In May 2007 Slater & Gordon, an Australian personal injury firm, became the first law firm to go public. At the time, I discussed some of the implications of publicly held law firms, including the commoditization of legal services. I also gave some tips on how you can reduce the risk that your law practice […]

Sometimes co-counsel relationships are formed “on the fly” meaning that there will be no thorough discussion as to who will be responsible for what. This can be disastrous if each attorney assumes the other will meet a critical deadline and as a result a deadline is actually missed. Unfortunately, this situation can get even messier […]

Learning a new language is an important decision, to be considered by most US-based lawyers trying to attract new clients and increase the profit margins of their law firm. As we have discussed previously in “Why and How to Hire Bilingual Employees”, hiring bilingual employees is a smart decision expected to enhance the firm’s ability […]

I just finished a big task.  It took a lot of energy and mental toughness to complete. In order to participate in a small group Coaching Day that will be spent “brainstorming the next evolution” of my business, I had to fill out a questionnaire. 18 questions aimed at the heart of my business.  On […]

Solo Practice University® is proud to welcome our newest  monthly columnist, Chelsea Callanan, who will be focusing primarily on professional development and the ever-elusive work-life balance. (I personally think it should just be called ‘life’ because who today can honestly separate work from their life? Not me. You say tomato…) Chelsea will be addressing these issues and we’re […]

Sometimes lawyers in solo practices get so focused on honing their legal skills that they don’t recognize themselves as entrepreneurs. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.”  A solo lawyer has to be a solopreneur piloting the enterprise while also producing the […]

Dear Law School Graduate, Congratulations! You just finished what seemed impossible three-and-a-half short years ago as you sat in your first Contracts class thinking you might die if your professor actually called on you. You finished. And now, as you prepare for what seems like an even more insurmountable challenge – passing the bar exam […]

(Read Evolutions of a Solo Practice – Parts 1- 6 if you’re new to this author) When I returned to work, I knew I had to adjust my practice to make it a better match with my physical and mental health.  I converted the per-diem business into a model where the actual court appearances were mostly […]