Technology eReport: Setting Up a Web-Based Virtual Law Office

November 20, 2009

Check out my article in the November issue of the ABA GP/Solo & Small Firm Technology eReport: Setting Up a Web-based Virtual Law Office.  From the article:

Consumers are actively seeking more affordable and convenient access to legal services over the Internet. Due to the cost of traditional legal services, they are turning to cutting and pasting together sample online legal documents or purchasing cheap legal forms online without the benefit of attorney review. The economic recession has further hastened this trend. To address consumer demand, more attorneys are opening web-based virtual law offices (VLOs) or adding a VLO to an existing traditional law firm structure to deliver legal services to clients online.

There are different ways to define and structure a virtual law practice. Simply put, a virtual law practice is a professional law practice where an attorney is able to work with clients over the Internet through a secure portal from the establishment of the attorney/client relationship through to the payment of and final rendering of legal services. The technology used to create and maintain a VLO is a software as a service (SaaS) hosted system, often referred to as practicing law “in the cloud.” To set up a virtual law practice, an attorney should be aware of a number of practical and ethical considerations discussed below.

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Posted by slkimbro

Minimum Requirements for Delivering Legal Services Online

November 18, 2009

Co-chairs of the ABA eLawyering Task Force, Marc Lauritsen and Richard Granat, have submitted a draft set of minimum requirements for delivering legal services online which was published in this month’s Law Practice Today.  As a member of the Task Force, we have discussed these minimum requirements as a set of guidelines that attorneys will be able to turn to when they are interested in forming a virtual law practice .  Once approved by the ABA’s LPM, these requirements may be used by different state bars as a way to guide attorneys in their states who are forming virtual law practices.  You may check out the minimum requirements posted in the article and the Task Force welcomes comments and reactions to the document through their listserv. 

Keep in mind when reading these minimum requirements that the idea behind them is to provide guidance, but not to be too specific in ways that might stifle future innovation in the delivery of legal service.  The topics covered include website architecture, ethics issues, statement of terms and conditions, retainer agreement acceptance, online payment of legal fees, protecting client confidences, and security certification.

Leave a Comment » | ABA, Educational, Ethics, State Bar, Virtual practice, Virtual practice web-based | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by slkimbro

Does Your Virtual Law Practice Need a Phone Number?

November 16, 2009

When I first opened my virtual law office almost four years ago, I wanted to handle every aspect of my practice online.  With most of my client base, this worked fine and was what they preferred as well.  I have an estate planning and small business setup practice and the majority of my clients are in their late twenties through late forties.  However, I have a large number of clients over the age of 50, many of whom are retirees or who are interested for a variety of reasons in getting their estate planning in order for an affordable price and in a way that is convenient for them.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by slkimbro

Keane Award Nomination Info Available

November 16, 2009

The updated materials for the ABA Jim Keane Award for Excellence in ELawyering have been posted on the ABA website for the 2010 Techshow and on the ELawyering Task Force website.  Requirements to be considered for the award are listed as well as an online nomination form.   Please also read my previous post about the award.

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Posted by slkimbro

Response to “Ethical Pitfalls of Virtual Law Practice”

November 10, 2009

This past week an article came out in Lawyers USA Online entitled, “Ethical pitfalls of virtual law practice.”   The article discusses some of the ethics risks that exist in this form of law practice.  However, there are a number of safe-guards and smart practices that an attorney may engage in to avoid these “ethical pitfalls.”   While the article quotes a handful of solutions, it does not cover all of the different options and resources that are available to attorneys who are concerned about these risks.  Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | Ethics, Virtual practice | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by slkimbro

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