Virtual Law Practice

Tag: online legal services

  • Clearing Up the Terminology Before TECHSHOW

    TECHSHOW is here.  Some of the buzz this year is related to cloud computing, SaaS and web-based technologies that take aspects of law practice management online.  There are a lot of terms thrown around when discussing these topics.  One of them is “virtual law practice”.  We are bound to hear this phrase several times during TECHSHOW in various contexts.  Other terms, including VLOs, VLPs, virtual law offices, virtual law firms, online law offices, web-based or web-enabled law offices, are used to describe different methods of elawyering. However, when they are used, they are often not used to mean the actual delivery of legal services online to clients. 

    Elawyering is defined by Marc Lauritsen, the co-chair of the ABA’s eLawyering Task Force as

    all the ways in which lawyers can do their work using the Web and associated technologies.  These include new ways to communicate and collaborate with clients, prospective clients and other lawyers, produce documents, settle disputes and manage legal knowledge.  Think of a lawyering verb — interview, investigate, counsel, draft, advocate, analyze, negotiate, manage and so forth — and there are corresponding electronic tools and techniques.

    Check out the eLawyering Task Force’s website for more white papers and links to info about different elawyering methods. 

    When you ask attorneys to explain in detail what they mean when they say they have a “virtual law firm,” they may describe different combinations of elawyering.  However, from firm to firm there is usually a great deal of difference in the web-based technology they are using and each firm’s purpose for that technology in the scheme of their law practice management.

    So why try to limit the definition?  After all, when we try to cage something in there is the risk that this discourages future innovation and development of new forms of elawyering.  The key is whether the attorney is actually delivering legal services online to clients.  It should matter greatly in our profession for malpractice and ethics concerns.  If they are, the standards for daily use of web-based technology will be higher than if the technology is not being used to handle sensitive attorney/client data.  In other words, it should matter to their clients and their state bars whether they are delivering legal services online to clients using unencrypted methods of delivery and software products without the benefit of user agreements developed for the needs of legal professionals. 

    A virtual law practice involves the delivery of legal services to clients securely over the Internet by way of a client portal — whether the virtual law practice is completely web-based or integrated into a brick & mortar law office where the attorneys see in-person clients as well as their online clients.  Regardless of what web-based technology is used, the law firm is working with the client from the beginning of the legal representation through to the payment and rendering of legal services.   

    When discussing these issues, let’s be clear about what is meant by a “virtual law firm.”  It may be a paper(less) law office and the technology may be used for aspects of law practice management, but it is not virtual law practice.  When the practice of delivering legal services online to our clients is commonplace, as it will become in the near future, these distinctions will seem ridiculous.  But for the time being, they are important to keep us all on the same page.

  • Microblogging about VLOs

    Yesterday Martindale Hubbell’s Connected kicked off an event centered around virtual law firms with a two-hour Twitter conversation hosted by Larry Bodine. You can read through all of the tweets by running a search for #MHVT on your Twitter account. There was a lot of great discussion about how to define a VLO, what they are used for — for the benefit of the attorneys or the clients or both, what types of online work generate the most revenue on a VLO, what some security concerns are with delivering legal services online, and how to market a VLO. Below are my contributions to the discussion.

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  • Residency Requirements and the Virtual Law Practice

    I’ve been reading with interest the case of Attorney Ekaterina Schoenefeld who filed a lawsuit against the State of New York claiming that by requiring an attorney to maintain a physical law office in the state, New York law discriminates unconstitutionally against attorneys who are out-of-state.  Schoenefeld is licensed in California, New York and New Jersey and claims she was not aware of NY’s residency requirement before taking and passing the NY Bar Exam.   Law.com has a detailed article on the case and Carolyn Elefant over at MyShingle.com wrote a rousing post in support of this solo attorney’s plight.

    I do not know if in the case of Schoenefeld the attorney was planning on operating a virtual law office, but her intent was clearly to provide legal services pertaining to the law of each of the states for which she obtained a law license. This is a similar situation faced by attorneys wanting to open virtual law offices.  They may choose to reside in a state in which they do not hold a law license or to provide legal services of one state while maintaining an office in another.  The technology allows them the flexibility to deliver legal services online and choose where they live and work.

