How to present my business to attorneys?

[Bradley Legal Admin]

How do I establish a legal clientelle? How do I connect with the legal community to present my business? What legal programs should I purchase? I'm not sure how to present what I can do when I am asked about what my business is about. I usually say it is a virtual administrative office available to provide legal and general administrative assistance to companies who require help. I need help with how to present myself eloquently.

[katekindred]

Hi Cindy, someone once told me to use words a 3rd grader could understand when marketing. This is not meant to be critical, but lose the jargon, "virtual administrative", etc. and describe the specific services you offer. Pick an area of law you like best and focus on that. The programs you need will depend on which areas of law you work in.

[Bradley Legal Admin]

Hi Cindy, someone once told me to use words a 3rd grader could understand when marketing. This is not meant to be critical, but lose the jargon, "virtual administrative", etc. and describe the specific services you offer. Pick an area of law you like best and focus on that. The programs you need will depend on which areas of law you work in.

Thanks, Kate. The posts I have read are very interesting so far. I am learning a lot of helpful tips. Thanks to all!

[Wordpro Wizard]

Hi Cindy, as I mentioned in a previous post Canadian lawyers are very behind the times when it comes to staffing and business management. Most may be brilliant lawyers but they have absolutely no idea how to run a streamlined and profitable business. That said, there is a new breed coming on board, mostly younger and forward thinking.

As far as programs are concerned, I wouldn't worry about it for now as they are terribly expensive and you likely won't need them. A lawyer can provide you with templates for documents they commonly use. Many savvy new solos/small firms are using Clio (goclio.com) which is web based and provides all the programs they need at a reasonable monthly fee. As it's web based, should a lawyer use Clio, you can be added as a remote user.

Should a lawyer be using the traditional set of programs you can access those programs remotely through Logmein. Note, you can only access the "lead" computer when it's not in use so that may be a problem timewise, however if you're entering dockets or something that could be done in off hours that would work.

The majority of lawyers dictate. Some use digital which can be emailed to you to transcribe, but mostly they still use tapes so you'd have to arrange to receive them and have the transcription equipment available. Don't buy anything right now. Even if a lawyer uses tapes he may have a spare transcription machine you could use. Hang in and see exactly what is required before you buy anything.

In any event I would lose the "virtual" aspect in your early contact with prospective lawyer clients, concentrating on the benefits (huge cost savings, flexibility etc.). Once you've got their interest you can ease them into the virtual idea, i.e. virtual=much lower overhead+flexibility+++.

Good luck!

Lynne

[Time Balancers]

How do you handle paperwork from attorneys? The actual paperwork? (With some of my attorneys, I do spend 2-3 hours ever other week in their offices filing paperwork. However, I do new file set up at my office so that all I am filing is mail that was sent to them. All emails are copied to me so I print out hard copy for the files. However, with some of the attorneys, they use students to do the physical filing as I am in another state.)

If the lawyer doesn't have everything scanned into the computer, how do you get the paperwork? Do you go to the office? Is it mailed? (I have been known to go to the office and mailing works as well. Much of the paperwork is electronic and is on my server.)

Has the lawyer ever asked how your office is set up? For privacy concerns? Have they asked about your computer? (Yes, and I have very strong firewalls on the computers and servers. Everything is passworded which are changed no less often than monthly. Because I work from home, no one comes into my office.)

In other words...how do you set up your legal VA practice at home? Hope that is helpful.

[Bradley Legal Admin]

Thanks so much Lynne! This is a whole new world and quite frankly, it scares me to death! I know my job but I am not business oriented. I don't have a clue what to do!

[debw241]

Oh wow - made this HUGE reply and went back a page to look at something and LOST IT!

Good to see you in other threads Cindy! Don't be as worried about WHAT to do as to focus on DO, DO, DO.

Re presentation - what to say -- Other threads have talked about a WELCOME PACKET. I give that AFTER they are a client. I like to give out an INTRODUCTORY FILE FOLDER. Especially since most of the initial contact is with the secretary/receptionist/gate keepers. Important to make a good relationship with them and to let them know you are there to help them NOT take their job. Perhaps as you leave it for Office Manager or Attorney -- you may seek a short call back appointment. If that is not possible - let them know you will be calling back. Leave in person if local but of course email if strictly going virtual.

You may want to include in it:
* Introductory letter
* Brochure
* Business Card
* A little about you, your business (this can be taken from your website)
* Blank Paper - HEADING: What do you really hate to do? What mundane thing takes you away from what YOUR job? or something like that... (I use this then to meet with/contact them - brain storm how my services can help them) -- I also note this on the paper
* Services you offer - (perhaps specific to attorney)
There are lists on VAF too i.e. things you could do for them for one hour services
* Rates/Special Packages etc.

Don't forget to grab all business cards in office. If no business card - ask for email

Good to leave INTRODUCTORY FILE also with local Bar Association.

Remember to follow up! Thank them for their time -- even if contact is only general email through their website - it lets them know you were in office, left folder, and what your website/contact information is, AND that you will be contacting them again. That may be good time to set up appt if you are going to do that. Remember their TIME is MONEY -- BUT you are going to save them $$ or at the very least free them up to focus on making $$.

[Wordpro Wizard]

Great post Deb, but Canada is so different ... lawyers are mostly back in the dark ages and will never respond to "marketing" - in fact it makes them go flee and hide under the desk. There is a new breed of younger ones coming on board that are forward thinking and I have one as a prospect (and another prospect who is a senior QC setting up on his own), but they are very few and far between.

Canadian lawyers, for the most part, are back in the days of the horse and buggy "that's the way we've always done it". I speak from experience of working in small towns to working with international law firms on Bay Street. They'll get over it in time.

The lawyer clients you are likely to get are those that are sole practitioners and in one heck of a major mess, also unlikely to pay you and/or bounce cheques. Over the years I've worked with 2 or 3 of those. I always insisted on getting paid (though I had to threaten one with small claims court) and all 3 were stealing from the trust account money so I got rid of them (nicely and diplomatically).

Lynne

[Wordpro Wizard]

Oh, and the last one I "fired" owed me $1,200 but I had a number of his client corporate minute books for updating and frankly I held them as hostage until I got paid in full. Never PO a woman

Lynne

[VeeVA]

I worked as a paralegal for eight years and confidentially is really stressed in this field. Thanks for the great information on how to set-up your home office, and target the attorney markets.