As more and more lawyer clients go online to find a lawyer, it’s essential for the solo law firm and small law firm to build a successful online law practice. Actually, many of the same rules apply for a successful online law practice as with a traditional law practice. And although the Internet makes many things easier on the lawyer and the client, practicing law online might seem intimidating at first. Here are some guidelines to put you on the road to a successful online law practice:
Treat your online legal clients with the same courtesy and promptness that you use for in-person clients.
- Respond to client emails within 24 hours. Get in the habit of checking your messages at least once a day, and budget time every day to respond to client emails.
- Deliver on time, every time. If you promise a client something, make sure you give it to him or her on time.
- Keep up to date with technology, and use all of the online legal tools available to you. The easier you can make things for your client, the happier they will be.
- Make your interactions with online clients as personal as possible. Even though you may never meet in person, you want them to remember you and recommend you.
Be clear about your legal fees and billing procedures.
- Explain your legal rates up front, preferably in an initial free legal consultation with the client. It allows clients to develop honest expectations about your rates, and you will encourage more timely payments if your clients don’t dispute your fees later.
- Use online tools to track your hours and to invoice your legal clients. You are less likely to make a mistake with billing if you can track everything online in the same place.
Create a positive working relationship with your client and grow your online law practice.
- Encourage your clients to be as involved as possible. Allow clients to work collaboratively with you using online documents, for example. Make the process as transparent as you can.
- Remember that every client is important to your online law practice. Ask all of your clients to rate you online – it’s like positive word of mouth, but in this case, you’re being referred to a much larger group of potential online legal clients. First you will need to sign up for a Free Legal Profile, and then give your clients the link. A great idea is to include the link to your legal profile in the footer of your emails with a brief message like “Click here to rate me online.”
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