Listening now to a webinar by Carolyn Elefant of My Shingle and Susan Cartier Leibel of Solo Practice University on “going solo.”
As someone who went solo in the practice of law back in 1994, then decided that legal tech was FAR more interesting, I like their perspectives.
I’ve been watching the growth of their blogs and reading them for quite some time, and I think they’ve both hit upon a communication style and have the reach to make them worth bookmarking.
OK, what I mean is that there are blogs that are worth bookmarking, and others which you can always find through blogrolls. Bloggers run in crews, so one gateway to the crew of Elefant and Leibel really only requires one bookmark.
My suggestion is that before you bookmark (or, even better add a blog to your Morning Coffee [hmmm name changed!]), you take some time to check out the blogroll. See if another blog in their crew speaks to your issues. if so, book mark that one.
For example, I separate them into these groups because if a blogger has bookmarked something, why should I? So, I often read blogs of Kevin O’Keefe’s clients, I bookmark at source, because I can always find his clients from there.
That and LinkedIn.
OK, so one comment that really made me want to blog is the perspective that people who go solo MUST have the proper outlook on their venture.
You’re not doing it because they’re something wrong with you. You’re not doing it as a placeholder until you can get a “real job.” You’re doing it because it suits you, you’re excited about it and you want to provide great service to clients in a new way.
Right now, they’re talking about not needing a year’s savings to do it. That’s funny. Other than the independently wealthy, and certainly in my case, a few month’s savings was more like it.
A law practice doesn’t require a year’s savings, it requires a client.
The one caveat, however, is that were I straight out of law school, I would NOT suggest opening up a firm. Why? Because there are plenty of older people out there who need your help and who can give you guidance. Confederate with an older lawyer and your practice will move along much faster.
I won’t recap the entire webinar, except to say that legal technology has indeed changed everything. This is the truth behind my early criticism of the argument that legal technology would allow BigLaw to obliterate small firm practitioners.
It kinda goes against the grain to recommend this, but in this case, I think a commercial “university” might be worth doing.
So, here’s the link: http://solopracticeuniversity. com
If you’re interested in solo practice, go listen to their webinar.
And then, read Carla Harris’ book and apply what she’s telling you.
