Your law firm serves as a representative reception area for your clients and a daily workplace for you and your staff. The furnishings and equipment of your office are your calling card. A high-quality environment has a very positive impact on both your image as a legal representative and your own work environment.
3 good reasons to change the appearance of your law firm
- Their office premises are somewhat outdated and no longer up-to-date.
- They are moving into new premises for their law firm.
- They are taking over an existing law firm and have different ideas regarding design and functionality.
11 tips: Setting up a law firm like a pro
When it comes to furnishing your law firm, there are many decisions to make. Your furniture should last for many years and always make a perfect impression. The atmosphere should be inviting and professional. The various work areas should be ergonomically designed and meet the requirements for handling sensitive data. In this blog post, we'll discuss tips for effective law firm furnishing. Read on to learn more!
Setting up a law firm – The most important tips and tricks:
Tip 1: Convey a professional impression
First impressions are crucial. Leave no doubt about your professionalism and reliability. The cleanliness, orderliness, quality, and aesthetics of your premises convey an image of your personality to your clients and employees, and consequently, your perceived work quality as a lawyer, tax advisor, or auditor.
- What image do you want to convey to your clients?
Your office's decor will leave a lasting impression on your clients. Use this to your advantage. - In what kind of environment do you feel most comfortable?
Also consider your own needs, as you will be spending most of your time in your office.
Tip 2: Choose your furniture with the future in mind.
Your office space should offer a harmonious overall impression and a stylish, functional environment for your daily work. Easy-to-clean surfaces and enclosed storage space contribute to a well-maintained appearance. This will make your office space organized, functional, and at the same time appealing and elegant.
Modular furniture systems like FLEXCUBE have the unbeatable advantage of being adaptable. They can be continuously adjusted to the evolving needs of your law firm. They can be easily reconfigured; individual panels or worktops can be replaced. This is sustainable, budget-friendly, and ensures a perfect appearance even after many years.
Modular furniture systems offer countless variations for cabinets, shelves , lowboards , sideboards , highboards , and counters, allowing for individual configuration in terms of function and color. Timeless, classic furniture conveys both taste and professionalism to your customers.
Tip 3: Design the entrance area to be inviting 
The entrance area is the first physical point of contact with your law firm. Unfortunately, it is often neglected in the planning of the building's layout. A clearly visible company sign, even from a distance, is essential. Ideally, it should indicate the exact location of the office within the building. Planters in front of the office will add a touch of vibrancy to the entrance area.
Tip 4: The reception area as a central point of contact
Your clients should feel warmly welcomed from the very first moment, even if they have to wait a little while until you are ready for their appointment. Therefore, plan a reception area centrally located near the entrance. From here, everything happening in your office should be easily visible.
Data protection and discretion must be strictly observed during the planning phase. A reception desk with a raised shelf ensures discretion. The desk behind it, along with any documents and monitor on it, is thus not visible to visitors. Ideally, position the reception desk against a back wall.
Tip 5: Create a discreet waiting area
Plan carefully where your clients should wait for you if you arrive a little early for your appointment. This could be a comfortable seating area in the reception area or a separate room. In larger law firms, a separate waiting room is generally recommended for reasons of discretion. Supplement the seating with a small table for drinks. Make the wait a pleasant experience.
For example, decorations in the form of wall pictures that tell something about the place or its law firm history are suitable for this purpose.
Tip 6: How to skillfully furnish office spaces
Setting up the CEO's office
How luxurious can or should a lawyer's or tax advisor's office be? Your executive office is the prestigious heart of your firm. Decisions are made here and business relationships are cultivated. Your professionalism and integrity should be reflected in your furnishings.
A senior lawyer's office should be well-equipped and attractively furnished. The centerpiece is a large desk , an ergonomic desk chair, and ample closed storage space in a mobile pedestal to discreetly store all work documents.
For meetings, please plan for a separate conference table and comfortable visitor chairs whenever possible. If clients must sit in front of your desk due to space constraints, please ensure that no obstructing equipment is present. An L-shaped desk can help create a dedicated area for meetings.
Set up a secretariat
Your office staff needs a work environment designed to meet their needs and equipped in accordance with workplace regulations. Here, too, an ergonomic desk, chair, and filing system are key. Since your secretary handles organizational processes, the scope expands to include areas such as mailroom, printer, archives, and the coffee kitchen.
Tip 7: The right desk
A desk should be at least 160cm long and 80cm deep. This size provides sufficient space for a computer workstation and storage for documents. For individual offices, desks in lengths of 180cm or 200cm are preferred.
Since prolonged sitting at a desk is unhealthy, you should opt for an ergonomic, height-adjustable desk . Adjustable desks offer the greatest comfort. Make sure there are sufficient cable management options.
Choose a model with integrated storage space or complement your desk with a filing cabinet. This way, all your essential items are always within easy reach and your desk remains tidy.
An L-shaped desk is a good option if there is a particularly large need for space or if a visitor function needs to be integrated.
Tip 8: The right office chair
The right office chair and its correct adjustment to the user are of utmost importance when it comes to ergonomic working. The basis for optimal individual adjustment is the correct adaptation of the office chair to the user's height and body proportions. Seat height and seat depth must be adjustable, and seat tilt should be.
You are sitting correctly when your hips, knees, and ankles are at approximately right angles. There should be a gap of three to four fingers' width between the front edge of the seat and your lower leg, while your pelvis rests against the backrest. If your chair has a seat tilt function , you can tilt the seat forward. This will tilt your pelvis slightly forward, which is good for your spine.
