Solo Practice University® » Work/Life

How to Dabble in Delegating

Rachel Rodgers — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:19:29 +0000

During my college years, I spent a month living in Nigeria. My Nigerian host family consisted of a mom, dad, four daughters, one son and one son-in-law. That is a whole heck of a lot of people to share tasks with. For example, meals were a coordinated ballet and everyone played a role. Two of the daughters were tasked with going to the market to buy the meat, the son’s job was to escort his sisters to the market and help carry the packages. The eldest daughters would prepare most of the meal and mom would coordinate all of the these players and tasks. Dad was the provider. And son-in-law would bake desserts.

In my little family of three there are far too many tasks that need to be done and not enough people to do them (of course, one of us is only six weeks old so she doesn’t have too many chores yet). The same is true for my practice, there are far too many tasks for little ‘ol me. Especially since that six week old I mentioned, takes up a lot of my time.

Enter Delegation (or The Fear of Delegation)

If regular folks realize the need to farm out bits and pieces of their random household chores, why don’t more solos (especially new and young solos) realize their need to delegate business tasks? The reason is we’re scared. Sure, we’re scared of not having complete control and scared that they’ll do it wrong. But most of all we’re scared we can’t afford it and scared to increase our overhead.

Unfortunately, we usually need to start delegating just before we are financially comfortable doing so.

Thanks to the rise of virtual assistants and virtual paralegals, there are easy ways to start dabbling in delegation without taking the risk of hiring a full-time employee.

Dabbling in Delegation

Just before hitting the one year mark, I realized that I could not keep working like I was without making myself miserable. Plus, I had a baby on the way, and knew things would have to change once my daughter was born. (Did I mention, that said daughter arrived over 2 weeks early leaving many of my maternity leave plans not quite set just yet?). In addition, there are just some things I don’t like doing or that I’m not very good at. Sure, I can enter all of my business transactions into QuickBooks but do I want to? Hell no!

Of course, I also wasn’t making as much money as I had hoped I would before starting to hire people. There was a number in my head that I was supposed to reach before having the luxury of an assistant or paralegal. Due to my need to sleep and the fact that I have a finite amount of productive working hours in me each day, I knew I wasn’t going to make it to that number.

Burn out is very real. We’ve all heard horror stories of lawyers winding up in the ER or worse, due to the health complications that occur when you are stressed out and overworked. More likely though, being overworked will sap the joy out of running your practice and you’ll stop having the energy or desire to keep doing it. I didn’t want that to be me.

So here is how I started to dabble in delegating:

1. Get a referral! I had no idea what exactly I needed to delegate or who I needed to delegate to. So I asked my mastermind group for referrals. I got a list of highly recommended virtual assistants that friends of mine worked with and loved. I set up a consultation with each of them.

2. Choose one time consuming task to outsource. During the first consultation, I told the VA about my practice and asked what types of things I could potentially outsource. She gave me great ideas and helped me realize that there were quite a few administrative tasks that I took a really long time to do because they just weren’t my strengths or because I was learning as I went. One of which was management and set up of my mailing list. It took me a long time to set up and it was pretty poorly executed. So I decided that moving my mailing list over to an email marketing service and setting up well-designed newsletter templates would be the first task.

3. Purchase a super small block of time for the first task. I purchased a 5 hour block of time for a few hundred dollars with no strings attached. We both understood that she would handle the first set of tasks and then we would decide whether we were a good fit. If we did enjoy working together, we would work out terms for going forward. Don’t be afraid to ask for terms that will fit your business. If you only want to purchase a few hours per month for the first month or two, just ask.

4. Set up a collaboration system. That sounds more complicated than it is. I just set up a free Basecamp account and gave my VA access, however you can choose any secure collaboration service you like. This service made it really easy to set up to-do lists with deadlines, share documents and passwords and send each other messages.

5. Set clear expectations and provide honest feedback. Be sure to provide your VA with a deadline and clear instructions and expectations. I learned from my Nigerian host family that everyone is happier and things run smoothly when each person understands their role. The relationship only helps your business if everybody is clear on what the expectations are. After the first set of tasks is complete, schedule a quick call with your VA to determine how it went. Be clear on what went well and what could be better. Keep in mind that there is a learning curve in the first set of tasks because no one knows your business like you do.

