Solo Practice

Peter Garcia - Using Technology to Build a Law Practice

I have found that the technology I use is indispensible in serving my clients and building my fledgling practice.  Most importantly, these tools have helped keep my overhead extremely low and pass those savings on to my clients.  This has allowed me to help others who might not have otherwise been able to afford a lawyer, while giving me the ability to cover my expenses and reinvest in my firm.  Aside from a reliable laptop and printer, an inexpensive and robust call-forwarding program helped me do just that.  

For someone like myself who cannot afford a secretary or receptionist, finding a solution to missed calls from prospective clients was a real dilemma.  I just was not comfortable listing my cell phone number on my business cards.  Plus, my cell phone number uses an area code that was well outside of the county in which I planned to open my practice.  Even with the best calling rate phone package, who wants to call a lawyer long-distance – let alone some attorney you haven’t even hired yet?  After quite a bit of research and deliberation I decided on OneCall’s Mobile Manager program (http://www.makejustonecall.com/). 

The service gives me the “local” presence that I was looking for, while keeping my cell phone information private.  Likewise, the Mobile Manager’s “Find-Me-Follow-Me” feature gives me the freedom to work almost anywhere and still be able to field client and new business calls.  My Mobile Manager number even doubles as my fax line, allowing me to access incoming faxed documents via my laptop.  So for roughly the same monthly cost of an extra landline, I’ve got a versatile tool that allows me to charge fees that reflect the value of my service as an attorney, not the cost of my overhead. 

How has technology helped me to serve my clients or make a difference?  It’s given me the ability to help the average citizen - who might not otherwise be able to afford an attorney - have a voice and an advocate in their corner.  It has allowed me to run my office leaner, but not meaner, during these tough economic times.  It has given me a fighting chance to live my dream and fly solo

waapchronicles.blogspot.com/

Peter S. Garcia, Esq.

The Law Office of Peter S. Garcia
1309 East Robinson St.
Orlando, FL 32801

Tel:  407-567-7639

Full post as published by My Shingle.com on January 22, 2009 (boomark / email).