Getting A Start as A Personal Injury Lawyer

Many readers of this blog and my book, Solo by Choice frequently ask for advice on how to get a personal injury practice up and running.   My fellow blogger and colleague here in the Maryland area, Ron Miller explains how lawyers can build a referral based personal injury practice in this comprehensive post at Maryland Injury Lawyer Blog.  What I like Miller’s post is that he’s honest and realistic in acknowledging that starting out, most lawyers aren’t going to attract quality cases.  However, over as they do a good job with the smaller cases that come their way, better cases will follow.

Miller also recommends that if you want to practice personal injury law, you shouldn’t take on other cases.  That’s good advice, but not always realistic for new lawyers particularly if they need to come up with money to cover the costs of personal injury cases.  You could try to find contract work on other personal injury matters, but you might also take cases in other practice areas that will have some synergy and potentially lead to PI referrals or that call on the same skill set — investigatory work, working with experts and litigation.  As you build your PI practice, you can decide at that point whether to drop your other matters or stay a bit more diverse. 

16 Comments

  1. David on January 4, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    I’ve been a small business attorney for several years, but the part of my job that I enjoy most has always been going to court (small time stuff, lease disputes, small contracts, etc…). I’m giving serious thought to shifting to a personal injury practice. Is PI still a lucrative area of law? Would anyone else consider the kind of change I’m contemplating, or is this a case of the grass always looking greener somewhere else?



  2. David on January 4, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    I’ve been a small business attorney for several years, but the part of my job that I enjoy most has always been going to court (small time stuff, lease disputes, small contracts, etc…). I’m giving serious thought to shifting to a personal injury practice. Is PI still a lucrative area of law? Would anyone else consider the kind of change I’m contemplating, or is this a case of the grass always looking greener somewhere else?



  3. Personal Injury Lawyers on November 1, 2010 at 12:09 pm

    there is a need of a personal injury lawyer in order to process the benefits claim.



  4. LawLeaf on January 6, 2011 at 8:08 am

    David, that is an attribute that all attorneys practicing personal injury should have. Get ready and suit it up; we are going to court.



  5. personal injury solicitors on February 25, 2011 at 11:13 am

    These Personal Injury Law News Updates are a great service to the Legal Community! keep up the good work!



  6. personal injury ireland on February 28, 2011 at 1:11 pm

    If you have been hurt in a road traffic accident, sustained an injury at work, been the victim of clinical malpractice, or even just fallen over in a public place, you may be entitled to make a claim for injury compensation, provided you were not completely to blame for the accident.When it comes to claiming injury compensation advice offered by well-meaning friends and colleagues may be inaccurate, contradictory or just plain confusing We have compiled a short selection of frequently asked questions below, to help you determine whether you are entitled to claim for injury compensation after an accident.



  7. Miami Personal Injury Lawyer on March 10, 2011 at 5:04 am

    If any of this rings a bell, and you don’t know where to start, then a personal injury lawyer in … … then you may be thinking about seeking compensation or getting some help from a personal injury lawyer. …



  8. Miami Personal Injury Lawyer on March 17, 2011 at 6:53 am

    Miami Personal Injury Attorney: Phil Collins. A small-time thief flees with his wife and daughter after a train robbery in… Guest: I agree with u.



  9. JST Books on March 29, 2011 at 1:03 pm

    surgical error claims
    Before thinking about who is responsible for an accident at work in which you have suffered an injury, your first priority has to be to seek medical treatment.



  10. personal injury claims on April 14, 2011 at 7:32 am

    with the people getting aware of their rights, there is a good scope in the personal injury law. hence decide what you feels but the future is bright…



  11. personal injury claims on April 14, 2011 at 7:32 am

    with the people getting aware of their rights, there is a good scope in the personal injury law. hence decide what you feels but the future is bright…



  12. Sandrasummers599 on May 4, 2011 at 9:49 am

    Injury lawyers are classified according to the type of cases they handle. If you have been involved in any personal injury case, you need to get in touch with personal injury lawyers as soon as possible in order to start the process for receiving compensation.



  13. medical malpractice lawyers on May 4, 2011 at 9:51 am

    Injury lawyers are classified according to the type of cases they handle. If you have been involved in any personal injury case, you need to get in touch with personal injury lawyers as soon as possible in order to start the process for receiving compensation.



  14. Ericjasonp on January 16, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    How do you pay the bills until you practice builds up?



  15. Florida Personal Injury Lawyer on May 6, 2012 at 2:22 am

    Thanks for the link, and for all the valuable information regarding personal injury law firms.



  16. Richard Slaven on May 18, 2013 at 10:14 am

    huhu



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