The pandemic has struck every industry hard, employers and companies are holding themselves off by not hiring employees, the legal sector is not an exception. Lawfirms are cutting on high maintenance costs and hiring new attorneys. In this highly competitive world, remaining jobs would not likely be enough for all the fresh graduates. Many of the new graduates will be more likely to adopt their own practices.
If you are a lawyer or law student who is thinking of starting your own solo practice then hearty congratulations it's a long bright journey ahead. You are going towards a journey full of rewards and satisfaction. If you are reading this blog then you are likely on your way towards starting completely new.
We understand starting something from scratch is something difficult for everyone and new. In this type of situation one searches for all the tips and tactics to pave a path to success.
In this event of crisis and opportunity, if you are someone who is likely to start a solo law practice then this blog is for you.
Here are top tips to keep in mind to make this journey more smooth and less stressful
1. Decide your practice area- Deciding practice area can be time taking and will be a conscious decision, start as early as possible. Ask yourself which area interests you the most, what do you want to do actually?
2. Get your website in order- Having a user-friendly and easy-to-understand website is the very first step towards creating a seamless experience for your clients. Build a professional law firm website that has easy navigation, has all contact information, all your social channels are mentioned there. Having a website makes your law practice more credible and your potential client leads end up on your website.
3. Pick an easy and effective marketing tactic - As a solo lawyer you’ll have a lot on your hand, marketing should not be a burden for starters pick up a marketing tactic that is easy for you and calculate results for your efforts. See which works best for you. For example, you can start with paid ads on google.
4. Keep your overhead costs low - Starting a new solo practice comes with many expenses in order to make things work for you, keep your overhead costs, employ less supporting staff, and leverage on less expensive solutions. Try to keep expenses as low as you can for example rent out less expensive office space, or search for affordable options for office equipment.
5. Use technology as your advantage- As a solo practitioner you are short on funds and manpower. Use technology to automate tasks that are repetitive in nature and do not need your check on them. For example legal practice management software, it helps you to streamline administrative tasks in your firm like evidence management, law firm document management, client intake, and law firm billing software for streamlining billing and payment.
6. Set up a profile on social media- marketing is often overlooked in the legal sector, it's equally as important as anything else in your law firm. Being a good lawyer is not enough, you have to advertise your legal services in front of the masses. Social media for lawyers is very important. Setting up profiles on social media and creating digestible content for your audiences that create value in their lives. For example, enlighten about generic rights they have or a how-to guide about a topic that is common among your audience.
7. Use legal directories- In the legal sector, most potential leads initially go to google for finding attorneys. Legal directories for lawyers are vital for any law firm, set up a detailed profile with all your contact information, areas you practice, and services you provide. Any achievements and victories mentioned will also increase credibility online. Legal directories are basically an online website where all lawyers have made their profile and clients can reach out to them by contact information.
8. Leverage on the network- If you are a lawyer who shifted to solo practice from a law firm or law student who just finished law school, you can always use your network of people for gaining initial business. Ask for references from your friends or your lawyer friends who practice different areas. As you get cases you can spread your reach with your clients and further increase your law practice.
9. Join legal organizations- When starting something from scratch it's important to enhance your local network of people. Joining local bar associations and the county will help to achieve this goal. It will not just help you network but also will be helpful for advertising your services in front of a targeted audience. As a newbie or someone new in solo practice, you’ll learn a lot from people who are already working in the same industry.
Conclusion
There you have it, we are 100% sure that we haven't covered everything in this blog but we have covered some of the basic yet powerful tips. These tips are common yet are often overlooked by our fellow attorneys.
You don't have to figure out everything, in the beginning, you can just start off bit by bit and figure out all things eventually. The most important part of starting a solo practice is keeping tabs on the budget as all sorts of costs are liable to you. Hope our blog has helped you in some or the other way.