Tip 9: The right filing cabinets
By choosing furniture wisely, you not only make it easier to keep things tidy, but also give your rooms style and an individual touch. Insufficient storage space quickly makes an office appear disorganized and unprofessional. The same applies to open storage. We therefore recommend closed storage . Only where you want to deliberately showcase items do we recommend display cases or open storage.
A wide range of features allows you to put together the perfect furniture:
- Orders disappear behind flaps or doors.
- Hanging files are an optimal way to organize a large number of files.
- Drawers store many small items
- Display cases protect exhibits from dirt and dust
- Open storage allows for quick access
- Lockable compartments and cabinets ensure the protection of sensitive data.
Tall or low storage furniture?
Tall storage units utilize cubic meters (m³) rather than just square meters (m²). Tall filing cabinets and shelves are ideal for small offices or archives. Ensure high quality with a high load-bearing capacity. Cabinets and shelves need to be stable to support heavy files. This allows you to organize a lot of things in a very small space. Tall storage units can also be used as partitions. For example, the printer and all its accessories, the fax machine, mailboxes, etc., can disappear behind an elegant wall of furniture without the hassle of building a real wall. Lowboards or sideboards are excellent for giving the workspace a homey, comfortable feel.
Modular furniture systems – the future-proof option
Modular furniture systems are extremely flexible. They can be adapted to new requirements at any time and can be reconfigured: higher or lower, longer or shorter. Open compartments can be supplemented with doors, flaps, or drawers. Individual parts can be replaced instead of discarding entire pieces of furniture and starting from scratch.
Quality and durability pay off in the long run. As your business evolves, modular furniture will help you make the most of your new spaces sustainably and with minimal effort. Well-known Swiss brands include FLEXCUBE and USM .
Tip 10: Service option: Office planning
There are many variables to consider when planning an office . How large should your office be? What type of layout is best suited to your team? How can you make the most of your space? Our guide can help you with this. You'll learn everything you need to know about planning and furnishing your office, or you can have us plan it for you free of charge and without obligation.
Tip 11: Service option: Financing
Especially when starting a new business, the budget for high-quality furnishings can quickly reach its limits. Used furniture could be an option here. But is it really satisfying to start with a compromise? Special conditions for SMEs, leasing, rental, or financing options can be a budget-friendly alternative. It's worthwhile to obtain different offers and, for example, take advantage of FLEXCUBE's special SME conditions .
Conclusion
We hope you found our tips helpful. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about office design, please contact us. We'd be happy to help you create the perfect office for your business, free of charge and without obligation. Thank you!
Questions & Answers about setting up an office
Where should the desk be placed?
The desk area should have sufficient natural light. Ideally, the desk should be positioned at a 90-degree angle to the window. You should be facing into the room, not a wall, and not have a door behind you.
Remember that power, network, and telephone connections are available at the installation location. Ensure that cables for the PC, monitors, telephone, and other devices are organized and concealed as much as possible using cable channels.
What type of worktop should a desk have?
Choose a surface that avoids reflections; avoid glass tables. Low-reflection surfaces include, for example, real wood veneers or melamine coatings.
What are the characteristics of a particularly good office chair?
An outstanding office chair or executive chair is distinguished by its exceptional seating features. Every office chair should be adjustable in seat height and depth to suit the individual user. For a particularly good chair, look for a model with a synchro-tilt mechanism, adjustable armrests, and lumbar support. It should also be designed for sitting for more than eight hours, as back strain is especially high during this time. A neck support further helps to minimize neck strain.
Is a designated conversation area at the desk useful?
Visitor chairs at desks are a common sight. In a law firm, you should ideally create a separate area for meetings with your clients.
What kind of filing options does a law firm need?
A law office requires basic equipment such as shelving for legal literature and secure file storage. Choose lockable filing cabinets for binders or hanging files to ensure your clients' personal data is safe. When positioning filing cabinets, make sure they open easily and don't obstruct walkways. Secure tall cabinets to the wall to prevent them from tipping over.
Ensure you have sufficient storage space at your desk so that all your supplies are neatly stored yet easily accessible. For example, use a desk pedestal if your desk doesn't have built-in storage.
Plan for a cloakroom for visitors near the reception area. A small kitchenette completes your law firm.
What is the difference between Flexcube and USM Haller?
Flexcube and USM Haller furniture can be visually distinguished by their connecting elements. The familiar USM Haller connector has holes with screw threads, while the Flexcube stainless steel cube is completely closed. Further information can be found at https://flexcube.ch/faq
How do you create a pleasant atmosphere in the office?
Good general lighting is essential. Combine different light sources. Direct lighting, such as task lights and desk lamps, provides focused light for specific tasks. Indirect lighting, such as ceiling lights, emits diffused light that reduces glare and eye strain.
Plants bring color and life to any room and play an important role in improving indoor air quality. Plants can also help reduce noise levels.
What does ergonomics in the workplace mean?
Workplace ergonomics means taking care of employees' health. Frequent changes in posture, i.e., alternating between sitting and standing, help prevent back and neck pain and tension. Provide a height-adjustable desk and an ergonomic office chair for this purpose.
Do you want to learn more about ergonomics in the workplace ?
What technical equipment is required?
The technical equipment in law firms is constantly evolving. Computers and laptops are largely replacing fax machines and printers. Most documents and legal briefs are now sent electronically. A stable and fast internet connection is an essential prerequisite.
A modern telephone system, licenses for office applications, accounting software, and specialized legal software for managing appointments and deadlines form the necessary foundation. Speech recognition software can almost completely automate dictation.
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