As we touched on in class, the concept of the law office has undergone a foundational shift in recent years. COVID-19 accelerated the growth of work from home and hybrid work style office space, giving lawyers much more choice when deciding where to work. Before I did the readings for class 3 and 4 I was pretty firmly in the work from home camp. In my mind it made little sense to pay for an office space and bind yourself to one location when you could save money, time, and flexibility by working out of your house. However, I thought Brian Tanenbaum’s advocation for the traditional law office was interesting, and his arguments about the hidden benefits of the brick-and-mortar law office were persuasive. For one thing it felt like part of his message was that the law office was an extension of the lawyer, and by establishing a practice in a traditional office space potential clients are shown that you are competent, professional, and serious. In a sense, physical office space is more than a place to work, it can also be a useful marketing/psychological tool to let clients know who you are and what you do. I never thought about a physical office that way, and it is definitely worth considering when deciding where to open a new legal practice.
That being said, I personally would still be a little apprehensive about jumping into traditional office space as a young attorney just starting out. I think that working in a hybrid workspace gives a new firm or solo practitioner more freedom and time to build the practice the way they want. My fear is that entering into a rental agreement out of the gate puts pressure on an attorney to begin making money right away to cover overhead. And the last thing I want is to be making business decisions out of desperation. That’s why I still think it’s best to begin a practice at home or in some kind of shared workplace; that way you can build up the practice and client base to your liking, without worrying how you’re going to pay rent next month. And as we discussed in class there are many working arrangements and office sharing plans that give lawyers the ability to use office space when they need it and without renting an office outright.
Ultimately, there is probably not a single correct answer when it comes to choosing the kind of office a new lawyer plans on working in. I think the kind of law that will be practiced, the number of clients, and the local market all play a factor in determining what office option someone should pick. There is something to be said about the traditional office space and its perceived effect on professionalism and credibility. However, new attorneys should be wary of the prohibitively expensive cost of office space and note that many successful legal practices have been built at home or in hybrid workspaces. As the legal profession moves in a more remote direction I believe that traditional office space should be an option rather than a rule.
After WeWork failed, I figured traditional office spaces had permanently lost favor with new-age professionals. I hear the argument for using traditional office spaces to market and convey competence to future clients. However, I think that just means there is an innovation opportunity in that space.
ReplyDeleteHi Anthony, I definitely see both sides to the argument. Working from home provides a convenience, more freedom, and less of a financial burden. Having an office provides a certain image, team building atmosphere, and a more set routine. I believe a great compromise is finding an office space that suits your needs without breaking the bank. For example, my previous employer rented a small office in downtown St. Pete. This provided him a designated office space, address where he could receive mail, and rentable meeting rooms if he needed to handle clients in person. When the attorney was busy or had other events, he worked from home. I believe the most important part of having an office is for your clients. Our clients have no shortage of options for who they take their business to. Having a set location establishes your mark in the specific industry.
ReplyDeleteHey Anthony - solid post. I obviously have no experience being a lawyer, but I thought your point about the traditional office being an extension of the lawyer and a marketing tool was particularly insightful. Thinking just from my gut feeling, I wouldn’t have a warm-and-fuzzy feeling from a lawyer working in a cheap, rundown office. An office that looks professional would make me more apt to take the lawyer on as my representative. I also agree with your caution about jumping into a rental agreement too soon. I would think the financial pressure would be overwhelming for new attorneys. Your suggestion of starting at home or in a shared workspace to build up the practice gradually seems like a smarter and more flexible approach (perhaps with an end goal of a more expensive/professional-looking office once you have the finances to support it.
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