Without any explicit guidance from the Rules of Professional Conduct or the legislature, New York attorneys must figure out for themselves what the ethically compliant virtual office looks like in order to find a suitable vendor. This video presentation discusses the features of the ethically compliant virtual office in New York, and rates a sample virtual office vendors in the NYC marketplace for ethical compliance.

1. @lawfirmsuites1
Finding the Ethically Compliant Virtual Office:
A sample of available vendors in New York
Presented by
Stephen T. Furnari, Esq.
Founder of Law Firm Suites

2. @lawfirmsuites2
About Stephen T. Furnari
Corporate attorney, partner &
founder of the New York law
firm Furnari Scher LLP.
Founder of Law Firm Suites,
an operator of coworking
spaces for attorneys.
Featured in ABA Journal, Inc.,
Entrepreneur, NY Daily News,
Money, Fox Business and
Crain’s.Contact Stephen on social media:
Passion
Admissions
Expertise
Self-employed since 2002
Start-ups & Financial Services
New York, Florida, Massachusetts
Helping entrepreneurial attorneys
Employment History

3. @lawfirmsuites3
Shared office space
exclusively for attorneys
Office Rentals | Virtual Office
Litigation War Room Rentals
NYC Midtown | NYC Financial District
Call: (212) 269-3600Connect:
Space Designed for
Lawyers by Lawyer
Your adversaries are difficult,
office space shouldn’t be.
A Collaborative
Community
Like-minded professionals
leveraging our legal experience
into business opportunities.
Millions in Referrals
Each Year
Show up to work. Be nice.
Get referrals.
Subsidize your rent.

4. @lawfirmsuites4
Virtual Office
All lawyers practicing in New
York must have an ‘office for the
transaction of law business.’
--NY Judiciary Law s. 470

5. @lawfirmsuites5
Interpreting “an office for the transaction of law business”
Does a virtual office meet the definition? Resources to review
NYS Policy
Statements
Existing
Case Law The ethically compliant
virtual office
Ethics
Opinions

6. @lawfirmsuites6
Matching
limited
guidance with
available virtual
office services
Connecting the Dots

7. @lawfirmsuites7
Features of the
Ethically Compliant Virtual Office
For non-resident attorneys with some risk tolerance
Ethics
Opinions
NYS Policy
Statements
Existing
Case Law
Desk Space
Available for rent
when needed
Receptionist
To field pop-ins &
forward mail
Processes
To recognize priority
items & notify you
Staff Training
On confidentiality &
privilege issues
Confidentiality
Place to hold private
meetings
Service
On-site agent for
service of process
The Ethically
Compliant
Virtual Office

8. @lawfirmsuites8
Features of the
Ethically Compliant Virtual Office
For the truly risk averse non-resident attorney
Ethics
Opinions
NYS Policy
Statements
Existing
Case Law
Service
On-site agent for
service of process
Receptionist
To field pop-ins &
forward mail
Processes
To recognize priority
items & notify you
Staff Training
On confidentiality &
privilege issues
Confidentiality
Place to hold private
meetings
Permanent
Desk Space
Secure Storage
Dedicated place to
leave office items
Signage
Door signage
identifying firm
The Ethically
Compliant
Virtual Office

9. @lawfirmsuites9
Profiling the ethically
compliant virtual office
& comparing available
vendors
Service
Analysis

10. @lawfirmsuites10
The polar extremes of virtual office compliance
UPS Store | East 51st Street | NYC
• Mail & package receipt only
• No receptionists to greet pop-ins
• No conference rooms to meet clients
• No agent for service of process
Law Firm Suites | Financial District | NYC
• Staff fully trained in attorney privilege & confidentiality
• Multiple private conference rooms
• Procedures for handling priority deliveries & pop-ins
• Short-term & long-term deskspace
• Agent for service of process program
• Signage & secure storage
• BONUS: Exclusive to lawyers (same set of professional ethics rules)
Not Ethically Compliant Full Ethical Compliance

11. @lawfirmsuites11
Available vendors rated by ethical compliance
Sage Workspaces
Midtown East | NYC
Limited conference rooms and
no dedicated “day office”
spaces, only unrented
permanent offices. Signage
available.
Servcorp
World Trade | NYC
No service of process or legal
ethics training program but OK
with lawyer directed requests
on both items. No signage.
Jay Suites
Financial District | NYC
No service of process or legal
ethics training program but OK
with lawyer directed requests
on both items. No signage.
B B+ B+ Receptionist
Processes for priority items
Staff training on legal ethics
Places for private meetings
Agent for service of process
“Day office” space
Permanent office rentals
Secure storage
Signage
Available
Partially available
Not available
Features Key
Top performers

12. @lawfirmsuites12
Available vendors rated by ethical compliance
NYC Bar
Midtown West | NYC
Not an office. No true guest
reception, inadequate meeting
room facilities, no permanent
workspace rentals, storage or
signage.
Corporate Suites
Midtown East | NYC
No service of process or legal
ethics training program and
NOT OK with lawyer directed
requests on both items.
Automatic failure.
C- F Receptionist
Processes for priority items
Staff training on legal ethics
Places for private meetings
Agent for service of process
“Day office” space
Permanent office rentals
Secure storage
Signage
Available
Partially available
Not available
Features Key
Bottom of the class

13. @lawfirmsuites13
Virtual Office Rentals
Exclusively for Attorneys
Referrals to pay your rent
Collaborate with other lawyers just
like you
Easy networking opportunities
Highly trained staff that makes you
look great to your clients
Schedule a Tour
www.LawFirmSuites.com