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More on Why Niches Are Delicious

January 19, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

As I pointed out in this earlier post, finding a niche can help grow your practice.  And, as Tom Kane pointed out months ago (don’t know how I missed it), a niche can help a solo survive in the big city.  And now, there’s yet another article, Finding a Niche (Jan. 2006) that describes how [...]

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MyShingle Q&A: Finding Contract Work

January 2, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

A reader writes: Do you have any recommendations on how to pick up contract work from local attorneys or solos?  I want to approach local firms to see what their needs are for subcontracting out work.  Do you have any ideas on how one should go about doing this?  I’m not looking to do contract [...]

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A Great Pro Se Idea

December 28, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

This article from the Sacramento Bee (12/26/05) reports on a new service by Legal Zoom:  online preparation of a small claims case.  According to the article, for $99.00, the company will draft up a small claims complaint based on an online questionnaire and for $60 more, will serve the defendant as well. So why would [...]

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Yes, You Can Be A Part Time Shingler

December 11, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

Solo Wannabee wonders whether you can start a law practice part time.  Surprisingly, the conventional wisdom on this question is no, that solo practice demands full time commitment to make it and that client demands are full time.  But that’s not my view.  As I’ve said before, there are as many right ways to hang [...]

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Making Real Money At A Virtual Firm

October 24, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

This article, Virtual Law Inc. reports on Hawaii shingler Greg Kim, a former biglaw partner who’s now practicing law with his way while still earing the same salary.  So how does Kim’s practice differ from the traditional law firm?  Here’s how: Instead of ranks of associates to do his bidding — and to rack up [...]

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A Plug for Small Firms for Big Clients

October 7, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

As Patrick Lamb points out in this blog post (also referencing this post from The Wired GC), general counsels at large companies are getting tired of the fixation on the billable hour.  As Wired GC explains, billable hour not only increases the cost of legal services, but it’s making mid level associates miserable – and [...]

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Biglaw Attorney With Big Clients Goes Small

September 12, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

And yet another biglaw attorney downsizes, as reported in this article, Law Firm to Serve Smaller Businesses (Grand Rapids Press, 9/10/05).  According to the piece, Barry Kane, a large firm partner and Vince DeYoung, former attorney for Kentucky Fried Chicken and Harrahs’ have  launched a Michigan law firm that specializes in business counseling, intellectual property [...]

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Court Appointed Work Is Not Supposed To Be A Full Time Job!

July 22, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

Well after all of the controversy, looks like the Massachusetts legislature will raise rates for court appointed attorneys as reported here in State House OK’s Raises for Lawyers for the Poor, David Abel (July 22, 2005).  According to the article, lawmakers will increase court appointed rates to $100 an hour from $61.50 for homicide cases; [...]

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More on Unbundling

July 7, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

In the past, we’ve posted some articles on unbundling of legal services because it offers revenue possibilities to solo and small firm lawyers whose clients may not have the resources to fully fund legal services.  Here’s another article on unbundling, Law Firms Find Revenues in Unbundling, National Law Journal,  July 6, 2005, that reports on [...]

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Solos and Small Firms Should Cautious When It Comes to Litigation Financing

July 4, 2005 by Carolyn Elefant

Fellow solo and small firm lawyers:  another litigation financing company wants to sell you a service, claiming that it’s just what you need. According to this recent press release,  LegalFish Bridges the Funding Gap for Plaintiffs and Attorneys in Litigation.: The purpose of the [Life Funding] program will provide access to non-recourse loans that can [...]

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