When your law firm seems like it has no shortage of cases and clients, the job can feel overwhelming. You probably don’t want to turn away viable business, but it might seem impossible to scale up unless you take on more full-time staff. This can create its own problems, resulting in higher overhead, not to mention the time it takes to interview and vet qualified lawyers who can help meet the needs of your law firm.
This is a situation where using the services of an appearance attorney can come in handy. Appearance attorneys will represent the interests of your firm in court, freeing up your staff to focus on issues that may be more pressing than filing a legal document or entering a plea at the courthouse. Appearance counsel can also provide valuable on-site presence to minimize time lost with travel. With that in mind, here are a few of the benefits that come along with using nationwide appearance attorneys as part of your firm’s legal services.
1. Stop Worrying About Last-Minute Emergencies
Life is unpredictable. Illnesses, family emergencies and motor vehicle accidents can all leave your firm scrambling at the last minute to find coverage for scheduled court appearances. When you utilize the services of a nationwide appearance attorney network, you can simply slot that attorney into the schedule and stop worrying about being short-staffed when things are busy. This not only benefits your firm, but it benefits your clients as well. Keeping things on track and avoiding delays will mean a swifter resolution to your legal matters.
2. Expand the Services of Your Firm
Perhaps your firm is looking to expand beyond its core practice areas. For example, maybe your attorneys have handled a handful of collections cases and would like to do more, but you simply aren’t adequately staffed to do so. Maybe you’ve done some collections work in the past, but are a bit rusty when it comes to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Hiring a nationwide appearance attorney who is skilled in an area your firm may not be too familiar with enables you to expand the scope of your practice and your client base, bringing in more revenue while providing an elegant solution to scaling up your law firm.
3. Expand Your Firm’s Geographical Footprint
Has your firm had to turn down work because traveling to the jurisdiction where the legal matter is being heard wouldn’t make financial sense? Using a nationwide appearance attorney means your firm can take on this type of work without having to lose a day due to travel or having to familiarize yourself with the nuances of an unfamiliar courthouse. You can pass on the work to a freelance lawyer who lives in the area where the courthouse is located and who likely knows that jurisdiction’s judges, courthouse staff and opposing counsel. For example, Docketly has more than 10,000 appearance attorneys on its platform, located all around the United States. Your firm can likely find an attorney who will suit your needs miles away from your offices. This enables your firm to expand its footprint without finding yourself short-staffed due to your in-house counsel being on the road.
4. Make Better Use of Your Staff’s Time
Nobody likes being stretched too thin, but for many attorneys, this is a fact of life. It is stressful to have multiple plates spinning at once, then having to divert your attention to a court appearance where all you have to do is file a couple of documents and make an appearance or two before a judge. These relatively simple tasks can cause your staff to lose an entire day of work. A day where their attention could be focused on more pertinent, lucrative matters. When you work with an appearance attorney, you can say goodbye to the stress of having your in-house counsel miss time to address important, yet mundane, legal matters. Have an appearance attorney file your firm’s paperwork so your staff can devote their attention to better serving your clients and bringing in work that will help boost your firm’s bottom line.
5. Find Experienced Counsel
Some firms may be reluctant to work with a nationwide appearance attorney provider because they think that they are inexperienced or lack the skills to handle matters that could impact your firm’s reputation. The fact is, most appearance attorneys have extensive experience. Some have retired from their day-to-day operations, but still want to stay busy. Others may be attorneys who are looking to earn a little extra income. When you work with a trusted company like Docketly, you will get the peace of mind that comes with knowing the attorneys listed on their platform have been thoroughly vetted and are more than capable of getting the job done for your firm. In fact, Docketly’s automated tiering system allows you to identify only those appearance attorneys best qualified for the type of hearing.
6. Find A Work-Life Balance
Veterans of the legal industry may scoff at the notion of a work-life balance. However, to ignore its importance, especially to the younger generation of attorneys, is to put your law firm at risk. Burnout is a real thing, and it may be difficult to attract new talent if your firm has a reputation for working its staff to the bone. Relying on the services of a nationwide appearance attorney is a relatively inexpensive way to help give your staff some breathing room. A more relaxed, somewhat well-rested group of attorneys is less likely to make mistakes and can actually lead to a more productive work environment. By passing some work off to an appearance attorney, you can help make your firm more attractive to potential hiring prospects.
Learn About the Benefits of Working with Docketly
Docketly is here to help meet all of your firm’s needs when it comes to working with appearance attorneys. We employ cutting-edge technology to ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to freelance legal work. To learn more about all of our services, schedule a demo with us today.
