Common reasons lawyers close their practices include a medical disability, wanting to retire, a move out-of-state, or a career change. While the specific steps that need to be taken and the time frame involved can vary significantly depending upon the reasons driving the closure and the type of practice being closed, the following checklist covers the basics of what most lawyers will need to think about.
You want more time with your family and do the things you love doing (besides practicing law). You also wanted a plethora of funds to support this. It would make sense that you now monitor these two things, time and money, like a hawk to make sure you’re getting what you originally set out to get from all this, right? Nope, in fact many practice owners run from basic accounting requirements (if this is you, for the love of law please keep reading). So why are you running from the thing you set out to gain?
I recently asked several of our claims attorneys to identify the top habits they felt new lawyers should develop from day one. Most of what they shared was what I anticipated claims attorneys would say; but one item caught my attention, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized how right they were. In short, all lawyers, not just new lawyers, need to know how to write well. Do you?
Knowing your numbers gives you great power to make smart business decisions. It’s one of the ways you breakthrough to BIG SUCCESS! In my experience, only 5% of solo and small firm attorneys know their profit margin. Do you?
I could hear it in his voice, the frustration over trying to figure out how to deal with a never-ending flow of email was palpable. Unfortunately, before I could share a few thoughts, the elevator door opened and I had to walk away wishing I could have had a little more time. That’s the real issue, isn’t it? It’s always about time. There never seems to be enough of it. I suspect you can relate because I can’t imagine there are many out there who haven’t felt overwhelmed at some point by a cluttered inbox, a stack of phone messages, sticky notes posted all over the place (you should see my office!), the pile of files on their desk, and/or all the overdue items on their reminder list. So what do you do?
The belief that “The odds of a computer or network breach isn’t an if, it’s only a when” is practically dogma now. Given this reality, every law practice, to include solo attorneys, should have a data security plan in place. Yes, I know the task can seem a bit daunting, particularly if you have no idea where to start; but failing to do this is no longer an acceptable choice. Putting our ethical duties and various state and federal regulations aside, every client expects to have whatever sensitive and personally identifying information they provide to you properly safeguarded. That’s the bottom-line. Here’s a guide put out by the FCC to help you fulfill your ethical duties.
As with any cyber threat, prevention starts with awareness of the risk and, as a road warrior, I see people taking an unnecessary risk far too often. This one involves smart phones.
Here’s the problem. The cable you use to charge your phone is the same one you use to transfer or sync your data. This reality creates an attack vector that someone could take advantage of during the charging process. Read on.
We just finished month three of this relaunch journey (I shared a report for my first two months here and here). The ship keeps sailing along.
These monthly reports are the most popular thing I write, but I worry they’ll become mundane. “Another month of mostly the same thing…” And maybe there’s a lesson in there.
Success rarely comes with sex appeal and clickbait headlines. It’s a slog. And maybe that’s why so few of us find it.
However, to give you something you can act on right away, I’ll share with you monthly landmarks and some thoughts about websites. I’ll also detail numbers for you, and plans for the future.
This is me CEO-ing out loud, and I hope you find it helpful.
Boundaries are important. In sports, they define the area of play. In real estate, they designate what one owns. And in personal relationships, they mark the emotional and physical limits everyone establishes in order to protect themselves from being manipulated, used, or violated by someone else. In short, personal boundaries mark the place where one individual ends and another begins. Why is this important in the context of practicing law? Because when two people enter an attorney-client relationship……
Last month I shared my first monthly report. The response really surprised me.
That post has had three times as many views as anything I’ve ever written. Some people called it brave, others called it unwise, but it definitely generated interest. I believe it’s because we lawyers are so inclined to hide or posture or self-deceive. Transparency inspires us because we are so disinclined to be transparent.
I don’t intend to shake up the industry or anything, nor do I believe this little blog has that capacity. But one day, years from now, a new attorney will land on these monthly reports. She will see that an idiot like me can stumble through and succeed, and she’ll see a path forward. That’s why I’m doing this.
Why Going Solo as a Young Attorney Could Be the Best Decision Ever with Susan Cartier Liebel from Solo Practice University®.
On this episode of New Solo from the Legal Talk Network, Adriana Linares interviews Susan Cartier Liebel from Solo Practice University® about how to stay motivated throughout the process of starting a solo law practice.
Motivation in life is very important. I share seminal moments which have shaped me as a human being and helped me become who I am today.
On this podcast from Lawpreneur Radio, Miranda McCroskey interviews Susan Cartier Liebel from Solo Practice University® about perceptions of fear, failure and other issues facing solos.
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