Things to consider
– Office building
- Image (upscale, informal, etc.)
- Square footage
- Accessibility issues
- Parking
- Janitorial services
- Expansion opportunities
- Renovation needs
- Offsite needs (storage, backup)
– Location
– Office sharing
– Renting, leasing
– Purchasing / Buy into a law practice
– Working from home (zoning, CRA deductions)
– Confidentiality agreements with service providers
Resources
Law Society of Upper Canada “Office space”
Law Society of British Columbia “Lawyers Sharing Space”
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, Code of Professional Conduct, Commentary 3.3-1[7] [re: Space-sharing arrangements]
Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia “Confidentiality Agreement – General“
Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia “Confidentiality Agreement – Service Provider“
Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia “Data security“
Canadian Bar Association “FAQs about solicitor-client privilege and confidentiality“
Canadian Bar Association “Guidelines for Practising Ethically with New Information Technologies“
Law Society of British Columbia “Cloud computing due diligence guidelines“
Law Society of Alberta “Practice Tip: Be Careful with MetaData” The Advisory, p.8
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, Code of Professional Conduct [section 3.3: Confidentiality]
Consider speaking with established solo and small firm lawyers. There is often a tendency to want more facilities than are needed, especially if used to a large firm or institutional environment. Minding overhead at the beginning is important, while being both comfortable and professional.