🏢 Rent vs. Own: The Financial Advantages of Shared Office Spaces for New Lawyers

Starting a law practice comes with major decisions—one of the biggest being whether to rent your own office or join a shared workspace. While having your own private space may seem like the dream, shared office environments are proving to be a smarter, more strategic choice—especially for lawyers just starting out.

💰 Lower Overhead, Higher Flexibility Shared office spaces drastically reduce upfront costs. No long-term leases, no expensive furniture or equipment investments. Instead, you get a fully equipped office, often with receptionist services, meeting rooms, and printing facilities included.

👥 Networking Opportunities You’re not just renting a desk—you’re joining a community. Shared spaces often host professionals from various industries, offering organic opportunities to build connections, referrals, and even collaborations.

📈 Scalable and Convenient Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a small team, shared spaces grow with you. Need a larger office? Book a boardroom for client meetings? It’s all there, without the headache of managing your own space.

🌟 Professional Image Without the Overhead First impressions matter. Shared office providers often offer prestigious addresses and a polished environment—giving new lawyers the credibility they need without breaking the bank.

How Workflow Automation Apps Save Time for Busy Law Firms

In today’s fast-paced legal industry, efficiency is a necessity. Law firms juggle tasks like case management, document drafting, client communication, and billing. Workflow automation apps streamline operations, saving time for what matters most—delivering exceptional legal services.

Time-Saving Benefits for Law Firms

  1. Document Management: Automation apps organize, store, and retrieve files quickly by tagging them by case or client.
  2. Client Communication: Tools can send reminders, schedule appointments, and handle routine inquiries, ensuring timely updates.
  3. Billing and Payments: Automation generates invoices, sends payment reminders, and processes payments seamlessly.
  4. Task Management: Assign tasks, set deadlines, and get notifications to stay on track.
  5. Compliance: Automation ensures filing deadlines and data storage meet regulatory standards, reducing risks.

Final Thoughts

Automation empowers legal teams by eliminating repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on clients and complex legal matters. Ready to save time and boost efficiency? Share your experiences in the comments!

How Coworking Spaces Foster Collaboration Across Legal Areas of Practice

Coworking spaces are transforming the way professionals across various industries collaborate, and the legal field is no exception. Traditionally, law firms have been separate, hierarchical entities, often operating in silos. However, coworking spaces are encouraging lawyers from different practice areas to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects.

One of the primary advantages of coworking spaces is the diverse community they bring together. Legal professionals from corporate law, intellectual property, criminal defense, and other specialties work side by side, creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. By networking in a casual, open environment, lawyers can exchange ideas, seek advice, and even partner on cases that require expertise from multiple legal fields.

These shared spaces also help break down traditional barriers that can limit collaboration. Many smaller law firms or solo practitioners don’t have the resources to establish large office networks, but coworking spaces provide affordable, flexible environments where legal professionals can interact with colleagues they might not have met otherwise. Whether through informal conversations in the kitchen or during organized networking events, the physical proximity sparks connections that benefit the legal community.

Moreover, coworking spaces often host workshops, seminars, and panel discussions on various legal topics, providing an additional avenue for collaboration. These events allow legal professionals to stay updated on trends, enhance their skill sets, and collaborate on shared interests.

In conclusion, coworking spaces are more than just shared offices. They are vibrant hubs that encourage collaboration across different legal areas, leading to innovative solutions and more effective legal practices. By fostering a sense of community and shared knowledge, these spaces are helping reshape the future of legal work.

Creating a Productive Work Environment in a Shared Office: A Lawyer’s Guide

The rise of shared office spaces has redefined the modern work environment. While these spaces offer flexibility and cost-efficiency, they also come with unique challenges, especially for professionals like lawyers who handle sensitive information and require focused work sessions. Here’s a guide to help lawyers thrive in a shared office setting.

1. Choose the Right Space

Not all shared offices are created equal. When selecting a coworking space, prioritize those with:

  • Private rooms or soundproof pods for confidential discussions.
  • Strong security protocols to protect sensitive client data.
  • Quiet zones or designated areas for focused work.

2. Establish Clear Boundaries

Shared spaces often blur the lines between personal and professional. To maintain productivity:

  • Clearly communicate your availability to others using signals like desk signs or online statuses.
  • Use noise-canceling headphones to minimize distractions.
  • Avoid engaging in non-essential conversations during work hours.

3. Leverage Technology

Maximize your productivity by investing in tools that help you work efficiently:

  • Case management software for organizing client information securely.
  • Encrypted communication tools for maintaining client confidentiality.
  • Time management apps to stay on top of deadlines.

