Working Remotely With Your Attorney

Advancements in technology in the last decade have made it commonplace to conduct business online. From a surge in work-from-home environments – down to the ability to have the most essential items delivered right to your doorstep – remote culture has arrived.

But what does that mean when it comes to working with your attorney? Can you really work remotely with your attorney – or an entire legal team – and still expect the same level of service, the same outcome, and the same experience?

There isn’t necessarily a short answer, especially when it comes to the ‘Is it the same experience?’ question. It’s impossible for the two experiences to be the same, but thanks to those technology advancements – and the dedication of legal professionals to ensuring they can still serve their clients with limited in-person interactions – it’s not only possible but, in some cases, can be a preferable option.

It Saves Time

Like so many members of the workforce that have discovered the immense time saved not having to commute, the same is true when you begin working with your attorney remotely. Not only does it save drive time, but it allows more flexibility in scheduling. If you only need to block out 45 minutes to sit on a remote call – rather than two hours to account for travel time – it can be much easier to fit important correspondence into your daily schedule.

In turn, this can make communication with your attorney less stressful and make the entire process of your legal matter easier.

Broadens Your Attorney Options

You may absolutely love a law firm close to where you used to live, but you recently moved. And while you’re still in-state, the drive to that law firm is no longer 15 minutes, now it’s an hour and 15 minutes. But by working remotely, you can still maintain those relationships and continue using the lawyers you’ve become comfortable with – without having to take on the inconvenience of a long drive.

Tips to Make it Work

Much like working from home has been a learning curve, so is working remotely with your attorney. Benefits aside, it still takes some getting used to, and there are a few small steps that can make the transition easier.

1. 1. 1. Let your attorney know if you prefer video calls – Zoom and Google Meet have become a staple the past year and a half. While it’s not the same as sitting in person, putting a “face to the voice” of your attorney is clearly beneficial, and will make you feel more comfortable with the relationship. If you’re in favor of video calls, ask your attorney if perhaps at least one of your correspondences a month (depending on how often you are speaking) could be via video chat.
      2. Discuss multiple platforms of communication – – When you’re not intending to spend a lot of time face-to-face with your attorney, it can be helpful to open a few mediums of communication so that you still feel connected to your case. Email and phone calls are a more-than-efficient means of correspondence, and important documents can be sent confidentially via secure portals and password-protected formats.
      3. Pay close attention to policies and procedures –  If your attorney is providing the option to work with them remotely, chances are they have meticulous procedures in place to maintain confidentiality and effective communication. To keep things running smoothly, it’s important to take careful note of these procedures and make sure to follow them. If your attorney presents a preferred method for document-sharing, it’s most likely in place to protect your privacy. Making sure to align with the preferred processes your lawyer implements for the important aspects of your case can help make working with them remotely an easy, seamless process.

Teleworking with your attorney can be a great experience, and it comes with a host of benefits. When looking for the right legal team to work with, ask what their options may be for working remotely to determine if it may be the right fit for you.