Running a Modern Commercial Litigation Firm
I attended law school from 2004 to 2007 and entered the legal work force in 2007. This was an interesting time to learn the law trade. While the legal principles and seminal cases have not changed much in the study of law, the way we studied changed markedly with the proliferation of modern electronic research methods. The old ways of researching and learning the law was all but gone when I started my 1L year.
For instance, in my legal research and writing class we learned how to research using electronic methods almost exclusively. We spent just one day (one!) in two semesters of class to using traditional law library books for researching and “shepardizing” cases (the method of checking to see whether cases have been upheld or overruled over the period of time). I’m ashamed to admit it but, if there was a solar flare or some other catastrophic event which would disable computers, I would have no idea how to find out if a case was still good law! I would imagine law students now don’t even get that one-day primer in traditional legal research.
So it was very surprising to me that my time spent in the two law firms I worked at prior to founding Andre Law Firm P.A. (which are both fine law firms), the technology and methods employed by those firms from 2007-2014 were largely outdated, even then. In fact, the methods still employed by many law firms often pre-date the technology that was available prior to my attendance in law school! Needless to say, I spent 2007-2014 buried in paper and in 2014 I realized there had to be a better way to serve my clients.
Cost Effective Litigation
That is why I founded Andre Law in October 2014. I became acutely aware of the fact the clients wanted my expertise and legal knowledge at a fair and reasonable cost. The does not want that expertise burdened by the 90’s era outdated law firm machinery (such as paper everything and rigid billing models based on huge overhead). I strove to make a law firm that was lean and responsive to the client, and could serve the client’s needs efficiently. Advances in cloud computing, electronic record keeping, and legal research made the prospect of serving my clients anywhere and at any time practical. The prospect of starting a modern and sleek 21st century boutique law practice was absolutely thrilling to me.
My first order of business was to make Andre Law completely paperless. This has been crucial. I only keep absolutely necessary documents, all of which fit in one organized file drawer in my office. In my retainer agreement, I inform the client that I scan all incoming documents (which are securely stored in a cloud-based platform). All non-essential documents received by the firm are kept for a period of two weeks before they are destroyed. If the client wishes to keep the hard copies, they are free to have them. The client has full access electronically to any documents in their file. The time and cost savings of not being burdened by hard copies of files is substantial. This helps the firm serve its clients better. I can pull up integral documents in Court on my phone, or in a coffee shop, anywhere. All this is possible without an army of paralegals or an over-priced IT staff.
A Modern Value-Based Approach
In founding Andre Law, I also strove to give a value-based and flexible billing model to my clients. Most large firms simply cannot do this. In my area of commercial collections it was crucial to the client (and myself) that there was some flexibility and creativity in how the client was billed. We have provided more clients access to quality legal services because of this flexible approach.
About a year after I founded Andre Law Firm P.A. (and a very successful year that was), the Atlantic published what for me was a life-affirming article named “Why Are So Many Law Firms Trapped in 1995?” by Leigh McMullen Abramson. The article talks primarily about how an expanding group of forward thinking legal minds is departing from the traditional ways of managing law practices and providing new models for serving clients. This break from the old benefits the clients and the lawyers, in a win-win scenario. Andre Law is certainly part of this exciting movement in the legal field.
I’m very proud of what Andre Law has done in its first four years and am very excited for its future prospects. What can Andre Law do for you to serve your needs? Contact us today for a consultation.
–Tony Andre, founding shareholder Andre Law Firm P.A. in Miami