This month the Rezooming column takes a look at what is a niche practice, reasons why we may want to niche our practice and how to choose a niche. (Find links to more articles on creating a niche at the end of this post).

What is a niche practice:

As you Rezoom your practice, you may want to ask yourself, do I want to focus my practice or be a ‘Jack of All Trades?’

A niche practice takes a particular part of an area of law and provides dedicated service to clients needing this service. Look at an area of law, like Real Estate, Trust and Estate, Commercial or DWI, with an eye toward recurring elements. These recurring elements can benefit from targeted and highly responsive legal service. Processes such as short sales, HUD financing, small business bankruptcy or restructure have recurring elements. You can formulate a response identifying you as the ‘go to’ person in a small segment of a larger practice area. Voila – you are niched! It is up to you how broad you want your chosen concentration to be.

Reasons to Niche:

You may be able to develop a system in which you handle these cases more economically for your clients. As long as you are ‘known’ for creating the better mousetrap in your niche it will serve you well, bring clients to your door, have them return and refer clients to you. The power of being focused, of having a concentration, can produce awesome results that grow your book of business at a grass roots level.

Focus or concentration does not dissuade you from familiarizing yourself with a full area of law. It simply enables you to be the short sales diva, the natural gas guru or the DUI king. It will bring you a specific kind of client who you enjoy working with on topics for which you’ve perfected a response. This can also make you your colleague’s ‘go to’ person for their clients in these situations. You have a stellar reputation and are not in the market to poach a client for other matters.

How to Niche:

The niche you choose should be in an area of law you love and have gained a particular expertise. You can create a focus based on current trends or a perceived need. Commonality of purpose and focus will enable you to build the practice you want. Be proactive in your choice of practice area. You don’t have to follow the herd. Choose to be unique in your approach and/or process.

My practice focuses on animal law. However, I use mediation to help resolve conflicts between people over the animals they love. Historically these people had three choices, suffer in silence, negotiate or litigate. I decided to trailblaze a new option, mediation. People want the ability to have a safe discussion, that includes their emotions, and they want to feel heard. They simply don’t feel safe having this conversation alone with their adversary. Often, if they engaged an attorney the mere hint of litigation shuts the door on open and useful conversation between the parties in conflict. I decided to create a niche that uses mediation or collaborative process to help people in these kinds of situations. They can now have a safe supported
conversation about the conflict, confidentially, that often saves and strengthens their relationship in the process. This time saving, less expensive alternative brings closure to a conflict in a way not previously available.

To Niche or Not to Niche:

Deciding what your niche practice should be and why you might want to have one requires long range thinking around your passion. What is it you’d like to do for your clients every day to help them solve their problems? If you can find that item and focus on being the best at helping clients solve it in their best interest, you have a niche practice concept. This is your challenge. Once you establish yourself as the ‘go to’ person in this field, with your rezooming experience to augment the niche, you’ll find your new niche practice easier and more rewarding in ways you could never have imagined. My Rezooming friends go out, brainstorm and define the legal need you are meant to fill.

Here are a couple more posts on creating a niche: Should You Create a Niche Practice (Part 1) (Part 2)