This is happening due to two reasons - first, the lines between online and offline business presence is being blurred and may have already dissolved due to increase in cloud computing and other services. Though such services are "virtual" in as much as most of the computation and business processes are done off-premise, nevertheless they are an essential and integrated part of brick-and-mortar law firms and law offices.
The second reason for lawyers avoiding the term "virtual" is because it adds nothing more than implying the lawyer conducts client contact online, and may not have a brick-and-mortar office. However, the word "virtual" signals a "non-real" qualitative attribute, which is far from the "real" advice offered by virtual lawyers, or the "real" fees received through online transaction counters.
Be that as it may, the ABA Technology Survey makes it clear that lawyers are becoming increasingly aware that being "virtual" is nothing special and being described as such doesn't enhance brand perception.
According to the survey, lawyers characterized a virtual law practice as one without traditional physical office, with minimal in-person contact with clients, using web-based tools for client interaction, using a secure client portal/extranet, offering unbundled legal services and other qualities.
When asked whether they use virtual offices including fixed mailing address or phone number, and on-demand office space and receptionist services provided by business centers or virtual office providers, only 5 percent lawyers said they used such services. Use of virtual law offices was the highest among solo practitioners.
However, according to the ABA survey, almost 75 percent of lawyers admitted that they telecommute at times. However the percentage of such lawyers declined to 73 percent this year from 78 percent in 2012.
The Legal Technology Survey Report published in six volumes is available from the ABA website and discusses the use of internet and online communication technology by lawyers.
