Sololawyer

I Am A Solo Practitioner Because...

1. I don't like to practice law with someone looking over my shoulder. (Although, as the photo shows, that is not always a bad thing).

2. I get to choose my wardrobe; including whether I will wear a tie today (unless I have to go to Court).

3. I like solitude (unless I need advice; but, isn't that why God invented the Internet?).

4. I like to decide what tech and software I will use. Although, I probably have less of it due to the cost.

5. I don't have to ask permission to go home to watch a baseball game. (Client demands permitting, of course).

6. I hate attending meetings at which the sole purpose seems always to be whether one person can convince another person that they are right about something. I get enough of that in hearings, depositions and mediations.

7. I like not having to mediate disputes between the billing department and the associates.

8. I like having an Umbrella Cockatoo as a secretary.

Hey, I could go on; but, since a lot of you out there are solos, or want to be, how about chiming in with your reasons? I have to go watch an afternoon baseball game.

 

 

Small Firm Business - Growing a Solo Practice: Settling Into the New Office

Small Firm Business - Growing a Solo Practice: Settling Into the New Office. A good post about one lawyer's experience setting up a solo practice. And, the Small Firm area of Law.Com is a great resource, if you are starting as a solo.

Solo Is Better - Big Law And Walking The Fine Line

lawjobs.com Career Center - Avoid the 'Too Much Information' Trap at Big Law.   This post by the Snark really got to me. Is it true that you have to watch what you reveal about yourself at BigLaw? That you can't have personal quirks? While I wouldn't take off in the RV to go to a dog show, I might very well take off to go fishing or to a theme park with the kids. And, there wouldn't be any clucking, mewing, nosy, judgmental partners around to take issue with it. Please. In a solo law firm, feel free to be yourself, and to take off in your RV if you want. Smoke 'em if you got 'em. 

Solos Are Filibuster Proof - As Long As You Don't Have Imaginary Friends

Why I Am A Solo Practitioner

Legal Technology - T-Mobile Suit Puts Legal Price on Wireless. There are a lot of reasons why it can be a bear to be a solo; especially, in bad economic times. It can be tough to keep cash flow when you are the only earner in the firm. You need to control spending, be frugal, and limit overhead to be successful. I have been known to fail at all three of these goals. However, one thing I don't need to worry about is what my employees are doing out there in the world with smart phones and other technology. T-Mobile is being sued by employees who were required to respond to emails and phone messages while "off the clock", and the company's own technology is being used to prove it. Worrying about large numbers of employees can be a nightmare for large law firms as well. I am sure that many readers of this blog can relate to the frustration of attempting to herd the "cats" in their firm. I am not, however, trying to get you all to become solos. That would be wrong, wouldn't it?

Euphemisms And Irony And Lions And Tigers And Bears,Oh My!

Recession Reporter Laid Off... Denied Chance To Publish Final Piece About Getting Laid Off | Techdirt. Now is the winter of our discontent, the poet said. Of course, the irony of being "laid off" for writing a final story about being "laid off" is not lost on me. I prefer to focus on the rise of euphemisms in our culture; stemming from a desire not to "offend" or speak words that will cause pain. When did we decide that calling a job termination something else would ease the blow? Of course, firing a reporter for doing a series about firings raises more questions about the employer than it does about the employee. When you are deciding what kind of law you practice, consider one of the advantages of going solo. If a client fires you, you aren't out of a job. You just need to find another client. Let's go down the yellow brick road, and see what we can find.

SoloSez.net - ABA's Solo Center

SoloSez.net - ABA's Solo Center. If you are a solo practitioner, or want to be, you need to check the resources at the ABA's Solosez page. Substantive law discussions, resources, all free for the clicking. I used to read the printed materials, pre Internet, and find that this valuable resource is underutilized by most lawyers. You need to spend some time at this wonderful site, and you can subscribe to the ListServ for regular updates.

These Are The Times That Try Men's Souls

Law Firms Will Likely ‘Take a Hard Look’ at Nonequity Partners | ABA Journal - Law News Now. Many new solos are coming from the ranks of Associates and Non-Equity partners at BigLaw firms. The economy is causing many of the big firms to take a hard look at lawyers and staff who are down at the bottom of the totem pole. If you are one of these unfortunate souls, take heart. God never closes a door without opening another. Many solo practitioners will tell you that escaping the politics, workload, and other problems of BigLaw practice is the best thing that ever happened to them. For those of us who have been solo for a long time, the freedom is worth every dime of lost income. Some solos make a lot of money; most of us do okay, but aren't driving expensive vehicles, and vacationing in the islands. However, if you want a life, and you want the freedom to choose what you do, don't wait to be laid off or fired. Come join us in solo practice.

BITTER LAWYER - Do Grades Matter?

BITTER LAWYER. Apparently, some Big Law denizens are unhappy about the trend to Pass Fail systems in the elite law schools. Given the inherently subjective nature of a Grading system, and given that the Bar Exam is Pass Fail, I don't see the problem. Of course, I have never been in Big Law, and have never applied. I like solo practice. Don't the Big Law hiring lawyers know how to vet a new hire? Oh, well. If your law school's Pass Fail system prevents you from getting a job in Big Law, you can always go solo. If you have to ask "Am I Elite?", you aren't.

Lowering the Bar: Firm Fires Managing Partner Via Note on Chair

Link: Lowering the Bar: Firm Fires Managing Partner Via Note on Chair. Here is another reason to practice solo. You won't get fired by your partners by finding a post it note on your chair. Ugh. This was a name partner, in a big firm, and he was treated like crap. Now, the partners are going to be in litigation over the break up for who knows how long. As Mulder said: "Trust No One".