6. Jump for joy! Then rinse and repeat. When you have been hustling hard for many moons, having someone knock out a task for you AND do it well (or better than you would have) will put a big cheesy grin on your face. You will be addicted and you will (eventually) hire someone else. After a few months of working with my stupendously awesome VA, a fellow lawyer referred a virtual paralegal to me. The first project she worked on was done quickly and efficiently and took a whole lotta work off my plate.

Just Do It!

Bottom line: I knew my practice could only grow so much if I didn’t start delegating. Having help is slowly but surely increasing my quality of life and growing my practice. I’ve experienced growth that is directly related to the tasks my team helped me with. Plus, like I learned from my Nigerian host family, working with others brings a sense of community and makes work so much more enjoyable.

Written by Rachel Rodgers

Deciding Where to Locate Your Solo Practice, Part 1

Debra Bruce — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:30:54 +0000

Whether you are a new law grad or a seasoned attorney, you might be scratching your head about the best place to open up a new solo law office. Some of you are thinking: “That’s easy. I’m going to have a home office until I get enough clients to pay the rent somewhere else!”

That may be a good decision for many of you, but I hope you will make that decision based on a thorough analysis of your options. This series of posts will discuss some of the choices, along with factors to consider.

1. Home Office

Pros: Third Wave blogger Chuck Newton blogged about his decision to cut back his multiple-office practice and move to a home office. He emphasized the importance of keeping fixed expenses low in your practice, in order to be able to adapt more easily to the ebb and flow of business. In addition to saving rent, you’ll save on gas and car maintenance costs when your commute is just down the stairs. You can use some of the equipment you already own, reducing costs for a start-up. You may have more time with family because you don’t waste time commuting, and you are more physically available. You can dress very casually. You won’t lose productivity while waiting for the cable guy to show up or cooking a pot roast. You may be able to get a tax deduction for your home office, covering part of the expenses you would have anyway for utilities, insurance, property taxes, etc. As Chuck demonstrates in his blog post, a home office is a viable option for seasoned lawyers, as well as new ones.

Cons: A home office can feel isolated. You can’t just step over to the office next door to extend an impromptu lunch invitation or discuss a legal issue. If you live in the suburbs, even planned get-togethers can seem too inconvenient. If you need to meet with a client, a home office presents a less professional image. With certain practice areas that involve volatile emotions, it may not be safe for you or your family to meet with clients at your home. You may need to travel to clients’ offices or make other arrangements for client meeting space. If you have any staff, even part-time, it will need to be someone you can trust in your home alone while you go to a meeting, to court, etc. Some lawyers struggle with the distractions of home. Family members may not respect that you are at work, and may interrupt you. Dogs bark, babies cry and junk food calls to you from the pantry. Today it is hard enough have true down-time. You are never away from your work when it is just down the hall.

2. Shared Office Space

Pros: Landlords usually charge a lower price per square foot for larger spaces. Therefore, you can achieve some economies of scale by sharing office space with other lawyers. You can also share equipment, such as copiers, scanners and phone systems. You may share staff costs as well, but that can get complicated pretty quickly. If you choose to share space with lawyers who have different practice areas, but who serve a similar target audience, they can be a good referral source.

Cons: If you share staff, for some reason, differences of opinion about work performance and duties tend to be more irritating in an office-sharing arrangement than in a partnership. In many jurisdictions you will need to take significant steps to make it clear that the office mates are not partners, which can create a less than optimal image. The phone will probably be answered with a generic and rather sterile greeting of “Law Office.” Lease negotiations can be a nightmare because too many people have to read and sign off on the documents. At renewal time, the nightmare can get worse as some office mates waffle and delay decisions about whether they will continue the arrangement. Maintaining client confidentiality and other ethical responsibilities can be more difficult with several law firms under one roof.

