What Does Your Office Say About You?
Image is important. Of course, talent is the most important characteristic of a lawyer, but without a good image, that talent will never be sought out by clients.
One way to create the image you want to portray is through your office space. Your office space says a lot about what type of a law practice you are. And since office space is invariably a large and complex expenditure, that is all the more reason to regularly make sure that your space indeed matches your needs.
In terms of how much you spend on rent, you cannot be too far out of line with your competitors and still stay in business. However, the cost must be balanced against the answers to questions such as these:
What image do you want to project? What do your clients expect from a practice like yours? How close must you physically be to the client pool? Is your rent competitive for the geographic area in which you are located? Is your current physical location one that you, your clients, and your prospects are comfortable with? Even if you think better quarters would improve the quality of your professional life, can you afford them? What is the needed proximity of your location to the talent pool of staff and lawyers, as well as to key expert resources and suppliers? Can you reduce space needs by converting paper files into electronic format to minimize storage needs? How much space do you need versus want?
For clients, the size and location of office space makes a statement. A startup entrepreneur might prefer going to a strip mall location with ample free parking, while a corporate client seeks assurance in the prestige derived from a multipurpose marble and glass high-rise with valet parking. Such messages define your firm much more clearly than any marketing brochure or advertisement.
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