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Running a top notch legal office takes more than those years of training in law school may have prepared you for. Given that legal offices are a business and have to be run as such, the average attorney may wish he or she had taken a few more business courses while in school. If you follow a few simple guidelines, though, you should have your new legal office up and running in no time. These guidelines would be appropriate for all types of law firms, from criminal law to corporate law. The first step should be the easiest since it involves filling out legal forms. Be sure to get all the relevant permits required by the local governmental agencies. You might want to start with the local city revenue departments and work from there. Then, just as with any business, you will need to find the right location for the office. The legal specialty you plan to practice likely will have a bearing on where you locate. A criminal law office, for example, may want to be near the courthouse, while a personal injury practice may rather locate within the community or near medical facilities. With the office space secured, you will need to furnish it with computers, file cabinets, desks, and other necessary equipment, keeping in mind that the style of the office should reflect the personality of the attorney. Stuffy and conservative may not do for an office that is youthful and active in the community. Consider getting help from a professional interior designer who has a focus on creating the right office atmosphere. Your office decor will say a lot about you to clients, who will get an impression of your firm from the moment they walk in. Office design also can help boost productivity and reduce absenteeism. Staffing the office will be an ongoing and vital task. Interview questions you put toward applicants should relate to your major concerns. Of course, you will want to find people who show competence and have a solid legal background. You may also want to find out about their personalities, hobbies, likes, and dislikes to get a better idea if they will fit with your eventual team and be easy to work with. In addition to furniture for the general office, you will also want to establish a healthy law library that is available for you and your staff to conduct the continuous and voluminous research you will need in your practice. The proper and most up-to-date reference tools will make this legal research much easier to achieve for the relevant staff. These tools should include software systems that are available for your particular specialty. One thing a member of the bar does not want to do is run into troubles with the tax collector, so proper accounting is a major concern. You may want to find a reputable and recommended accounting firm that has a concentration in legal accounting. There also are accounting software products that can help your firm keep up to speed with billing, payroll, insurance, and other payments and income. Following these guides and taking advantage of the knowledge gained by fellow attorneys will help you establish a thriving law practice with minimum hassle.
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