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

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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