    In my opinion, residency or physical office requirements, which exist for some state bars, are an example of an out-dated restriction on the legal profession that could use some updating to reflect changes in law practice management.  If you feel like reading up on some examples of residency requirements, see New York’s §470 of Judiciary Law, Missouri State Bar Informal Advisory Opinion Number 970098 regarding Rule 5.5;   Tolchin v. New Jersey Supreme Court, 111 F.3d 1099 (3d Cir. 1997); Lichtenstein v. Emerson, 674 N.Y.S.2d 298 (App. Div. 1998);  Parnell v. West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, 110 F.3d 1077 (4th Cir. 1997) or Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.946 (the attorney must show intent “either to maintain an office in this state for the practice of law, and to practice actively in this state, or to engage in the teaching of law”).

    These residency requirements focus on the attorney “actively practicing law within the state.”  How should this be interpreted if the attorney physically resides in one state and actively practices law from a virtual law office providing the legal services pertaining to the laws of another state?  He or she is actively practicing law, just not physically within the state.  Residency requirements make more sense to me when they are restricted to attorneys who are handling litigation in that state and will be expected to make court appearances.  But if they are drafting state law contracts and handling IP projects for NY clients while living in NJ or CA? 

    Does the attorney need to run a physical law office or reside in the state in which he or she practices law?  It probably depends on the attorney’s practice area and client base.  For those practices in which it does make good business sense, then the residency requirements place a significant burden on the attorney trying to startup a virtual law office that is located out-of-state.  It seems a very geo-centric and out-dated rule in a society that has become increasingly more global and interconnected through technology. 

    I’d love to hear others thoughts on residency requirements whether related to a completely virtual office or a traditional law practice that is integrating a virtual law office to expand into multiple jurisdictions.

  • Family Favorite Award Winner for the 4th Year in a Row

    I’m excited to announce that my virtual law office has won the Wilmington Parent Family Favorite Award under the category of “attorney” for the fourth year in a row!  (more…)

  • Reminders for Avoiding Malpractice in Virtual Law Practice

     

    This past Friday I attended a Law Practice Management Section Council meeting at the NCBA Bar Center.  This is the first meeting I’ve attended in person. Usually I am on conference call and booming my thoughts to the group via voice box.   Thanks to the Chair, Lee Rosen, these meetings are about the least boring I’ve ever been in and worth the two hour drive up to Raleigh. 

    At each session, we have an educational “mini-CLE” for the council members.  This past Friday’s mini-CLE was presented by Mark Scruggs of NC Lawyers Mutual which provides services to attorneys licensed to practice in North Carolina.   Mark engaged us in a great “refresher” session on the top malpractice issues and how to avoid them.  Many of these tips are ones that every attorney knows by heart, but it can’t hurt to occasionally review the basics. 

    For the attorney with a virtual law practice, it might good to review these rules and put them in the perspective of how they apply to the use of technology to deliver legal services online.  Here are some of the reminders for avoiding malpractice that Mark discussed.  He did not talk about virtual law practice, but I’ve added here below how I thought they related to an attorney practicing law online.  These tips were based on those issues for which his company sees the most malpractice claims filed. (more…)

  • Happy New Year – Going on Year 4

    Happy New Year!   I reviewed many of the virtual law practice news from 2009 in my last post.  In this post I want to look forward to the year ahead by providing some news about my own virtual law office and upcoming speaking/sharing engagements.

    2010 will mark year four of owning my own solo, virtual law practice.  I opened Kimbro Legal Services in the winter of 2006 right around the time that I welcomed my daughter to the world.  I remember being so excited about taking the leap into my own solo practice but also trying to ignore the negative comments that other attorneys had shared with me regarding the idea of making the practice completely web-based.  And four years later, virtual law practice is something that is being embraced by the legal profession and expanding in innovation and technology way beyond what I had imagined back in ’06.  I’m so grateful to be able to share my experiences with other attorneys and to assist them in setting up their own virtual law offices.

    Looking forward to 2010, there will be several opportunities to share information about virtual law practices with others in the legal community.  (more…)

  • 2009 Recap of Virtual Law Practice

    This year has brought the legal profession closer to the acceptance of virtual law practice as a method of delivering legal services through the use of technology.  Virtual law practices are improving access to and affordability of legal services to the general public.  For legal professionals, practicing law online provides the flexibility to create innovative and unique law practices that provide improved work/life balance in addition to professional success. 

    In this post I wanted to review some of the online articles related to virtual law practice that came out in 2009.  As more virtual law firms launch in 2010, expect to see the tone of these articles change to include more detailed discussions about technology and ethics issues involved in the delivery of legal services online as well as discussions about different structures of virtual law practices that are now in the planning stages.  This might include multi-jurisdictional virtual law firms with interesting fee and management structures, using a virtual law office as a non-profit to provide pro bono legal services, “cost-co” type firms with registration fees, and other unique ways that legal professionals are envisioning the use of the technology to collaborate with attorneys and clients online.   

