Virtual Lawyering: Expanding Your Practice
Process, Resources and, Implementation
Priya Prakash Royal, Esq., LL.M.
ROYAL LAW FIRM PLLC
January 14, 2016
1
Royal Law Firm PLLC
royalesq.com
800.409.0211
Introduction
• Priya Prakash Royal
• Royal Law Firm PLLC – Roots and relevance
• Experience: advanced degrees – LL.M. and MBA
(pending), medium and large NJ law firms, litigation
and transactional, former IRS attorney (NJ/DC), nonprofit executive board, valuation analyst training,
journalism background.
• Focus areas: Tax, Business, Trusts & Estates
• Jurisdictions: PA, NJ, NY, DC, MD
From one to many: the process
• Solo and Small Firm Attorneys: Expanding to a
multijurisdictional practice
• Market research
• Customers, cost, capability
• Barriers and Ethical Issues
• Rules against the unauthorized practice of Law:
Example: Rule 49(a) D.C. Ct. of Appeals and ABA Model
Rule 8.5(a): ”A lawyer admitted to practice in this
jurisdiction is subject to the disciplinary authority of this
jurisdiction, regardless of where the lawyer’s conduct
occurs.”
Across Jurisdictions, Cont'd
• Business Plan
• Professional liability insurance coverage for
multijurisdictional practitioners
• Staying abreast on legal updates: Resources,
network and niches.
• E-Signature and Client communication
• Electronic office resources
• Examples: MyCase, RightSignature, Virtual
receptionist/paralegal, Gotomeeting, virtual
offices and opensource software
A virtual but traditional office
• Law traditionally a local practice but changing – creates
opportunities for skilled attorneys with time and resource
limitations
• Face-to-face meetings across timezones: Videoconferencing
and the virtual office for global clients
• Also use for marketing globally - Examples
• Use value added services to incorporate benefits of traditional
brick and mortar office into a flexible remote office model
Virtual Office Staffing, Document Management Systems,
Electronic Signature Tools, Modified Phone Systems, etc.
• Examples
Developing an expanded niche
practice
• Find the best areas of practice – individual considerations
• ABA Model Rules 7.1, 7.2 and 7.4: The rules against
“expertise” and advertising a niche practice
• Establish of counsel and co-counsel relationships. Ethical
issues.
• Of Counsel rules: ABA Formal Op. 330 (1972) and ABA
Formal Op. 90-357 (1990).
• Engagement letters and compensation agreements
Managing the expanded niche
• Use relationships and resources in law and beyond to
serve the client’s needs.
• Publishing, seminars, events, and business cards
• Process and Project Management in Legal Practice
Example: using charts (Microsoft Project) to set
timelines for a client seeking legal services in global
expansion.
• Efficiency and accuracy focused.
• Majority of the time in the firm is on building not billing
Marketing and Advertising
• Use social media effectively to advertise an expanded
niche practice
• Blogging – on and off website
• Publishing – electronic resources
• Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• Market in multiple jurisdictions without engaging in the
unauthorized practice of law
• Develop client and non-legal professional relationships to
expand presence
• Passions, hobbies and non-profit partnerships
Increasing ROR in a Virtual practice
• Collaborate with experienced attorneys and legal
professionals
• Retain staff on a project basis and provide virtual tools
for work. Use staff and technology for routine tasks.
• Develop law practice management goals based on
serving clients without time or location barriers instead of
reducing overhead.
• Incorporate technological resources to provide direct
and personal communication with clients routinely
• Keywords and networks
Thank you!
Priya Prakash Royal, Esq., LL.M.
Royal Law Firm PLLC
1725 I St. NW, Ste 300
Washington DC 20006
www.royalesq.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (800) 409-0211