Pandemic the perfect time to launch a virtual law practice

By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • Since being called to the bar in 2011, Toronto personal injury lawyer Joshua Goldberg has been intrigued by the idea of running a practice with a virtual office rather than the traditional bricks and mortar model. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, he realized the time was right to make his dream a reality, leading to the creation of Joshua Goldberg Law.

“For nine months I worked completely remotely and did not see one client in person, and I got the same amount of work done that I would have in a physical office,” Goldberg says.

“If ever there was a time to start my own practice, I realized this was it. I now have clients all across Ontario, which would be challenging with a traditional law office.”

A law clerk and an articling student also work with him from their own homes, and he says everyone benefits from the arrangement.

“We are accomplishing just as much as we would if we were in a physical office and they have the freedom to structure their workday in whatever way works best for them,” Goldberg tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “It doesn’t have to be 9 to 5, as long as urgent matters are completed on time.

‘Doing well for a firm that just opened’

“We are all really happy and doing well for a firm that just opened,” he adds.

Despite that success, Goldberg says he will open a physical office in the future to accommodate clients who prefer face-to-face meetings.

“As much as working remotely can be fantastic, if you work at home too much, it goes the opposite way,” he says.

Goldberg says he is pleased that the Ministry of the Attorney General introduced amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure last year, encouraging videoconferencing sessions for hearings, pre-trials and case conferences and allowing for the service of documents through email.

“The judicial system is becoming more open to the idea of practising law remotely,” he says. “Before the pandemic, it was almost unheard of to do something as basic as an examination of discovery through videoconferencing.”

He recalled one case where his firm debated whether they should incur the expense of flying someone from the Dominican Republic for a deposition.

“Thanks to the changes to the rules, there is now no question that testimony can be given in a videoconference. I’m so glad the judicial system has made this a reality,” Goldberg says.

Virtual hearings are here to stay

He is confident that the courts will continue to embrace virtual hearings when the pandemic is over since it reduces the time and expense involved in procedural hearings.

“In the past, it was not uncommon to wait all morning to make a five-minute motion in front of a master or judge,” Goldberg says. “Now I can work in my home office while I wait to make that motion.”

Clients also benefit by a judicial system that is more accessible, he says, noting that videoconferencing increases access to justice for the public.

“Virtual hearings are much more efficient and they will help the system reduce the backlog of cases that has built up,” Goldberg says.

In his online practice, he says he started off using PC Law, but found it cumbersome and unintuitive. He switched to Cosmolex, a cloud-based software that offers law practice management, billing and accounting in one platform.

“It saves so much time and it keeps track of both firm and client expenses,” Goldberg says, adding his firm relies on Microsoft Teams and Zoom for client meetings.

‘Practising law virtually is so efficient’

“Practising law virtually is so efficient, plus it cuts down on paper files,” he says.

After the first provincial lockdown, Goldberg says his clients who were injured in car accidents were denied access to rehabilitation services.

“Initially, the province did not deem these to be essential services, which was foolish,” he says. “You can’t do physical therapy by video call, and physical problems will get a lot worse if left untreated.”

That changed in the second lockdown, Goldberg says, allowing clients to get the therapies and treatment they need.

“Members of the medical treatment community have learned how to effectively continue their work, doing the best job they can in the circumstances,” he says.

Goldberg says he is a firm believer in the power of using online platforms to attract new clients.

“I post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn on a regular basis in an effort to build my brand,” he says.

Informative blog educates clients

His firm’s website includes a blog where he offers extensive information on topics such as what to do if disability benefits are cut off, how to treat chronic pain and what to do if you slip and fall.

“I want to be answering the questions that people don’t even realize they should be asking,” he says. “I try to anticipate what people don’t understand about personal injury law. For many clients, this may be the first time they have been involved in a legal proceeding.”

Goldberg says he is pleased that people are finding his firm online. Other clients have through references from friends, existing clients and other lawyers. An additional attraction of his firm is that he offers services in Mandarin, which he learned while living and studying in China.

“The firm is growing, and we are on the cusp of needing to hire more people, which is a nice problem to have in a pandemic,” he says.