Archive for November 2006
Loan Forgiveness – Why Not For Solos?
This article, Debt Relief May Be In Sight for Lawyers (Chicago Sun Times 11/27/06) reports on the status of legislation proposed by Senator Dick Durbin back in 2003, that would grant student loan relief to public sector lawyers in the criminal justice system. From the article: The average young lawyer from a private law school…
Read MoreHoliday Gifts
With Thanksgiving now over, it’s time to start thinking about holiday gifts. And Reid Trautz has some interesting suggestions in his 2006 Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers. Check it out!
Read More48 Years As A Solo Come To A Close
“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That’s the standard that Sauk Center, Minnesota attorney John Mayer has lived by throughout his 48 year career as a solo, which will now come to a close with his retirement, according to this profile from the Sauk Herald (11/21/06). Articles…
Read MoreVirtual Office Space Options
If you’re starting a firm and not sure that you want to work from home, but are concerned about the cost of rent, a virtual office might be right for you. This article from the Chicago Business Leader (11/20/06) gives an overview of the costs and services of HQ Global, one of the larger competitors…
Read MoreKeeping It Fresh
At the Legal Profession Blog, Jeff Lipshaw wonders whether it’s natural to spend one’s time "the same firm, doing the same kind of work, progressing in the level of oversight and client contact…." As a solo, I don’t often feel that way, since I always have the opportunity to reinvent myself and my practice. Yet…
Read MoreThe best time to start….
Seth Godin has some great advice on the best time to start a firm: maybe last year, maybe never. But the second best time is now. So go for it (and read Godin’s entire post).
Read MoreIvy League Solos
Whether you like Harvard Law School or not, you have to agree that virtually every HLS graduate can write their own ticket to whatever job they want. So it’s gratifying to see that with so many career options, young HLS grads are still choosing solo practice, as reported in this article from the HLS Bulletin,…
Read MoreWhen You Value Bill, Be Sure To Tell The Client
Plenty’s been written about the evils of the billable hour; how the billable system measures time rather than value and in so doing contributes to inefficiencies and bill padding. But criticism of value billing is harder to come by, and with the exception of David Giacalone’s writings, you don’t find much negative commentary about value…
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