    I work mostly with other solos and small firms who are opening virtual law practices, but I have spoken with many other attorneys who envision collaboration with others to expand their practices beyond the solo or small firm realm.  More legal SaaS products are also entering the market, each with a different focus and concept about what virtual law practice can be.   It will be interesting to see what develops in 2010 not only in terms of what structures individual attorneys come up with, but what new features and functionalities the technology will bring.  There are also major changes in the legal profession happening in the UK and abroad that may serve as an influence here in the States.

    Along with many others, I see great potential for virtual law practice to even the playing field for access to justice in our country.   Of all of the benefits, I think this may be the most important goal for the profession to keep in mind as it moves forward in defining and supporting the use of technology to deliver legal services. 

    That said, here is a list of virtual law practice in the news in 2009.  I’m going to limit myself to mostly North American news here to keep the list manageable, but be aware that similar articles are popping up within other countries’ legal professions.  I’m also posting both the negative and the positive articles on the topic and they are in no particular order. 

    Know of any more?  Feel free to pass them along.

    Mid-Year Review of Virtual Law Practice in the News — a round-up post from January 2009 – July 2009 with links to articles

    ABA eLawyering Task Force publishes Draft Minimum Guidelines for Virtual Law Practice

    The Firms of the Future, Jordan Furlong, Law21

    An Office Can be Virtual, but Client Service Can’t, Edward Poll, Canadian Bar Association, National Magazine

    Virtually Legal:  Bricks and borders place no restrictions on the growing wave of virtual lawyers, Alison Arnot, Canadian Bar Association, National Magazine

    The Virtual Paralegal Podcast, The Paralegal Voice, Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin

    4 Steps to Starting a Virtual Law Office, Jay Fleischman, The Untethered Lawyer

    Legal Implications of Cloud Computing — Part One, David Navetta, Information Law Group (not so much related to attorneys practicing law online, but a good explanation of “cloud computing”)

    The Virtual Law Office — Not Your Father’s Cloud, Donna Seyle, Freelance Law Firm

    Virtual Law Firm Rimon Law Group Welcomes Four New Partners, Dec., 2009

    Does the Future Belong to Virtual Law Firms?, Francesca Heintz, EDD Blog Online

    Unbundled Legal Services Or Self-Represented Consumers? You Decide., Jay Fleischman, The Untethered Lawyer

    Setting up a Web-based Virtual Law Office, Stephanie Kimbro, ABA GP/Solo & Small Firm Division Technology eReport

    SaaS Security: Can you Trust your Data in the Cloud, Jack Newton, ABA GP/Solo & Small Firm Division Technology eReport

    Disaster Ahead for Lawyers Unwilling to Change, Richard Susskind, ABA Journal Legal Rebels Blog

    lawtechTalk Episode #5: Cloud Computing and Your Law Practice, Nicole Black, lawtechTalk

    Adding a Virtual Law Office to your Practice, Stephanie Kimbro, Lawyerist

  • Virtual Law Practice Teleconference and Live Audio Webcast

    This upcoming Thursday, December 17 at 1pm EST, Richard Granat, Marc Lauritsen and myself will be co-presenting a CLE teleconference and live audio webcast entitled “The Virtual Law Firm: Benefits, Costs and Ethical Pitfalls to Avoid.”  It is sponsored by the American Bar Association LPM Section and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education.

    From the program description, the topics that will be covered include:

    • What is a “virtual law firm”
    • The benefits of delivering legal services online
    • The web architecture for a virtual law firm
    • Online applications, such as web-enabled document automation
    • Ethical issues in the delivery of online legal services, including confidentiality, security, unauthorized practice of law, client identification, conflict of interest checking and client authentication procedures
    • Criteria of vendor selection
    • The costs associated with setting up a virtual law practice
    • Marketing your brand and virtual law practice online

    If  you are interested in virtual law practice or are operating a virtual law firm, please consider joining us for this session.  In addition to some really practical advice on this form of delivering legal services using technology, the session will also provide 1.5 hours of CLE credit in most states.  Have any specific questions you would like answered during the conference?  Please drop a line in the comments section below or email me.

    UPDATE: The teleconference had a really nice turnout and we received great questions from the audience both on the phone and online. I believe the recording of the CLE and materials will now be available for purchase from the ABA at some point.

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

    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.

  • Minimum Requirements for Delivering Legal Services Online

    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.

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