Jones,+Bill


 * Five good things about a virtual law office.**

Quality of life, flexible hours

Clients don't have to travel and can be asynchronous with many interactions

Saves money: less staff, usually no need for a bricks and mortar office

Can offer employees a telecommute capability

More physical security for attorneys


 * Five things that could go wrong about a virtual law office.**

Failing to renew your domain name

Being hacked or subjected to Denial of Service attacks

1 week power failure

Price war with other virtual offices driving down profit.

Unbundling may make it harder to make desirable profits as compared to the handling of more complex cases

Description of e-Lawyering

eLawyering is doing legal work – not just marketing – over the Web. Pioneering practitioners have found dramatic new ways to communicate and collaborate with clients and other lawyers, produce documents, settle disputes, interact with courts, and manage legal knowledge. eLawyering encompasses all the ways in which lawyers can do their work using the Web and associated technologies. For most lawyering “verbs” – interview, investigate, counsel, draft, advocate, analyze, negotiate, manage, etc. – there are corresponding Internet-based tools and technologies. eLawyering and its lawyer-less analogs present fundamental challenges for our profession. There are great dangers, but also great opportunities for attorneys. To be successful in the coming era, lawyers will need to know how to practice over the Web, manage client relationships in cyberspace, and ethically offer “unbundled” services.
 * James I. Keane Memorial Award** **For Excellence in eLawyering**

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Description at Wikipedia of Virtual law firm

A Virtual Law Office, or VLO, is an online law practice that exists through a secure log-in portal and can be accessed by both client and attorney anywhere an internet connection is available. In contrast to a traditional law practice, a VLO allows attorneys and clients to communicate securely over the internet, download or upload documents, and conduct other business normally conducted face-to-face over the internet. Conducting business through the log-in portal is different from conducting business over email, as the log-in portal is secure and must adhere to strict regulations and standards. A completely virtual law office will conduct all business online, while some small practices choose to integrate a VLO log-in portal to provide more options to their clients. The features offered by a virtual law office depend on the particular vendor, but basic features center around a securely hosted, web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that stores documents as part of a cloud computing system. By storing documents and information on an external server – and allowing log-in through a secure, encrypted portal – documents can be accessed and shared by both client and attorney[|[4]]. A VLO allows clients and their attorneys to message and communicate securely, schedule appointments online, and upload and download documents. Attorneys running a VLO can also sync their firm’s calendars, sell documents online, and use a “virtual receptionist” service to handle administrative tasks[|[5]]. Attorneys also save on paper and printing costs by providing documents online, and both parties can access the VLO portal at any time of the day.
 * Virtual Law Office **
 * Features **

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What are the benefits of a web-based law office?
Unlike traditional law firms which are constrained by time and location, my clients can access this law office 24 hours a day and 7 days a week from any location through a secure Internet connection. This means that you have the flexibility to communicate with me after you put the kids to bed, on the weekends, early in the morning before work, or any other time it is convenient for you. Simply contact me through your client account and leave a message. I’ll respond as quickly as possible. In addition to being convenient, a web-based law office has an another benefit. Since I don’t have a traditional brick and mortar office, my fees are generally more reasonable than firms paying for showy offices in prime locations. Legal services can be expensive, and this sometimes discourages people from seeking competent legal counsel. By utilizing technology and eliminating costs associated with operating a physical law office, I am able to provide clients quality legal services in the most cost-effective way possible.

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