3. Subleased Space

Pros: This is another version of shared office space, only you don’t have a direct lease with the building owner. Your landlord is another law firm. In a slow economy many law firms may cut their employee count, but they can’t reduce their office space due to a long-term lease. Sometimes a law firm will offer free or cheap space to new lawyers or laid-off lawyers to give them time to build up some clients. Even if you pay full rent, you’ll get the benefit of amenities, such as a kitchen, receptionist, conference rooms, equipment, and sometimes even furniture, usually at a significant discount to the pro-rata cost. Since you are right down the hall, you stay top-of-mind for referrals. The other lawyers may be more likely to pass on to you a matter that is too small for their firm, or that doesn’t fit their expertise. As they develop familiarity with you and confidence in your work, the relationship might ripen into an employment or partnership situation, if you are interested.

Cons: As a subtenant, your rights are derivative of the rights of the main tenant. If they don’t pay the rent, you can be evicted. In a low cost or free arrangement, the law firm you sublease from will probably reserve the right to kick you out whenever they need the space, on rather short notice. Even if you have a sublease for a set period of time, when their lease ends, your lease ends. At the end of the lease they may move or reduce the size of their space, without regard to your needs or preferences, requiring you to find a new location. As a mere subtenant, you probably won’t have any say over the performance of staff, even though they may sometimes interact with your clients. You’ll still have most of the other disadvantages of shared office space, and it may be even more difficult to distinguish your separate status from the larger firm.

4. Executive Suite

Pros: You have cost efficiencies of shared space, and a full-time receptionist to answer the phone and greet clients. Office furniture may be included. The term of your lease is not dependent on the term of any other tenant’s lease. Professional management deals with most of the equipment maintenance, staff performance issues and problems with other tenants. You have your own direct telephone line, and the receptionist answers with the name of your firm. The other tenants may be non-lawyers who can use your services and make referrals to you. Usually executive suites are located in desirable business locations.

Cons: You have no control over who your suite mates are, and they may change frequently. There may be upcharges for using the amenities, such as the copier or conference rooms. You do not set the policies or operating hours of the larger office. You will need to book conference rooms in advance, and they could be in high demand. While the reception area is usually nicely appointed, the individual offices may be rather small and plain. In an office situation that includes non-lawyers, the personnel may not have proper appreciation for client confidentiality and other ethical responsibilities of lawyers.

5. Home Office + Office Hoteling

Pros: Office hoteling packages allow you to work from a remote location most of the time, while maintaining a business mailing address, a building directory listing and a phone line with reception services. It gives the outward appearance of a brick and mortar office, at reduced cost because you only use it when you need it. You can reserve an on-premises conference room to meet with clients or an office to work in, but you don’t have a specific office assigned to you. Business machines such as printers, copiers and faxes are available. Notaries and administrative services may also be available.

Cons: Since the concept works on the expectation that only some of the tenants will book offices at any one time, an office might not be available to you during peak usage. Office hoteling will also have most of the same issues as executive suites. Because you do not have the same office each time, however, you will not be able to use your own printer or copier. Lawyers should be aware that modern copiers and printers have a buffer that temporarily stores images that are copied or printed. Therefore, copies of confidential client documents could be accessed from a public machine.

Please share your thoughts and experiences regarding these different office arrangements in the comments below. Chime in with additional pros and cons.

In Part 2, I’ll talk about choosing the geographic location of your office.

Written by Debra Bruce

Mama Solos and the Maternity Leave Mystery

Rachel Rodgers — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:30:00 +0000

You know those awesome lawyer moms who run successful solo practices and still manage to spend quality time at home with their newborns? Yeah, me neither!

Of course, I am being a bit facetious but its true that I do not know many lawyers who have been able to enjoy maternity leave at home with their babies. As a solo lawyer and soon-to-be mama, I have been wondering whether its actually possible for solos to take maternity leave. Given how challenging short vacations can be for solos, I was not hopeful. However, this is exactly the type of situation that made me decide to go solo.

As a solo, I am not beholden to a demanding partner and unyielding law firm policies. I have the luxury of setting the policies for my practice, and therefore, my life. By being honest with my clients and clearly managing their expectations, I can meet the needs of my family and my practice. Based on my survey of other lawyer mamas, the two key factors to a successful maternity leave seem to be preparation and flexibility.

