Benefits of a Solicitor's Chambers in Sydney CBD

Solicitors Chambers Practice

David Beattie

Jennifer Miller

| Director

| General Manager

Commenced at

222 Clarence Street

Founded in 1993 Now at

Levels 3, 8, 10 & 11

65 York Street

CLARENCE PROFESSIONAL OFFICESHISTORY

Initially 2 Solicitors,1 Financial Planner &

1 Business Consultant


NOW, over 70

Solicitors and 100

Other Professionals


AREAS COVERED BY SOLICITORS

Property

Commercial Law

Family Law

Employment Law

Commercial and Civil Litigation

Liquor LicensingProbate and WillsEnvironmental LawCriminal Law

Loneliness

Inability to discuss matters with other practitioners

Inability to refer matters outside area of expertise

Inability to take holidays or sick leave

Difficulty in keeping up with changes in the law and practice

PROBLEMS OF SOLE PRACTITIONERS

These sometimes result in…

Delay in taking action

These sometimes result in…

Taking wrong course of action

Leading to…

Claims for professional negligence

Leading to…

Long hours of work

Leading to…

Depression and other mental illnesses

BENEFITS OF A SOLICITORS CHAMBER

Keep overheads to a minimum

Informal sharing of legal precedents

Sharing the costs of a DX facility between thosewho wish to participate

Sharing the costs of LEXIS NEXIS between thosewho wish to participate

Access to CLE Seminars

BENEFITS OF A SOLICITORS CHAMBER

Opportunity for referral of matters to and from other solicitors

In-house bookkeeping and secretarial services charged at an hourly rate

Opportunity to arrange matters to be looked after whilst absent from the office or on holidays

Ability to discuss and bounce off issues with other solicitors

Interstate offices

Keep overheads to a minimum

Source: IBISWORLD May 2012

Profit (30.1%)

Rent (6.5%)

Utilities (1.2%)

Depreciation (1.2%)

Communications (2.5%)

Insurance (4.8%)

Wages (26.5%)

Purchases (6.4%)

Other (20.8%)

COSTS INVOLVED

Virtual Options

$104 - $325 per month (Plus GST)

COSTS INVOLVED

Serviced Office Options

$1,100 - $3,500 per month (plus GST & telecommunications)

CHAMBERS PRACTICEHOW IT WORKS

Receptionists to answer callsin your Firms & greet your clients

CHAMBERS PRACTICE

Work from office or from home (teleworker)

HOW IT WORKS

CHAMBERS PRACTICE

Access to conference rooms

HOW IT WORKS

CHAMBERS PRACTICE

Access to kitchen facilities

HOW IT WORKS

CLARENCE PROFESSIONAL OFFICES

Website

TECHNICAL SUPPORT


IT Support

TECHNICAL SUPPORT


Legal Secretarial Support

TECHNICAL SUPPORT


Access to Central Photocopier and Facsimile

TECHNICAL SUPPORT


Accounting Support

TECHNICAL SUPPORT


Mail and Courier Services

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

OTHER INTANGIBLE ADVANTAGES

Ability to practice wellinto one’s seventies


Pleasant workingenvironment (no politics)


but with none ofthe disadvantages

All the benefitsof working in alarge law firm

So do they work?

LAW SOCIETY OF NSWCHAMBERS PRACTICE GUIDE 2004

96.4 %would recommend this style

of operation to colleagues

SMALL LAW FIRMS

SMALL LAW FIRMS IN AUSTRALIA

2-4 Partners (1541) Sole Practitioners (8872)

Source: IBISWORLD MAY 2012

JOINING A CHAMBER PRACTICE,CHECK…

How long the Chambers Practice

has been in operation

The number and names of solicitors

and others in the Chambers practice

including their areas of practice


The license fee and what is included

in the fee. e.g. Are meeting rooms included

or are they extra?

The expiry date of the licensor’s

lease and, if there is an option to

renew, for how many years?


Whether there is room in the premises

for you to expand, i.e. employ another solicitor

Quality of their telecommunications –

you want to know you have

mobility & reliability


For further information:

Brochures available

Talk to Jennifer Miller or David Beattie

Come and Visit

New Flagship Floor - Level 11, York Street, Sydney