Business Continuity and Remote Working Resources For Law Firms

As the weeks pass and it becomes clear that remote working is becoming the new norm, many law firm leaders are beginning to establish business plans that will allow their firms to survive and thrive as we move forward. A successful plan will address both business continuity issues and put remote working technologies and policies in place.

Of course, for many lawyers, this is uncharted territory. But just because it’s unfamiliar doesn’t mean you can’t tackle these issues head on and lay the foundation for success in the weeks and months to come. While the path forward may seem daunting at first, rest assured this is a challenge you can meet. The key is to conduct research and ensure that you thoroughly understand your options and the path you’ll need to take to lay the groundwork for success.

This post is a great place to start. In it you’ll find the vast array of resources and advice the MyCase team has compiled over the past few weeks that will provide you with the knowledge you need to make impactful, forward-thinking business decisions for your law firm both in the short term and the long term.

Lay the groundwork for business continuity

First and foremost, you’ll need to come up with a business continuity plan that will set your law firm up for success both in the here and now and down the road. To do this, you’ll need to prioritize your law firm’s immediate needs and then tackle the most pressing challenges first. Then work on creating a long term plan that will ensure future success as well. You’ll find advice to help you do just that in this post:

• Law Practice Management and Business COVID-19 Resources for Lawyers: Learn about steps you can take to create a path forward for your law firm, including establishing remote work policies, navigating HR issues related to COVID-19, and resources related to COVID-19 such as court closures and newly enacted legislation and regulations.

Choose technology to facilitate remote work

Now that social distancing policies are in effect across much of the country, establishing a remote work setup for your law firm is likely a pressing need. With your employees working from home it’s more important than ever to ensure that they have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. Cloud-based software and effective communications tools can make all the difference, as you’ll learn below:

• 7 types of tech tools to help lawyers set up virtual offices: In this ABA Journal article, MyCase’s Legal Technology Evangelist, Niki Black, provides the low down on all the software tools you’ll need in order to run a remote law firm.
• How to Create a Remote Working Plan for Your Law Firm: In this post you’ll learn about the top issues to think about when creating a remote working plan and the technology you’ll need to ensure a smooth transition.
• Securely Collaborate and Communicate Remotely: A How-To for Lawyers: Secure communication and collaboration with both clients and colleagues is a must when you’re working remotely. In this post you’ll discover how to carefully and thoughtfully choose digital communication tools that are conducive to efficient online collaboration, while also sufficiently protecting client confidentiality.

Establish best practices for remote work and well being

Remote work can be challenging, especially if you’re not used to it. That’s why it’s so important to offer tools and resources to your employees that will support their work and encourage communication and teamwork. Similarly, because remote work can be isolating, it’s important to ensure that everyone in your firm – yourself included – is taking steps to promote wellness and wellbeing, as you’ll learn below:

• Maintaining Your Sanity While Working From Home: In this Daily Record article, MyCase’s Legal Technology Evangelist, Niki Black, offers remote working advice gleaned from her experiences working from home and remotely for over 15 years.
• Webinar Recap: How to Run Your Law Firm Remotely During COVID-19: In this recording of last week’s webinar, law practice management expert, Heidi Alexander, provides guidance on how to maintain business continuity during COVID-19. During the webinar she covers: 1) the tools you need to run a remote law practice, 2) the information law firm managers need to know to keep their employees connected and productive, and 3) tips on ensuring well-being while social distancing.

We understand that for many law firms the sudden need to transition to a virtual law firm presented some challenges. Hopefully the resources in this post are helpful and reduce any friction and uncertainty that your law firm has encountered while shifting to a remote work. After all, that’s always been our goal at MyCase: to provide the necessary guidance and advice that your firm needs to lay a foundation for continued success. This post showcases the many ways that we do that, and we’ll be publishing many more posts and resources to help law firms in transition in the weeks to come, so make sure to stop back for even more helpful guidance and advice!