Rhett Marlow founded LexHelper in 2014 to provide professional live call support, appointments and collections management for lawyers in small and solo firms.

Using the knowledge gained from previous successful technology, supply chain management and recycling startup companies, Rhett discovered a great need for law firms to increase and maintain efficiency in small or one-person offices.

What inspired you to create LexHelper and support services for solo legal practitioners?

Rhett Marlow: Look at the numbers. Nearly half of all lawyers admitted to a state bar association work alone. When a new lawyer decides to open up their own office, often their cash flow doesn’t allow for a receptionist or office manager.

What are the greatest challenges for solo attorneys?

Rhett Marlow: In one word: time. If you are fielding calls, responding to clients, keeping your own schedule and collecting fees, plus, practicing law then your time becomes more valuable and opportunities to grow your business decline. LexHelper provides a process that streamlines calls, appointments and even aids in collecting retainers and fees.

If I am a lawyer running my own shop, what do I get out of LexHelper?

Rhett Marlow: You choose the level of service you want. You start with a number. You can forward your calls to that number where a LexHelper professional will answer all your calls, provide answers to frequently asked questions and set up a meeting. LexHelper reduces the rate of cancellations or “no-show” appointments with calendar synchronization and reminders. We provide fee collection services and client follow-up.

How can the legal profession learn from the medical community?

Rhett Marlow: Physicians have become much more efficient by embracing new technologies and processes as the medical community has changed dramatically over the past 25 years.  Consider the last time you went to the doctor or dentist. The time you actually spent with the doctor was likely very little in comparison to the entire event.  We don’t see doctors calling patients to remind them of appointments or collecting payments or doing administrative tasks.  They have processes in place to manage those time consuming activities.   We see doctors being very efficient with their time, maximizing their billable hours.  I see no reason why the legal community cannot better embrace similar technologies and processes, especially the solo practitioners who are trying to get started.  Large firms have economies of scale that justify larger overheads.  Solo practitioners are not in that position.  It is important that solo practitioners understand they can afford and expect the same high level of efficiency as the medical industry.  Our success is based solely on the growth and success of our clients.

Adapted from an article first published as “Five Questions about the Small Law Firm” on the LexTalx: The Business Side of Law blog.