attorney resource center

Law dad and the modern family

The legal press is replete with guides and support designed to help mothers navigating law practice while working from home. Stories abound detailing the adaptations that today’s women have developed to manage the home/work balance and describing the heartwarming times, trade-offs, pitfalls, and rewards that working from home can provide…There are fewer sites devoted to practicing law while being a father, probably for good reason.

ABA Journal weighs in on virtual courtrooms and the return to the office

Two articles in the ABA Journal this past week discuss several aspects of the trend making the practice of law virtual for a substantial number of practitioners and practice types. The first is about a newly passed California bill, SB 241, (soon to be signed) about virtual court appearances. The second article discusses whether virtual office work is here to stay.

Update on the return to the office

Confirmation that the pandemic combined with remote practice technology is changing the legal industry for good continues to roll in. Biglaw firms have been trying to decide between returning to the office, remaining completely virtual, or trying out various hybrid forms of work. The most recent announcement came from immigration firm Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy.

Tell your story on your XIRA profile page

Clients on XIRA have the opportunity to review the profiles of lawyers who are specialists in the area of law that they need help in. We provide space to link a biography, a video and educational background. What lawyers on XIRA need to do is make sure they are presenting the best possible profile, so when that client is searching for a lawyer, your skills, your experience, your history and your personal attributes stand out to them, and make them choose you. You need to let them know why you are their best choice.

California Bar weighs in on remote lawyering

The California Bar, through a Standing Committee on ethics, has weighed in with an ethics opinion outlining a lawyer’s duties when working remotely. It is an interim opinion posted for public input, but the final opinion is not likely to change substantially.

What will return to “normal” look like?

Firms big and small are all emerging from their caves and fallout shelters, staring up at the sky and blinking at that bright sunlight beginning to shine on all of us. We remember how it was before, and we know we learned a lot of things while we were away from each other.

Finding the right clients for your practice, and how to handle those you can’t represent

The client intake process can be a tricky aspect of the practice of law. Clients who find you from a listing site, or lawyers who refer potential clients to you, may not know specifically what areas of law you practice, or what types of clients or cases you will accept. However, whenever someone comes to you, however they got there, they are there for help at a potentially stressful time for them.

Starting your own law office

XIRA is tailor-made for new lawyers, for lawyers leaving a firm to start their own office, or for lawyers returning to practice after some time off. Most attorneys on XIRA have their own office established already and have created ways of doing business that have worked for them in the past. However, it never hurts to review your existing setup, and see if there might be better, or more economical, ways of doing things.

Access to Justice

XIRA’s marketplace enhances access to justice for clients who feel intimidated seeking an attorney.

California State Bar News

California State Bar provides updates on a new paraprofessional licensing program, and revises Rules of Conduct to require technical competency.