The Greatest American Lawyer

Advice From A National Coach On Self-Employment

Susan Cartier Liebel at Build a Solo Practice blog and Solo Practice University answers a letter from a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, who asks:  Should I Leave My Six-Figure Job For Solo Practice?

>Question:

I am a prosecutor with the Department of Justice. I've been at it for 6 years, and prior to that was at the state AG's office for 6 yrs … and the list goes on.

Basically I have been practicing for about 16 1/2 years. I've considered going out on my own off and on for many years but fear has held me back. I have a very decent salary well over $100,000 and the thought of starting my own practice in this economy scares the heck out of me. But.. I am really unhappy working on somebody else's schedule and just really not caring or being passionate about my job.  I feel completely removed from the reason that I went in to law - which is to help people.

I'm just wondering is it really a foolish idea to consider opening my own practice in this economy? I'm interested in domestic law and wills and estates.

Thank you.

Continue reading  “You Ask . . . I Answer” – Should I Leave My Six Figure Job For Solo Practice?

Don't Call Me a Solo

As those of you who are regular readers know, I spent my first two years blogging about being an independent practitioner.  There was some early debate about the stigma associated with being a “solo” practitioner.  I always preferred independent practitioner.  We are now a firm of three attorneys.  My brother Mark has 18 years experience and Brian is right out of law school.  We are all three partners in the firm. 

There are a lot of benefits to being an independent practitioner.  Our goal, as a three-attorney operation is to maintain the culture and feel of an independent practitioner operation.  Because our business model has been successful, we really had no choice but to grow.  We added virtual law clerks, paralegals and lawyers.  But still demand outstripped our ability to quickly and efficiently achieve client goals.  We now have the capacity to handle more cases, bigger cases and more complex cases.  We can now manage more virtual workers and scale staff up and down on a larger scale.  But in order to thrive, we must support each other while retaining independent judgment. 

If anyone out there works at a medium or large firm and yet retained the benefits of independence practice, let me know.  I’d be interested in your thoughts.

Bottom Up

Stumbling around in the blogosphere, I came across an interesting post from the How to Make It Rain blog, about how to achieve your own solo practice within the giant firms of the country. According to RJon Robins the best way to achieve liberty within the practice of law without dealing with all of the chaos that comes from a solo-firm is through the use of your own success. I agree with Mr. Robins' basic premise, because when you control a large batch of clients, you do wield some power over the partners; however, there is so much more that can be achieved when you don't have to use your clients as collateral to manhandle your bosses.

Yes, the solo practice may not be right for every new graduate. As Robins says, there are so many aspects of your own firm that are not necessarily what you covered in law school. From "ordering your own office supplies... negotiating with your own landlord and managing your staff all by yourself", it can be very stressful when you realize the different aspects of the job that must be covered to achieve what you envisioned when you opened your doors.

But there is a benefit to having to order those office supplies and directly manage your staff in the early stages, as it forces you to know the legal operation from the bottom up. With this experience in the early stages, when you do have a staff that operates by itself, a steady stream of clients, and a background with your landlord, you are in an immensely better position to direct your firm; a position that cannot be achieved by the attorney who works under a board.

In the end, the difference between the solo-practitioners and those in the corporate firms is how far they want to go. As a member of a big conglomerate, you may achieve a partnership and become one of many who made collective decisions that move the firm this way and that; but as a solo-practitioner, after years of hard work, you will be able to step back and see a fine-tuned machine that provides quality service to clients with whom you have a real relationship.

Independent Practitioner:

I make decisions with my time in ways that are virtually impossible within the context of a partnership.  I remember at my old firm having friends with legal questions or basic legal needs, and having to feel guilty about spending time helping them when I could have been billing either them or other clients.  It has never stopped me per say.  However, it left me with a dirty feeling somehow.  Somehow, I felt I was not doing enough for either of my friends or my partners.

Kyle’s wife, Barb, has documents which need to be reviewed, property that needs to be sold.  I am able to help with those things without even a moment’s hesitation or intrusion of interest.  Tonight, I am the happiest, smiling, attorney who is satisfied with what I do, how I do it and who I do it for.