I’ve worked in a variety of legal settings including a federal judge, a large firm, and a non-profit. One of the most striking differences that stood out to me was how inefficient all of the entities were in different ways.
I’ve had a frugal attitude since the day I was born. I was that little kid who would worry over saving her pennies and hated to buy things with her piggy bank fund. I’ve carried that through to today where I still clip coupons, scour the internet for deals and comparison shop. I have to admit that when I go into practice, I cannot imagine throwing all of those habits out the window, but I feel that many attorneys have that attitude.
In these changing economic times, clients are demanding legal services with a greater value. Some of the costs of a legal practice are fixed, I will admit. Additionally, many lawyers are unwilling to take significant paycuts. That leaves a few places where legal practices can trim their expenses in order to lower the cost of their services. I believe there are areas of business overhead where savings can be found. Just because it’s a business-related expense, that doesn’t mean you can’t seek a deal with very little time-costs. Scan the internet for a cheaper flight on kayak, orbitz, or your favorite travel site. Talk to your internet provider about all of your other options you could go with and you just might find your expenses dropping. When looking up a statute, go to the government internet site rather than Westlaw or Lexis. Recycle old redropes and folders. Keep up with technology in order to find time-management and payroll software that’s time-efficient and inexpensive. Participate in rewards programs. Seek business discounts on cellphone plans. One of the benefits of the economy is that many companies are willing to offer discounts to keep paying customers and there’s no reason not to take advantage of that.
I started shopping around for attorneys who can draft a will for my husband and I, and right now I’m not looking for a fancy foyer with marble. I’m not looking for impressive letterhead. I want a lawyer who will provide quality legal services for a fair price. I’d rather you spend your money on solid security, CLE, and research rather than a fancy dinner. I can’t imagine that there aren’t others like me out there. Slim down your practice. Trim the fat. Attract new clientele.
