Managing Virtual Legal Teams: A Roundtable Discussion

Eisenberg: This has got to be the very best time to be a lawyer. The technology available to us right now is insane. For a lawyer who has a vision for her clients and her law firm, a virtual law practice has got to be nirvana on a personal level. The combination of flexibility with satisfying work is intoxicating. Being virtual increases your impact so much on a business level, not only for clients but also for fellow lawyers who are looking for a different way to practice.

O’Bryan: A traditional 9:00 to 5:00 workday isn’t manageable for a lot of people’s lives. Having a virtual team allows people to work during times that fit their own schedules instead of forcing them to work on a schedule that is not suitable for that individual. This leads to greater motivation, work satisfaction and overall happiness.

Bennett: Having the support to grow your business—because entrepreneurship is a team sport and we all need help along the way!

Eisenberg: The top risk is buying into a prevailing myth. Some lawyers still believe that virtual workers, even professionals like lawyers, aren’t really working if they aren’t in the office. Of course, the complete opposite is true. Remote workers are said to be 13 percent more productive. Apply that to a virtual lawyer and you rest assured you’ll get quality work in the most efficient way.

O’Bryan: It can be difficult to find people who are self-motivated, have a strong work ethic and appreciate the benefits of working virtually. A strong onboarding process and regular check-ins help to keep our virtual team on track and allow us to evaluate the relationship over time.

Bennett: Of course, I would say security. But you can design your team structure to minimize this risk. I think the benefits outweigh the risks when you take the time to design the experience you want for you and your team members.

Eisenberg: It’s funny how often we think the answer to finding the right person is external. You are the founder of your firm, so everything starts with you. You define the right person. To me, the right person is aligned with your values and goals. They share your sense of fairness and work ethic. They are as relaxed, or not, as you are. The reason most hires fail is a mismatch between personality and culture. First, know your culture. Yes, even a solo has a firm culture. Otherwise, you’re doomed to function out of a default culture that’s inconsistent at best and unfair at worst. Create a yardstick to select candidates who measure up to your values, ethics, personality and goals.

O’Bryan: This is something that we’ve struggled with in the past. But we’ve learned so much from our experiences and have been able to develop a solid interview process, as well as setting and managing expectations at the onset of the relationship.

Bennett: I use the same methods a typical firm uses to recruit. I post positions, ask for referrals and utilize an interview process to decide on who would be the best fit for my virtual team.

Eisenberg: It’s unfortunate when lawyers get so overworked that they forget or disregard red flags. Red flags are important. They help you avoid bad hires who suck up your time and energy without any return. What are your nonnegotiables? What are the qualities or attitudes that you definitely want to avoid? This is a good time to be selfish, meaning that you’re thinking of what works best for you and supports you in delivering the best service to clients.

O’Bryan: Recognizing red flags early on can really save you time and money. Red flags are raised for us when the individual has difficulty with basic technology functions during the interview, is stuck in a traditional mindset or approaches the opportunity as a referral relationship rather than displaying entrepreneurial initiative.

Bennett: Someone who is hard to contact, who doesn’t follow directions and does not like technology.

Eisenberg: The first attribute a virtual team member should possess is emotional intelligence. Your teammate should have confidence, know her strengths and acknowledge her weaknesses. The second attribute is that she is a critical thinker. She must have the ability to think through a problem and find a practical solution without being told. And last, she must be a thoughtful communicator. She must possess empathy and the ability to clearly share messages. When your team enjoys these attributes, your team has talent agility, the ability to adapt to what happens now and flow with unexpected changes, something that future proofs your law firm.

O’Bryan: The top three attributes I look for in a virtual team member are that she or he is a self-starter, has an entrepreneurial mindset and displays high work ethic with a desire for high work product output.

Bennett: I think this depends on your other team members and your management style. No two teams will look alike, and I believe it’s important to spend time deciding on what you and your team (if you have one) needs and what you don’t need before you hire. For my team, I am looking for self-starters, high achievers and those who can execute and complete high-quality work using technology.

