297: A Year of Remote Lawyering: How Jeff Austin Took His Practice to Patagonia

The 80/20 Principle

In this episode, you'll hear from Jeff Austin, an estate planning attorney from Durham, North Carolina, who spent a year practicing law remotely while living in Argentina with his family. Jeff will explain how he transitioned to a paperless, remote practice, tackling challenges like how to notarize documents remotely, how to manage client communication, and how to handle physical mail.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Jeff Austin's transition to a remote, paperless law practice while living in Argentina.
• Innovative solutions for remote notarization and client communication.
• Maintaining ethical standards as a North Carolina attorney practicing abroad.
• Practical strategies for building a credible online presence and client trust.
• The importance of technological tools like eSIM cards and virtual mail services.
• Adaptability and resourcefulness in international living and remote work.

Resources from this Episode

• MyCase - Practice management software that Jeff used
• Traveling Mailbox - A physical mailbox service that scans and manages mail.
• One Notary - Remote notarization service
• BestNotary - Concierge estate planning service that provides notary and witness services.
• Amazon Kindle - E-reader for reading work-related materials
• Next Stand - Portable laptop stand for ergonomic use.

General Resources

• Click for a list of the Best Tech Tools for Lawyers
• Subscribe to: The 80/20 Principle
• Check out my Law Firm Systems Intensive
• Join: '80/20 Inner Circle' (valuable business insights for small firm owners)
• Read: The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch
• Get my new email course: ChatGPT for Lawyers (it's free)

Other Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (online community for law firm owners)

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Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.