4. Build Relationships Wisely

Networking is one of the greatest perks of shared offices. However, as a lawyer, you need to:

  • Balance openness with discretion to avoid disclosing sensitive information.
  • Engage in professional conversations that align with your expertise.
  • Collaborate only when it adds value to your practice.

5. Prioritize Self-Care

Shared offices can sometimes be high-energy environments. Stay grounded by:

  • Taking regular breaks to recharge.
  • Personalizing your workspace to create a sense of comfort.
  • Practicing mindfulness or using stress-management techniques.

6. Stay Compliant

Lawyers must adhere to strict ethical standards and legal requirements, even in a shared office. Ensure:

  • Client files are securely stored, both physically and digitally.
  • Conversations about cases are held in private spaces.
  • Compliance with local bar association rules regarding shared workspaces.

Conclusion

Working in a shared office as a lawyer can be both rewarding and challenging. By choosing the right environment, setting clear boundaries, leveraging technology, and adhering to professional standards, you can create a workspace that supports your productivity and fosters professional growth.

What are your rights and obligations during the declared emergency?

Here’s a primer on the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

This past long weekend you may have observed more police and provincial offences act officers out and about at public parks and in the community.

Police and provincial offences officers are now responsible for responding to calls related to the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act  (the “Act”) invoked by the Province of Ontario and as well as ensuring the public’s general compliance with it.

An emergency was declared by an Order in Council (Ontario Regulation 50/20) on March 17th, 2020 pursuant to section 7.0.1 of the Act. It was recognized that the outbreak of a communicable disease, namely COVID-19, constituted a “danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons.”

The initial period of the declared emergency was for fourteen days. It was extended a further fourteen days until April 13, 2020. On the recommendation of the Premier, the Assembly may by resolution extend the period of an emergency for additional periods of no more than twenty-eight days.

There have been a number of orders made under the Act which cover things like price gouging on hand sanitizer or the pick up and delivery of cannabis (if you are a holder of an authorization) during the declared emergency.

The emergency declaration has also called for a number of measures including:

  • Closure of establishments (for example, all bars and restaurants, except to the extent such facilities provide takeout food and delivery) O. Reg 51/20
  • The mandatory closure of non-essential workplaces (O. Reg. 82/20)
  • Closure of outdoor recreational amenities (which includes outdoor playgrounds and outdoor sports facilities) O.Reg.104/20
  • Strict restrictions on the size of organized public events, social gatherings, and conducting religious services, rites and ceremonies, being limited to 5 persons (except for members of single household), funeral services (not more than 10 people) O.Reg. 52/20

There are penalties in place for breaching the orders. Keep in mind that there are also provisions for the enforcement of these orders.

For example, officers may require an individual to provide their correct name, date of birth and address if they believe that a person has committed an offence (O. Reg. 114/20).

Failing to comply with any of the emergency orders is an offence under the Act but so is the failure to identify oneself accurately. 

For example, failing to correctly identify one self carries a fine of $750 for failure to comply with an order made under the Act or $1,000 for obstructing any person in exercising a power if a provincial offences officer issues a ticket. 

This is a significant departure from the law prior to the declared emergency. In my criminal practice I am often asked by my clients whether they are required to identify themselves to police upon request. My standard answer to that question was, “well that depends.”

If police stop you while you are driving or cycling you DO have to show the police identification. (This is required by the Highway Traffic Act and municipal bylaws.) But in many cases, if the police simply stop you on the street I tell my clients that you don’t have to show the police your identification or answer their questions.

An important caveat is that during the declared emergency – the scope of police powers are now significantly broader. If police or provincial offences officers have grounds to believe that you are breaching the Act, you should hand over your identification.

Finally, there is one last question I wish to address. Are the police stopping cars with two or more occupants and issuing tickets under the Act?

There have been rumours swirling on social media recently that police forces in the GTA are issuing tickets under the Act when there are two ore more people in a car if they do not live at the same address.

In fact, this rumour became so pervasive that Peel, Durham and York Regional Police have taken to social media to confirm that officers have NOT been directed to ticket vehicle occupants when there are two or more people in a car. Peel Police, however, DID recommend limited the number of people in any car to family, to limit the spread of the virus.

Be well and stay safe.

-Michelle Johal

Michelle Johal is a local criminal defence lawyer. She can be reached at [email protected]

Michelle Johal is a member of the Wolf Law Chambers community. 

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