Eisenberg: First off, it helps to understand that onboarding is a necessary process. You miss an important opportunity to build your work relationship when you skip onboarding. The key to successfully onboarding your virtual teammates is having a solid foundation. Do you know what your mission and what your vision is for your clients? Do you know what you expect from your team? Introduce your firm culture, goals, values and expectations to your team in a way that’s meaningful, remarkable and consistent.

O’Bryan: Having systems in place and clearly written processes and procedures for both onboarding and ongoing requirements are key. Also, setting clear expectations for the relationship and communicating your expectations effectively are vital.

Bennett: Having a plan and a process. When I’ve hired without a plan and a process, it felt quite disorganized for myself and the new team member. Take time to create a plan for the first 90 days.

Eisenberg: Communication tools are the key, and tech makes it so easy! It’s really important to almost over-communicate to your team. To make that easy, use tools like Trello to sync with your team and their activities and Loom to record training and appreciation notes.

O’Bryan: Having a central, cloud-based, secure tool for communication is key. Our team uses a secure instant messaging platform for questions, content sharing, video chats and collaboration. Look at legal technology options, but also be open to technology solutions that aren’t specifically designed for the legal profession. You may find a solution that’s a better fit for your practice. Also key is having a practice management system that provides task management and allows team collaboration on client matters.

Bennett: I utilize a suite of technology products in my firm including 1Password as my password manager, Clio for practice and project management, Notion for our internal team wiki, Calendly for calendaring, Google Meet and Zoom for video meetings, Slack for team communications and Dubsado for customer relationship management.

Eisenberg: The best way to create a happy, productive, healthy team is connection, context and clarity. Invest your time and energy to connect with your team as people, not just in the boss-employee dynamic. The connection is the glue that holds your team together in great times and bad. Don’t underestimate how critical that is. Context-share your vision for your clients and your law firm. Imagine this. I ask you if you want to go for a ride. You say yes. I ask you to get in my car and put on a blindfold. What’s your first question? Where are we going? Your team wants to know where you are going and how their work contributes to achieving your mission. They want to belong. Be clear and transparent. Clarity builds trust, which is the basis for high-functioning work relationships.

O’Bryan: Promote a culture of gratitude! I think one thing my partner and I do well is being open and sharing our experiences with our team so they know that we are grateful for not just the work that they do but also the people that they are. I am grateful for every experience in my life and work, good and bad, and because I share this openly, I hope that by example, my virtual team feels comfortable with me as a person and sharing information about themselves, as well as their wins and struggles.

Bennett:  Be open to ideas from the team that allow each person to show up as their best selves, and acknowledge and celebrate team and individual wins!

Eisenberg: I love the team feature in Trello. There’s an add-on called Update that allows me to check in to see what my team has accomplished on a daily basis all in one place without sending a gazillion emails.

O’Bryan:  We have monthly check-in video chats with all members of our legal team and monthly or more-frequent calls and messaging with support team members. We are easily accessible for our team for questions, concerns or to workshop issues.

Bennett:  We have weekly team meetings and project management tools we use to track work. For some of our larger clients, we also have additional client-specific meetings.

Eisenberg:  The future belongs to those lawyers who are willing to unlearn the old ways of practice and embrace the new ways. Be open to experimenting with new models for working together if you want to succeed, because today’s consumer demands efficiency and excellent client service.

O’Bryan:  My advice to those wanting to start a virtual legal team is twofold. First, break the limiting mindset of how a law firm is supposed to look or function. You are doing something unique, and it’s helpful to approach it with that in mind. If your traditional practice colleagues are unsupportive, they are likely coming from a place of fear of the unknown. Second, don’t blow your money on unnecessary things. One of the benefits of having a virtual practice is the ability to significantly decrease your overhead.

Bennett:  Go for it! There are amazing people you can add to your team who don’t need to work in an office with you.