collaborate on documents and even give presentations in real time.
In fact, there
are free (or almost free) services with a lot of functionality that are useful
for sharing and discussing on-screen documents, giving a presentation, recording
and chat capabilities.
Client
Portals
Online Client Portals are an option especially for
a high-volume practice such as bankruptcy or immigration law. Instead of
answering innumerable phone calls with questions such as “What is the status of
my case?”, the firm offers access to a Portal where clients can see their exact
case status in real time. In fact, password-protected portions of a law firm’s
website may be a more secure alternative to email. Clients can access their
case information day or night, comment on drafts and get updates on court dates. Examples include Practice Panther (www.practicepanther.com)
and One Hub (www.onehub.com).
Still somewhat expensive due to the cost and
complexity of implementation, client portals will undoubtedly proliferate
further as the technology matures.
Social Media
Whether you
like it or not, Social Media has become inescapable. Review websites like Yelp! or Avvo list Attorneys regardless and allow anybody to post reviews
and comments about one’s practice.
Further, Facebook creates “inofficial” Facebook pages for professionals,
which in effect may force them to set up actual Facebook pages and join their
platform.
In many cases,
the best option for the legal practitioner may be to embrace Social Media and
claim the profile to use and control it to their advantage.
Google
Maps - Locations
In past, even
small problems like “I cannot find your office” could interrupt a client
relationship. No more. Today you can put “Directions” on your website to ensure
that all clients can find your office easily when they have to. Google Maps can
be customized for clients, and also shows the way to related locations to one’s
Practice (i.e. Courthouse, Government Offices, etc.). Google Streetview also
can show clients what your office building looks like from the outside.
Case
Reminders
Everybody is busy. We all receive
too many emails. Thus, many messages get lost in the shuffle. Providing
communications or updates via email, text message, or voicemail can remind
clients of upcoming appointments, deadlines, court dates, etc.
Sharing
Information with Clients
Here at our law firm, at the
commencement of services, we fully discuss communication preferences with clients. This includes discussing
methods for exchanging confidential information and their preferences for
receiving other, general communications.
In fact, proactive
communications with clients may be an effective marketing tool, such as an
alert to a client about regulatory actions that are about to affect their
business.
To be continued.
The complete article will be published on the blog of K. Todd Wallace at
http://ktoddwallaceblog.blogspot.com/
*NOTE: The inclusion of a technology or app in this article does not
mean an endorsement or approval. The listed technologies are just for
illustrative purposes. None of these particular technologies are endorsed or
recommended by this author.
About Kenneth Todd Wallace
Kenneth Todd Wallace is
an attorney and founding partner of the law firm Wallace Meyaski LLC. He has
nearly 20 years of experience in the legal and business professions with
established excellence in trial advocacy, negotiation, strategic and initiative
planning, employment law compliance, government relations, mergers and
acquisitions, and team building.
References
Facebook page of Kenneth Todd Wallace, Attorney
at Law:
Attorney Profile:
*** K. Todd Wallace is an attorney at Wallace Meyaski in New Orleans. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the legal and business professions with established excellence in trial advocacy, negotiation, strategic and initiative planning, government relations, mergers and acquisitions, and team building. See http://www.walmey.com/our-attorneys/k-todd-wallace/
