The Germans have a phrase for times like this: völkerwanderung. It means “a time of migration and change.” The American population is moving about and things are hopping everywhere, particularly in major cities. New citizens are relocating from all around the country and experiencing the sort of problems, transactions and challenges that human beings inevitably encounter. This means that there is a heightened need for legal counsel.
Regardless of what sort of practice you have, from family law to real estate to criminal defense, there is bound to be a growing necessity for solid legal assistance in your specialty. If you have been waiting for the best time to expand your practice, this may be it. While you might recognize that expansion is necessary, it pays to proceed judiciously. Accordingly, here are some sage observations that may help as you prepare to extend your practice.
Rely on Other Professionals
The best news about acquiring new assistants and paraprofessionals who are well-versed in ancillary legal practices is that you do not personally have to employ all the help you need. Law is an unusual profession in that there are not really any “gig workers” but rather there are highly skilled individuals who have made a career from assisting attorneys in their interactive tasks: video conferencing, transcribing, videography, interpreting and so forth. It does not require a great deal of working with such folks on your part to recognize that you are dealing with true pros who know their stuff. Some trustworthy agencies employ cadres of such specialized individuals. For instance, in the City of Roses, you can check out court reporters Portland to verify that the specific services you need are available.
Promote Yourself to Potential Clients
Some attorneys are totally averse to marketing their firms. While this may be understandable, it is also undeniable that you must let potential clients know who you are and what kind of law you practice. Fortunately, there are a number of effective ways to share the news that you are available to help those who need your services. These are some preliminary ideas to consider about marketing:
- Start with a budget in mind. Promotion may cost a little more than you wanted or intended but at least begin by establishing an expenditure range.
- Decide which media will attract your intended clientele. If you want to reach older adults, you will focus on a different medium than one meant for millennials.
- Your internet promotions must be a multifaceted campaign. Plan out your social media presence as well as the impact you want from your website.
Plan for the Extra Help You Will Need
At one point following the pandemic, there were an estimated 3.5 million available jobs in the U.S. Everyone was hiring and employers were desperate to get help just to keep operating. You may think that having more work than you can handle with your available staff is the sort of problem you would really like to have. It is important to remember, however, that overworking even the most dedicated, professional group of employees leads to lessened productivity, poor morale and more mistakes—something that is anathema in the legal profession. Some legal HR pros recommend hiring new staff before it is absolutely necessary. This gives added incentive to everyone in the company to become a rainmaker and instills a group sense of positive momentum.
Host Pertinent Events
Whenever a new client comes into your office with an issue, is it not the case that you spend a fair amount of your first consultation explaining the legal and practical issues around the topic that brought that person to you? As an attorney, you have a wealth of information about a variety of subjects and some very intensive, focused insight into the areas of your specialties. Citizens appreciate the opportunity to hear useful information about those subjects you deal with daily. Suppose you volunteer to give a seminar through a local non-profit to a group of interested individuals. Some of those folks are going to find their way to your office as clients, not to mention their friends and family members who will hear about you through the most effective form of marketing there is—word of mouth.
Stay on Top of Tech
No one will argue with you if you say the legal profession is the most office-supply-intensive industry in the world. Documents in your work are all extremely sensitive and important. Agreements, judgments and contracts are all set down on paper, shared with pertinent individuals and securely stored. While there are statutory limitations on how you must handle these items, new technology is emerging that makes this time-consuming, labor-intensive aspect of your job just that much more convenient and simple.
It is a certainty that new devices and programs will continue to emerge that will further streamline your work, allowing you to focus on more important aspects of your expanding practice.
