free research

One more way I fake having a real office ... free Westlaw access at the New York City Bar in midtown. Sure, that means commuting into Manhattan when I don't really need to, but today I have a hearing anyway, so here I am. I pay my yearly membership dues, and that gets me unlimited westlaw access (and many other research tools) in the library of the New York City Bar, and gives me limited westlaw access from home (forms, which are pretty useful!). Westlaw subscriptions cost a lot more than the $244/year I will spend in City Bar dues, and of course I am also granted free or cheap CLEs several times a month. Pretty good deal! WHO NEEDS LAW FIRMS? Not I.

Today I am covering an appearance for another attorney, a guy whose parents were my clients at my old firm. Networking, people. That's what it's all about. If you are starting your own business of any sort, the first step is to call everyone you know, and tell them you are already in business. Fake it till you make it.

OK, back to researching ...

My Fake Law Office

So, I am a real lawyer, and I am doing real legal work, but I am doing it in a fake office. Well, it's a real office, I guess, inasmuch as I have a desk and a computer, but it also happens to be adjacent to my washer and dryer, and next door to my baby's room. But it functions just as well as any office I have ever worked in, and here is why:

I have Evernote, a combination iphone app and computer website that helps me keep track of files and documents.

I have eFax, a virtual fax machine that lets me receive faxes at a true (fake) fax number, and sends them to my email.

I have JotNot, an iPhone app that allows me to photograph documents and then magically turns them into scans, and, in combination with Evernote and eFax, lets me fax them to my recipients.

I have Vonage, which allowed me to keep my home phone number (as I discussed below), and which then sends voicemails to my email address. Since I receive emails on my iPhone and am able to play audio files, I can listen to my home voicemail even when I am away from my "office."

I have Flat Rate shipping from the US Postal Service. I ordered boxes of various sizes (for free), and I can print my own labels and schedule pickups at my home. I don't even need to be home when the pickup happens -- I can leave the package outside my door and the mailman will take it.

I have a PayPal account, and can accept payment from my clients online. The only drawback to this is that unless I get a premium PayPal account, I do lose a small percentage of my fee to PayPal processing.

I have EasyBiller, an iPhone app that helps me record all of my billable hours. It sorts the time by client and by matter, and emails me reports in a wonderful, easy to read spreadsheet.

So, that is how I run my real (fake (real)) law practice from my "office." Gotta love technology. If I ever get too busy, I may employ the services of GetFriday.com, so I can have a telephone receptionist and personal assistant (and even light paralegal work).

Of course I do not see clients in my "office." My whole practice is based on making Estate Planning convenient for my clients -- when they are ready to deal with their wills, I come to their home, meet with them where it is easy for them, and I go back to my "office" to do my work ... and then execute the wills in their homes. They think I am the most flexible, accommodating lawyer ever. Nah ... just too cheap to rent my own conference room!