If you are a solo attorney and starting a new practice or looking to set out on your own, finding a suitable office environment can be challenging, but very rewarding. Working from home, traditional office space and shared law office space are all options available to a solo practitioner. According to a study conducted in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, attorneys who chose to work in a shared office space reported a 30% increase in revenue compared to their counterparts who chose to work from home or a traditional office space. That kind of increase in revenue is a direct result of the features that are included with the right shared office space; features that those other options simply cannot match.

Shared office space has many important benefits that you will not find in a home space and may otherwise be out of your budget in a traditional office environment. You will instantly benefit from a network of other professionals in the space that can provide endless referral and marketing opportunities. The costs to lease a shared space are typically lower than any traditional option. A suitable shared space will provide you with access to a conference space that will ideally be professional decorated and inclusive of conference technology. Shared offices will most likely have a staff to assist with phones, mail and other administrative services for their tenants. Here are three of the most important features to look for in a shared legal office space. Make sure you spend time with your leasing agent to ensure their space has the following:

Professional Decor and Grounds

A client’s impression of your office space will be lasting and influence their decisions on moving forward with your services. Some shared office spaces are not right for attorneys. A space must be professional decorated, both inside and out. While new trends like open office environments are great for the tech sector, they may not work for you, as you look to gain and keep client trust. If you are impressed with what you see, than your clients will be, as well.

Secure Technology and Services

As you are most likely aware, an attorney cannot just connect to any network. You are dealing with confidential client information and must make sure that the technology in your shared office space is both secure and reliable. Ask the leasing representative for a full run down on their services, who provides them and how they maintain network security. Any breach in security puts your practice at risk. A suitable legal office space will provide a secure network, but will also train staff on how to handle phone messages, mail and other items, just as you would if you had a stand alone office.

Great Marketing Potential

Shared law offices can offer great marketing potential for small practice. These solutions will surround you with other professionals from many fields, who may need your services. These neighbors are also an excellent source of referrals. Many shared office spaces will assist you with planning seminars and networking events for other tenants in the building. This will be a great chance to get to know the people who can help you extend your reach to potential clients. You also want to find a space that is in a location suitable to the demographic you would like to reach. A densely populated area will bring you the biggest pool of potential new clients and exposure.

We would like to invite you to explore the Bradley Business Center and learn how our shared offices can offer you all of the important features above and much more. Located on Chicago’s north side, we are in an easily accessible location and offer ample parking. We are surrounded by a great list of Chicago companies and neighbors that can offer you endless networking possibilities. Our technology partners understand that security is paramount to building trust and work hard to keep our services up to date and safe.

The Bradley Business Center offers professionally decorated office spaces that will impress your clients and provide you with an environment suitable to conducting confidential meetings and conversations. Our tenants enjoy our many amenities, which are included with a lease for shared office space. Please contact Brett Berlin, our leasing representative, for more information on why the Bradley Business Center is the best shared law office space in Chicago. We look forward to helping you build your successful practice!