Preparing for “Take Off”

I have been intensely preparing my practice for my maternity leave for several months and the prep work is far from over. One way that I have been preparing is by thinking through the types of cases I accept. Taking on new monthly retainer clients or long term business transactions are not good choices since the work will overflow into my maternity leave period. For a litigator, taking on a new trial in the months before maternity leave, is also not a good choice. However, limiting the types of new cases I am currently accepting is not enough. I have plenty of current clients who will still have needs during my time off. To meet their needs, I am making arrangements with a fellow solo attorney that I trust who can handle the work that comes in from current clients while I am away. Of course, all of this will be clearly explained to clients and their approval will be sought before their work is completed by the attorney that is filling in for me.

Solos don’t just do legal work. We also handle many of our own administrative tasks. Therefore, the administrative tasks have to be covered as well. During the past few months, I have been automating various administrative tasks in my practice and setting up reliable software to make management of some of the administrative work easier. In addition, I am working with a virtual assistant who will manage my inbox and incoming calls during maternity leave. Thinking through the logistics of how the work will flow in my absence is essential to a smooth transition.

The last part of my preparation is an E-book for my clients which I plan to make available prior to my baby’s arrival. The E-book will be a great source of information for my entrepreneur-clients and will cover many of their frequently asked questions. The E-book will also include some bonus materials such as templates and step-by-step how tos, so that they can handle some of their own basic legal needs, if they so choose. While the E-book is not nearly as useful as a live attorney, it will be a reliable resource they can turn to in my absence.

Flexibility While Flying Solo

Being flexible is just as essential as being prepared. For most of us solos, flexibility is something that we are already accustomed to in our practices. I am not creating any hard and fast rules about working while on maternity leave. I love my work and am sure that there will be times when baby is fast asleep and I have a few free hours to write an article, answer client emails and have short conference calls. I do not feel the need to be completely absent from my practice (I’d probably miss it too much!) but definitely do not want to be overwhelmed with work to the point that I am not fully present with my new baby. The first few months of my child’s life can never be experienced again.

I also have certain essentials at home that will free me up to do a bit of work while on leave. Those include an awesome husband with a flexible schedule, an organic sling so that baby can be held close while allowing me to have my hands free, and (excuse me if this is bordering on too much information) a breast pump so milk is available for baby while I am on a one-day trip for a speaking engagement in January.

Is it possible that my maternity leave may cause me to lose a few clients? Absolutely! And I am more than willing to accept that. I have enjoyed a steady flow of clients for most of my practice and am sure, as long as I am speaking their language and meeting their needs, more clients will come. But I only get this one shot at spending time at home with my newborn.

Being a Solo Rocks!

The real beauty of this preparation time is that I have been preparing for this maternity leave since I started my practice. Having a virtual law practice, working from home and handling mainly transactional work has allowed me to maintain a comfortable work-life integration from the start.

As a solo, time with family does not have to be sacrificed for the sake of interesting legal work.

With the right preparation and willingness to be (very) flexible, you can have it all!

Have you gone on maternity leave or another extended leave while running a solo practice? If so, share your tips for a successful leave as a solo in the comments.

Written by Rachel Rodgers

The Best Piece of Advice You'll Get As A Solo

Susan Cartier Liebel — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:30:38 +0000

He told me that pretty soon, too much work will be coming my way, and naturally, I will have the urge to take everything on and do it. He said that at that point, I need to realize that the work will always be there, and that I should turn the lights off and go home for the night.

I had great joy in reading a beautifully written piece by solo attorney David Koller called, “A Daughter’s Birth Teaches a Solo Attorney About Priorities.” What was even more special about this piece is it was from a man’s viewpoint. But even more important than that, it highlights those moments when everything we’ve ever worked for crystallizes and sets the tone and direction for how we will work in the future. When that special moment comes we realize why we’ve made the choices we’ve made and why we work as we do.

Many people mock those who talk about work/life balance. Many people…well, they say a lot of things that are worth ignoring.

