Several of my friends have been moving their practices to new locations, and it got me thinking: What should I consider when finding a new location for a law firm?
When it comes to selecting the right location and building for a law office, there's a whole lot more to it than a roof and a spot to hang a sign on. There are several factors to consider in order to ensure the success of your firm.
First, consider the location of your office. It's important to choose a location that is accessible to your clients and potential clients. This may mean choosing a location that is near public transportation, major highways, or popular landmarks.
Additionally, assess the demographics of the area and whether it is a good fit for your target clientele. Determine your regional coverage strategy. Do you plan to administer multiple small offices in different parts of the region, or are you looking for one centrally located office? Finally, in this time of tight labor markets, consider where your work force lives.
While a five-minute commute from your house is great, a reliable and savvy paralegal who shows up every day and efficiently cranks out what you need done will transform your life.
Next, think about the type of building that would best suit your law office. A professional office building or a building that is specifically designed for legal practices might be the best fit. Consider the size and layout of the building, as well as the amenities that it offers.
It's important to have enough space to accommodate your staff and clients, as well as room for growth in the future. What complimentary business are in the building? Mediation? Discovery support, indexing and scanning? Café?
Do the amenities include conference rooms, fitness centers and in building parking?
Another important factor to consider is the security of the building. Law offices often handle sensitive and confidential information, so it's important to choose a building that has adequate security measures in place, such as security cameras, secure entry, and a guard-staffed front desk. It’s also crucial to ensure your chosen office location allows for expansion.
That means choosing a location with ample office space to scale. This is important should you want to scale your law firm by hiring more employees or bringing in more equipment. While most industries now store their data on the cloud, law firms still may require a secure place to store and review their client’s case files.
That means choosing a secure and convenient office location with plenty of room to accommodate your operations. Your office location should offer the necessary technological services, such as internet connectivity, to support your firm’s needs.
Your office should make the right impression with your target client base. For Plaintiff’s firms, that may mean "big enough to stand up to the big boys and protect your rights."
For defense firms, that may mean "professional enough to get the job done, without extravagant flourishes to justify needlessly high fees."
Professional, hands-on management is one of those things you'll notice if its missing. You want to spend your days thinking about your client’s legal issues, or how to build your practice, not the temperature in your office or the soap in the bathroom. You need office management that won’t let construction interrupt your crucial recorded deposition.
I chose 500 N. Broadway in Downtown St. Louis as Burger Law's main office. Its central location allows us to attract our talented staff from all across the region.
When you walk into its bright, modern, glassed-in lobby, there is no doubt that we have what it takes to stand up to the big boys. We had no issues expanding when we needed more space to better serve our clients. Our friends at United States Arbitration and Mediation are just across the hall and Precise Legal Discovery support services is in the lobby.
Finally, the building ownership and management offices are in the building, and are responsive to our every need.
You know, after writing this, it almost feels like an ad for my building. Maybe that's a good thing. I could always use some more friends in the neighborhood! If you're interested in learning more about our building, you can contact Bob Guller at rguller@bebmanagement.com.