Working from home has gone from ‘nice to have’ to necessity overnight as law firms learn how to work effectively through lockdown. Some firms, particularly ‘NewLaw’ firms, seem to have adjusted unnervingly well. However, for the 42% of law firms who were not on the cloud by mid-March 2020, the rush online, while essential, has not been easy.
How do you maintain your duty of confidentiality and keep your firm files secure? How do you discuss sensitive, complex, often emotionally wrought issues over Zoom or Microsoft Teams? How do you acclimatise your entire client base - and attract new clients - through our brave new online reality?
Insights has compiled a checklist to help you get started, addressing how you can use cloud technology to run your law firm productively, stay connected, and adhere to your professional obligations as a lawyer set forth by your local law society.
1. Use easy to learn technology common to law firms like yoursDon’t reinvent the wheel. In recent weeks, you may have seen your LinkedIn feed filled with photos of conference calls on Zoom, or heard some firm is ‘moving to Teams.’ This means the technology is widely used and easy to learn, which are the main metrics you should use to select your work from home (‘WFH’) technology.
However, with our populations going online in a way never before seen, some simple rules of thumb apply to maximise bandwidth - and ensure your calls don’t descend into ‘sorry, you’re breaking up’ due to uneven internet connections.
Zoom: Keep your meeting numbers small where possible. A meeting with forty participants, all with video, can result in people’s voices breaking up or screens freezing, which can inevitably disrupt the rhythm of the meeting. If a participant’s screen is freezing or their voice is unclear, they should switch off their video. This puts less strain on their internet connection - especially if there are ch ildren streaming videos in another room.
Microsoft Teams / Slack: While these technologies provide great ways to ask quick questions - the kind of questions you would normally pop into someone’s office or call them for - they do risk becoming the equivalent of water cooler chat. Divide your time between getting the answers you need, connecting socially with colleagues, and getting the work done - just as you would in the office.
Practice Management Software: You need practice management software that genuinely does not require you and your colleagues to be in an office. It is worth doing your research. Capterra provides a comprehensive comparison list of legal practice management software options for lawyers around the world, and includes product reviews.
You may also wish to ask NewLaw firms what works for them. For example, Marianne Marchesi, founder of award-winning NewLaw firm Legalite, uses practice management software which allows her practice manager to work from the Great Ocean Road, while other Legalite lawyers work from Melbourne.
Every firm is different. What is most important is that the software you choose is easy for you to learn and use.
2. Change your workflow to keep the firm connected, on track and accountableAs lockdowns swept the world, the organisations which most swiftly transitioned to working from home did so by changing their workflow. Rather than relying on meetings in person or being able to head up the hall for advice, organise a short morning meeting with your immediate team.
In tech companies, this is known as the ‘What’s Up’ huddle. Each team member raises what they’re working on - preferably in 1 minute or less - providing an opportunity for managers to give feedback or steer them in a better direction. After this discussion, each team members alerts the team to any problems - known as ‘roadblocks’ - that delaying their ability to complete a task. Roadblocks can be solved by the manager or by other team members who may have insight into the issue. ‘What’s Up’ huddles end with ‘Last Words’ - a chance for any team member to mention when they may be offline to pick up children or get groceries.
Schedule this meeting at an odd time - for example, 9.16am - as this minimises the chance for people to be 5mins late. Start strictly on time so everyone becomes disciplined about these meeting times.
In the afternoon, run a second ‘What’s Completed’ huddle before 5pm. Preferably this should occur between 3-4pm.
Other meetings can occur with smaller groups of people actively involved in solving particular problems or pushing forward projects. This reduces strain on internet connections and improves efficiency.
3. Maintain client confidentiality through secure online filing and collaborationWith Federal Court data breaches hitting the headlines, maintaining confidentiality and security is top of mind for every law firm now working from home. Contrary to popular misconception, storing your law firm files online can be safe - depending on how your cloud storage is secured.
Dropbox, for example, can be useful, but its design is geared towards sharing information rather than keeping it secure.
Law firms are best advised to seek an option with the most robust security options available. Tresorit is a popular choice for law firms including 4NewSquare, a commercial organisation of UK barristers. Tresorit features end-to-end encryption, cryptographic key sharing and client-side integrity protection, ensuring that files cannot be modified - even if they are hacked.
4. Stay open for business onlineHow do law firms keep networking for new business without CLE conferences, community events or sponsorships? If your LinkedIn photo is blank and your profile description empty, now is the time to dust off your most professional photo and write a short 2-3 paragraphs on what you do as a lawyer, why you enjoy doing it, and how people can contact you. Don’t ‘sell’ your services here. Be authentic.
If you need a profile picture in a hurry, wear a suit and get a headshot against any white wall on your smartphone.
Aim to post at least once a week on LinkedIn about an issue that relates to your area of law. Be helpful. You might provide an update on how the lockdown laws work from a criminal law perspective, or options for employees recently made redundant or employers looking to access government tax incentives, or wage subsidies.
List how potential clients can engage you on LinkedIn. For example, LawTap allows clients to view when a lawyer is available and schedule phone or video conferences; lawyers set their own availabilities based on whenever suits them best.
Currently, LawTap users can access $200-1000 funding to help your law firm with online marketing and advertising, part of a $250,000 global fund.
5. Task tech-savvy team members to upskill and train the teamNot everyone is a ‘digital native’, and not everyone needs to be. Enlist your most tech-savvy team members to learn new software and teach the team. This may not be your youngest employee; it could simply be the ‘early adopter’ - the person keen to try new technology.
Most software is intuitive and easy to use, minimising the learning curve required to get started. Use available online guides to learn new software, and schedule team training sessions to run through how to use the software. Record these sessions for anyone who cannot attend.
Most importantly, stay connected. Celebrate wins at the end of the week through Friday afternoon drinks over zoom, run mid-week yoga sessions as a team, or send photos of your emergency ‘work from home’ setup.
As we stay in to assist health care professionals, grocery workers, and delivery drivers to minimise the spread of COVID-19, we are letting our colleagues and clients into our lives. This should not be shunned but embraced. Share your cat napping over your laptop in protest, or how you’re keeping fit or children entertained and educated. Self-isolation does not mean social isolation, and staying connected while we work from home will give us the best, positive frame of mind to work effectively through lockdown.