Times are tough. We all know this. But the bright spots, the ephiphanies, the genuine hope and excitement shouldn’t be brushed aside. I’ve had the privilege of being a solo and I know countless solos, their stories, their ups and downs and so many of the downs revolve around work/life balance. I think David put it most eloquently, especially for the solo:

I learned that great things in life happen, and sometimes those great things happen to push to the side the work you intended to do on a given day or weekend. Longer term, those great things require you to modify your goals and expectations. In my case, the birth of my daughter helped me become much more realistic with my professional aspirations.

Enjoy reading the article and if you care to share, what epiphany did you have that set the tone for your solo practice and how you did you handle ‘modifying your goals and expectations’ for your practice based upon that moment?

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

"Tip of the Week" – Flexibility in Your Work Makes You More Productive

Susan Cartier Liebel — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:52:19 +0000

I’ve saved this article for a while. Seems appropriate to dig it out now as more lawyers are venturing into solo practice with the lure of flexibility as the carrot. It’s a good carrot, though, as one study shows:

“People who choose to work flexibly are more job-satisfied, healthier and more productive.”

I recommend you read the whole article which is called “Do Five Simple Things A Day to Stay Sane.”

Another interesting tidbit to note, while somewhat common sensical, still is striking:

“We’ve known for a while there’s a link between mental health issues and low income, but what more recent research has shown is that the relationship is probably mostly accounted for by debt.”

This statement, when applied to law students graduating with great debt and few job prospects is upsetting to say the least. That’s why I’ve included what follows.

While the the thrust of the article is not on working, it does emphasize, among other things:

Connect
Developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours will enrich your life and bring you support

Be active
Sports, hobbies such as gardening or dancing, or just a daily stroll will make you feel good and maintain mobility and fitness

Be curious
Noting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you

Learn
Fixing a bike, learning an instrument, cooking – the challenge and satisfaction brings fun and confidence

Give
Helping friends and strangers links your happiness to a wider community and is very rewarding

While this may seem ‘new age’ to some, it is a nice wake-up call to those who feel overwhelmed by the stresses of debt to remember the simple joys in life and how we can stay emotionally healthy through it all. Remembering these simple joys makes those less joyful chores we have to do or endure a little less of painful.

This may seem easier to say than do. However, regardless your debt or work prospects, take time out to connect, be active, stay curious, learn and give to others while figuring out your next move. If it’s going solo, remember the flexibility you could enjoy (when practicing correctly) can have a positive impact on your health and overall productivity.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Don't Let Starting a Solo Practice Endanger Your Health

Susan Cartier Liebel — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:00:54 +0000

I was recently reading an article on how those who are facing financial ‘tightness’ are opting to forgo taking care of themselves.

How We’re Cutting Back

32% skipped some preventive care

10% stopped or diminished their use of medicines for chronic conditions

42% say they’ll trim health-related expenses in the next six months

Source: American Heart Association

Doing Less in Tough Times

The slumping economy has hurt more than people’s bank accounts. A new American Heart Association survey says their health care is also suffering

57% say that the economy has affected their ability to take care of their health

29% are purchasing less fresh fruit, vegetables and other perishable items due to financial concerns

18% have skipped a routine health procedure, such as a mammogram or an annual physical

13% have skipped their flu shot

One of the primary reasons people opt to be employed versus self-employed is health care for themselves and their families. So, whether you are opting for solo practice or being forced into solo practice because there are no jobs is frightening from the health care perspective.

“People under financial stress don’t take care of themselves as well.” Dr. Timothy Gardner, President of the AHA.

How do you make the right financial choices? And do they include health care? The answer is easy. You MUST take care of yourself and with belt tightening you can still make wise choices for your health.

Prevention MUST be a priority. The article clearly says that U.S. health care needs to shift its focus away from treating illnesses and problems and move toward prevention instead.

I don’t have the answers to the U.S. health care situation in this country. But I do know that a healthy mind and body helps you cope with life’s stresses better than a mind and body which has been neglected. And when you are going through the ups and downs of starting your own business and feel the additional stress of being an entrepreneur it is going to make your job that much harder if you have neglected yourself.

