Texas Family Law Insiders – Episode 133

Real Insights on Running a Virtual Law Practice

Host: Holly Draper
Guest: Carrie Topia
Date: February 18, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Holly Draper, CEO and managing partner of the Draper Law Firm, and her partner, Carrie Topia, share their expertise on running a fully remote law firm. Drawing on their firm’s years of experience with virtual operations—even before the widespread shift during COVID-19—they address frequently asked questions, discuss the critical systems and technologies in place, and provide actionable advice for lawyers considering the move to a remote or hybrid practice. The conversation explores challenges, successes, remote team management, cultivating culture, hiring strategies, and the role of technology, all tailored to the context of family law practice in Texas.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Defining a Remote Law Firm

• More than Just Working from Home
  • Running remote is not simply allowing home work; it requires distinct systems and guardrails (01:15).
• Evolution Post-COVID
  • COVID, with tools like Zoom, made remote work easier and changed client expectations for in-person meetings, making them rare (01:15–02:28).

Notable Quote:
"Our firm has been really remote since before remote was cool, but Covid changed the ability for everyone, I think, to truly work well remotely."
— Holly Draper (01:15)

2. Physical Office Needs and Client Perceptions

• Mailing Address is a Must
  • Still need a physical address for receiving mail, though not necessarily a brick-and-mortar space (02:28–03:53).
  • Options: coworking spaces with mail services, mailbox addresses, dedicated mail-scanning services.
  • Google Business Listing requires a unique address, but not a full office; clients rarely expect in-person meetings nowadays (03:58).
• Client Preferences Shifted
  • Most clients prefer virtual—only a tiny percentage insist on in-person consults (less than 1%) (03:58–06:02).

Notable Quote:
"Especially in a post Covid world. That is simply not true... if you're the type of person who needs to meet in an in person office, you are not the client. We are not the law firm for you."
— Holly Draper (05:00)

3. Remote Team Communication and Staying Connected

• Core Tools
  • Dropbox: All files and tools centralized for team access (07:07).
  • Slack: Every case has its own channel; additional channels for firmwide chit-chat, celebrations, and coordination (07:07–08:41).
  • Regular Video Meetings: Weekly Zoom meetings for each legal team to review progress, strategize, and ensure accountability (08:41).
  • Regular In-Person Events: Quarterly 'Fun Friday', holiday parties, and spontaneous happy hours to foster camaraderie (07:07).
• Best Practices
  • "Overcommunicate"—as new hires can no longer rely on overhearing office discussions; proactive communication is required (07:07).
  • One-on-one check-ins via Slack or Zoom to assess well-being and workload (08:41).

Notable Quote:
"I often tell our new hires: over-communicate, tell me more than you think I need to know... I can't hear you crying down the hallway."
— Carrie Topia (07:49)

4. Importance and Building of Systems

• Foundation for Remote
  • Systematized operations are vital for onboarding, scaling, and quality assurance (08:41–12:34).
  • Systems cover intake, onboarding/offboarding (staff & clients), case deadlines, tech security, and billing.
• Creating Systems
  • Document processes early, ideally in both written and video form (12:59–14:10).
  • Use tools like Trainual to organize policies and procedures; encourage feedback from team to improve clarity (14:10).
  • Even the most basic tasks should become systems for consistency and scalability (14:10–16:46).

Notable Quote:
"By having documented systems... if a new person comes in, the person who did your intakes is gone, they should be able to look at that system and pick up right where the last person left off."
— Holly Draper (09:50)

5. Productivity, Accountability & Autonomy

• Tracking Productivity
  • Clear expectations for contemporaneous billing, monitored daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly (16:46).
  • Status check-ins for hours worked; addressing both overwork and underperformance (16:46–17:46).
  • Hire for autonomy—avoid micromanaging but keep accountability measures in place (16:46).
• Remote Suitability
  • Most attorneys adapt well; more screening is needed at staff level to ensure autonomous work ethic (17:46–19:04).

Notable Quote:
"We work on having accountability without micromanaging... we're hiring people that are able to be autonomous."
— Carrie Topia (17:25)

6. Hiring for a Virtual Law Office

• Interviewing Remotely
  • All interviews are done via Zoom, simulating actual workflow (19:04).
  • Behavioral questions assess self-motivation, handling deadlines and communication (19:04–20:23).
  • Red flags: need for constant reassurance, poor written communication, lack of remote experience or adaptability.
• Adapting to Tech
  • Comfort with technology is essential for new hires (20:23).

Notable Quote:
"If you are not comfortable with technology... Everything is happening online, and you've got to have a certain level of comfort with technology."
— Holly Draper (21:57)

7. Building and Maintaining Firm Culture

• Deliberate Cultural Efforts
  • Regular video meetings, proactive check-ins, public recognition of achievements, and spontaneous social events (22:17–24:32).
  • Honesty and clarity in written communication — encourage direct questions to prevent misunderstandings in Slack (22:17).
  • Anonymous feedback channels recently introduced, allowing staff to voice concerns or suggestions without fear (24:32).
• Ownership and Improvement
  • Soliciting honest feedback, even anonymously, leads to positive change and a sense of shared ownership in the firm's success (24:32–25:38).

Notable Quote:
"Giving employees some ownership into what's happening in the firm and making it better because everybody wants it to be a great place to work."
— Holly Draper (25:15)

8. Advice for Starting or Transitioning to a Remote Practice

• Top Recommendations
  • Start documenting processes and systems immediately—even as a solo (25:54).
  • Don't hesitate to fire underperformers; act faster in a remote setting (25:54).
  • Invest early in technology and tech training, particularly in tools for AI and systemization, to stay future-proof (27:05).

Notable Quote:
"If you're looking at starting something now, you have got to be investing in AI and systems that you can use that are going to hopefully grow with you and make your practice better and more enjoyable for you."
— Holly Draper (27:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Holly on client perception:
  “If you’re the type of person who needs to meet in an in-person office, you are not the client. We are not the law firm for you.” (05:00)

• Carrie on remote systems:
  “Every case has its own channel on Slack, and the people that are on the team for that case are on that channel on Slack. That's how we communicate about cases throughout the week.” (07:33)

• Holly on systems scalability:
  “By having systems, that's really what can allow law firms to scale, because you can add more people and not have the immense amount of work of training them.” (15:57)

• On firm culture and feedback:
  “I thought we did [have an open-door policy]. But I think that giving them that additional platform to give feedback was very helpful.” — Carrie Topia (25:38)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• What is a remote law firm? – (01:15–02:28)
• Is a physical office necessary? – (02:28–03:53)
• Client preferences post-COVID – (04:00–06:02)
• Team connection and tools – (07:07–08:41)
• Systems and SOPs – (08:41–14:10)
• Productivity & accountability – (16:46–17:46)
• Hiring for remote roles – (19:04–21:57)
• Firm culture & anonymous feedback – (22:17–25:38)
• Advice for new remote practitioners – (25:54–27:09)

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a comprehensive, practical guide to launching and managing a virtual law practice, based on real-world experience from a fully remote family law firm. The conversation is candid and full of actionable details, covering everything from technological infrastructure and process documentation, to maintaining team cohesion and hiring right for a remote work culture. Holly Draper and Carrie Topia emphasize intentionality—with systems, culture, and communication—proving that with the right planning and people, a law firm can thrive and grow without the trappings of a traditional office.

This is a must-listen for any legal professional looking to build or improve a modern, virtual law practice.