AEC News Articles - A New Way to Practice Law

A law practice without secretaries. A new law firm up and running in just two days. A satellite office for 18 people in Philadelphia for a national law practice. These are some of the new possibilities that attorneys have in today's marketplace, thanks to technological advances and the availability of executive office suites specially tailored to attorneys' needs.

Expediting the Process
When the national law firm of Littler Mendelson wanted to open an office in Philadelphia, they were able to lease an executive suite from American Executive Centers while it went through the process of selecting, renting and furnishing its permanent office. American Executive Centers is the Delaware Valley's leading executive suite company with seven strategically placed locations in and around Philadelphia.

American Executive Centers offers furnished private offices and elegantly furnished reception areas and conference rooms with video conferencing equipment. They also provide secretarial and IT support services and enhanced telephone-reception. American Executive Centers has five Pennsylvania locations in Center City Philadelphia, King of Prussia, Bala Cynwyd, Exton and Plymouth Meeting and one in Marlton, NJ. The company entered the executive suite industry with the goal of doing more than just renting office space. Rather, American Executive Centers strives to create an environment that fosters the success of its clients and works with them to accommodate their needs.

According to Mark Schiavo, Office Administrator for Littler Mendelson, favorable lease terms including the flexibility to extend their lease if necessary also influenced their decision to select space at American Executive Centers' Two Penn Center facility. According to Schiavo, "The people at American Executive Centers have been very helpful and the amenities have served us well."

Starting out on your own
Diane Fenner left a Center City law firm three years ago to start her own practice. At that time, computer technology had already replaced many of the tasks formerly done by secretaries. But when Mike Howard, Leasing Manager for American Executive Centers, suggested that she not hire a secretary at her newly leased office, she was skeptical. How would she make it without her own secretary? During her 15 years of practice she had alwayss had her own secretary. But she followed Mike's advice and is now grateful that she did. American Executive Centers provides everything she needs including clerical support and services such as mail metering, copying and transcription right on down to fresh coffee in the morning and a collegial atmosphere among the tenants.

What first attracted Fenner to American Executive Centers was the atmosphere of the facility. "Office Manager Linda Fantini maintains a very professional atmosphere and a well-trained staff. My clients have a good feeling from the time they enter the suite and are greeted by the American Executive Centers' receptionist and that's very important to me," said Fenner. She added, "The combination of advanced computer technology and the services of American Executive Centers makes the practice of law very doable with low overhead. This is a big change from years past when it was harder for lawyers to go out on their own."

While running her practice from American Executive Centers, Diane has teamed up with Xavier Hayden and is currently practicing under the name of Fenner & Hayden PC. They now have three offices in American Executive Centers' Bala Cynwyd Center.

Hit the Ground Running
Joseph Vaughan of Vaughan, Duffy & Connors has been another satisfied client of American Executive Centers. When his former firm decided to split so that the partners could specialize in their particular types of law practice, "American Executive Centers gave me the confidence to make the move," Vaughan said.

Vaughan and his new firm "hit the ground running" in their new Exton location with no disruption in client service. He closed his old office on a Saturday and was up and operational on Monday with American Executive Centers' receptionists answering the phone with the law firm's name and routing calls. "It was a seamless transition. If we had started from scratch, I would have had down time and more expenses," Vaughan said.

Vaughan was attracted to American Executive Centers by the fact that all the systems he needed were already in place such as phones, wiring and a reception area. "The reception area and support services were a great benefit in the transition, " Vaughan said.

After six months in its American Executive Centers offices, the firm's practice has grown to the point that it is moving to its own larger office space upstairs in the same building. It is a win-win situation for the firm since they will have the same address, just a different suite number, and will have American Executive Centers' facilities and secretarial services as a back-up. Vaughan said about the transition and the new move, "American Executive Centers gave us the opportunity to assess the lay of the land and this location which was a great benefit to our firm."

From opening a satellite office to launching a new venture, law firms and a variety of other businesses have found that office business centers like American Executive Centers provide the resources and environment to help them succeed. Advanced business systems and communication technology, a highly motivated, world-class support team and facilities on par with any Fortune 500 company are just some of the advantages offered by American Executive Centers.