Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork
“Derron, get them off the phone and into your office as soon as possible.”
I was told the above statement back in 2002 when I opened The Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork. My law firm is in Scottsdale, Arizona. About 10 years later, I had a client who lived in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is about 120 miles away from Phoenix.
His case was started and finished in about four months. He never came to my office.
Since that case back in 2011, I have always offered remote legal services.
Now in 2020, optional remote legal services are more important than ever.
Here is how my remote law firm can help you.
Convenience is My Firm’s Number #1 Priority
You are Hurt
If you have been in a car accident you’re most likely hurt. You will likely experience severe pain on the day of the accident, the next day, or even a few days later.
The last thing you probably want to do is to get into your car and drive somewhere.
If you called my office back in 2003, I always asked you to come to my office.
However, understanding that you were hurt, I said only come in when you felt better.
I completely ignored my older colleague’s advice.
The Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork’s remote law firm is simply an extension of coming in when you feel better.
You do not have to come in at all.
You are Busy
I know that you are busy. If you have been involved in a car accident, you will have many things to do. You are calling your insurance company, going to your doctor or chiropractor, and you are going to the drug store to pick up prescriptions.
Even if you’re not driving yourself, you have family and friends helping you.
You’re doing all these things on top of your busy daily life.
The last thing you have time to do is to get in your car and drive across town to a lawyer’s office.
My remote law firm saves you time. You don’t have to get dressed, drive across town fighting Arizona rush hour traffic, nor do you have to wait in my office lobby.
I’ve heard on more than one occasion of people needing legal services but just didn’t have the time to go to the lawyer’s office.
This is never a problem at The Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork because you never have to come to the office.
You Want Credit Card Points
Another convenience at The Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork is that we accept credit cards, Paypal, Bitcoin, and Veem.
Back in 2002, most lawyers, including me, only accepted cash or check.
From the very beginning of my practice, you’ve wanted to pay by credit cards. In the beginning, you wanted airline miles. Now in 2020, most credit cards have some type of points or cashback program, and almost everyone uses credit cards.
While most personal injury cases don’t require any out-of-pocket payments, other legal issues may require some payment.
I accept credit cards for your convenience.
You Deserve Constant Communication About Your Case
You are my friend
If you are involved in a car accident, or any legal matter, you need someone to answer your questions. Of course, you need an advocate and a counselor to represent you. But you also need someone you can talk to.
This has been the foundation of my law firm for 20 years. With remote legal services, you will be in constant communication with my law firm, even if you are not coming to the office.
You must have access to your lawyer when you want him or her.
In the beginning of my law firm, other lawyers told me I could not be professional and friendly at the same time. I’ve ignored this advice for 20 years. I probably update my clients about their cases more than any lawyer in town.
You have 24/7 access to my office
When you have questions for your lawyer, they don’t always occur between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.
Since offering my remote legal services, my office phone has been my cell phone.
You may call my phone any time you want. You may call before your workday, after work, after you put your kids to bed, whenever it is convenient.
In fact, in the typical car accident case, you will seek medical attention, speak to your own insurance agent, and maybe call in pain medication prescriptions. After those events, it is already 9:00 pm.
With my remote law services, you may call my phone at 9:00 p.m., and we can start your case.
Technology Makes Remote Legal Services Possible
Phones
Cell phones are clearer and more reliable than landlines these days. When you call my office, you will be able to hear me clearly, and I will be able to hear you clearly.
This was not possible ten or fifteen years ago. First, because the first cell phones were unreliable and dropped calls were common.
Second, like all lawyers back in the ’00s, I would not accept calls on my cell phone.
This all changed when I understood what you wanted – CONVENIENCE
Now, you have my cell number because my cell phone is the main office number. My cell number is on my business cards.
Finally, you can send me text messages or any other type of message to my phone.
Paperless Offices
With my remote legal services, you may email me any documents such as pictures, insurance documents, medical bills, or receipts. Your document will go into your electronic file.
Many law firms are now paperless or near-paperless. The last manilla file I created for a client was in 2010. No lawyer should have a file cabinet in 2020.
Consequently, the scanner is the most used piece of equipment in my law firm.
Security
Your files and personal records are secured in my firm’s secured electronic files. Additionally, all emails are automatically encrypted.
Given the sensitivity of documents such as medical records and financial records, electronic security is extremely important at my firm.
I was encrypting and decrypting emails manually back in 2013. Thankfully, these days email providers do this automatically
Your records are safe. Electronic security has never been breached at my firm.
COVID 19 And the Changing Landscape of Law Business
2020 is An Inflection Moment
Not to overstate it, but the history books will note the world before 2020, and after 2020.
As of this writing, there is a health virus that is paralyzing the world.
There is something called the Coronavirus or COVID 19 virus. This virus is an extremely contagious flu-like health condition.
Currently, 840,000 people in the U.S. have been infected with this virus. People have been advised to stay at home, and almost all businesses are closed.
All but “essential” businesses are closed. Restaurants are closed, malls are closed, and schools are closed.
Corporations are closed, and those who can work from home are doing so.
As a result, you are getting more comfortable working from home, ordering items online and having them delivered.
Yes, services like Amazon, Grubhub, and Instacart have been around for a while, but now they are flourishing.
You are obviously getting used to having things delivered to your home and doing business from your home.
More and more, if you don’t have to go to a physical building you will not.
You can also retain my legal services from the comfort of your own home.
The Law Offices of Derron D. Woodfork Remote Law Services Started in 2011
I first got the idea of offering remote legal services in 2011. I have a friend who started a “telemedicine” company. This company allowed people to see their doctors over a video screen. Patients never came to the doctor’s office.
I figured if it works for medicine, it might work for law.
It was hard for me in the beginning. I believed that you really needed to come to my office.
I had a hard time understanding that you valued convenience over anything else when it comes to hiring a lawyer.
You have clearly spoken – You don’t want to come to my office unless absolutely necessary.
Exactly two clients have wanted to come to my office in 9 years.
Nevertheless, I have a physical office if you want to come in.
If you have been involved in a car accident, simply give me a call. You don’t have to fill out any forms, talk to a receptionist, or anything else, just give me a call: (602) 284-3035
Derron