It May Be Awkward at First, But Their Offices Suffice

Some years back Susan Share was at a deposition for a lawsuit at which the opposing attorney was 45 minutes late. When he eventually appeared, the lawyer apologized and explained his tardiness by saying he had gone to Share’s office first. At the time the incident took place, as is the case today, Share did not have an office for her law practice. The opposing attorney had actually gone to the address where Share kept a post office box. “He was so kind,” Share recalled. “Here he was on the other side and he didn’t say anything about (my not having an office).” Share and many attorneys like her have turned away from the traditional office setting in favor of working from home. On the plus side, this type of arrangement means there is no commute, no monthly payment for rented space, and an easier time handling childcare responsibilities and daily errands. The downside is that not all practice areas are conducive to working from home and the risk of not being taken seriously by clients because there is no fancy office. Helped by technology Technological advances in computers, mobile devices and super-fast broadband connections do make this type of work environment cutting edge. “It is amazing they’ve been able to take a solo practice setting and completely transformed it into a new dynamic,” said Patricia McCabe, a Van Nuys attorney who uses virtual office space when handling cases in Las Vegas. The virtual office – space rented for a short period of time to meet with clients – is just one option available to lawyers wanting a non-traditional setting. Darrell Harriman, for instance, works out of a guest house at his home in North Hills, while Glenn Truitt has a home office set up in Burbank from which he operates MyContractsGuy.com, his law firm specializing in reviewing and drawing up contracts. Even when working for a firm, Truitt concentrated in documents and did not see many clients. It was an easy transition when he went on his own. That the practice deals in paper work for small businesses, entrepreneurs and entertainment industry clients makes it easier for Truitt to work from home, much as the estate planning work Share does and the general civil practice of Harriman lend themselves to their respective office settings. While his primary contact with clients is through e-mail and phone calls, Truitt will meet face-to-face when required and will use a place that is comfortable for them. Cutting costs Meeting at the client’s office has not been a problem and eliminates any thought of the cost involved, Truitt said. “You get traction out of not inviting people into a lavish legal office,” Truitt said. Harriman has worked out of his home for going on eight years, first from an office in the family room and then, after moving to a new home, into a guesthouse. A big benefit to working in the guesthouse is reduced stress: Harriman can walk to the “office” and can return to the main house for lunch or to pick up something he had forgotten. “It is much lower pressure situation for me,” Harriman said. The image problem of working from home was met head on by Harriman in an article he wrote for Valley Lawyer, the publication of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. From his personal experience and the experience of several attorneys interviewed for the article, Harriman concluded that clients can be enthusiastic about using a home-based attorney and that a huge loss of business is not guaranteed. In working with her older clients, Share has found they enjoy when she comes to visit them and takes her time to explain about estate planning. “For younger clients, it is a turn off (not having an office),” Share admitted. “They are looking for the gold plaque on the wall; want a more structured (environment) so it gives validation to the work being done.”