The average health insurance premium zoomed up more than 95% from 2000 to 2008. At the same time, the number of ininsured Americans has been steadily climbing. As the recession continues, many families are facing tough choices between health care and other necessary household expenses. Even people with health insurance may not want to pay the deductible or co-pay that doctors’ visits require.

5 Ways to Lower Medical Costs (summarized from Emily Listfield)

1. Strike a deal with your doctor while you are opening your solo practice. If you are a regular patient and are a little tight, don’t be embarrassed to ask your doctor to forgo a co-pay until things get better for you or to even treat you without payment until such time as things get better. The worse that can happen, you still get some type of break or agree to make it up when you are on your financial feet.

2. Visit a Clinic There are more than 7000 community health centers across the country that offer comprehensive medical care ranging from check-ups, immunizations and tests to sick visits. These free standing clinics charge their patients according to a sliding scale and will treat people who don’t have insurance. Many university teaching hospitals also operate clinics that run on a pay-what-you-can basis. It is much smarter to utilize one of these clinics then an emergency room. Do the same with your dental needs by going to a dental school where you can save up to 50% on cleanings, fillings and even crowns in exchange for helping dental students learn under the careful supervision of the faculty.

3. Change the frequency of your visits if medically OK. If you are getting on-going treatments, doctors and hospitals will negotiate with you without compromising your care.

4. Get free tests and screenings. Many drugstore chains and supermarkets offer free blood-pressure screenings. Hospitals and clinics frequently offer free screenings for various illnesses such as skin cancer, kidney disease, and diabetes.

5. Save on Medication. Pharmaceutical companies have been known to cut the costs of medications for those in trouble financially. Warehouses such as Walmart and Costco provide low cost flu shots.

The bottom line is, life will be different as will your approach to health care but do not compromise your health or you will not be able to sustain your business which requires you to be in good shape both mentally and physically.

A couple of my tips:

Spend the money on healthy food. It’s smarter to spend a little more on high quality healthy food then use it for medical co-pays.
Walk 30 minutes a day. It clears your head. Is good for you and it’s free

What tips do you have to stay in good mental and physical health while starting your solo practice?

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

"Tip of the Week" – You Must Understand What Balance Is Before You Can Attain It

Susan Cartier Liebel — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:00:33 +0000

As solos we are always hearing those who go solo do so to achieve ‘balance’ in their lives. Yet, what is balance really? Some describe it as a different percentage distribution between personal fulfillment and work fulfillment then one gets while working for another as if somehow when we work for another we are not permitted to give our family or personal relationships ‘priority’ like we do when we work for ourselves. But it is a concept which is both slippery and elusive and ever-changing and I think we need to get out of the work/life balance conundrum and go back to nature to understand what balance really is. Only then can we hope to achieve it.

A recent piece from Pick the Brain I think states the concept of balance very well:

Life really is one thing after another. The physical environment we
each live in is in constant streaming flux. Physically when it’s cold
we shiver to bring our body temperature up. When it’s hot we sweat to
bring our body temperature down. As living organisms we live in a
constantly changing environment. Our bodies are well adapted to this
state of affairs and respond appropriately when conditions deviate from
their optimal state. This ability of an organism to maintain
equilibrium (balance) by adjusting appropriately to the external
environment is known as homeostasis.

And there in lies the key to understanding balance. Balance is the
taking of appropriate action when circumstances dictate so as to
maintain equilibrium. It is said that the great achievement of the
sages of old was the achievement of great balance as human beings. How
did they achieve great balance? In the present moment, when things
would come up, they would respond accordingly.

“There is no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.” – Frank Herbert

*******

Finding a sense of balance and harmony at some point in any aspect of
life will soon turn to disharmony and loss of balance if you try to
hold on and freeze that moment forever. Such action is futile……

Being able to maintain equilibrium in an ever changing world IS key to a satisfying professional life. For the solo it is a necessity because of the nature of solo practice which has tremendous ups and downs. Your ability to maintain your balance through these ups and downs is critical. And your ability to do so allows you to maintain ‘balance’ between your personal and professional life, too…that which you originally were trying to achieve by going solo.

How do you respond to the ‘waves’ in your life?

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel