Archive for August 2009
Where’s the Value Add in Big Firms?
Even if for the sake of argument, you accept the proposition that biglaw is better than small law, the question is: how much better. Is an $850/hr partner at a mega firm really $500/hr better than his or her solo or small firm counterpart? Naturally, we solo and small firm lawyers would say no, but…
Read MoreHanging a Part Time Shingle
Conventional wisdom says that lawyers can’t hang a part time shingle. But then again, we’re hardly conventional. Though challenging (and what part of life isn’t?!), you can start a practice part time, for a variety of reasons such as not wanting to lose your day job or desire to spend more time with family. We’ll…
Read MoreFor WSJ Readers – Resources on Starting a Law Firm
From Biglaw to Yourlaw – Yesterday, one of my solo colleagues Mitchell Matorin was profiled in the Wall Street Journal as asomewhat timely example of a large firm lawyer who has found success in solo practice. The story mentioned MyShingle and has been driving some traffic to this site, so I wanted to highlight some…
Read MoreCoffee Shop Etiquette for the Home Office Shingler
The Wall Street Journal reports that several coffee shops in Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco are restricting laptop use. With unemployment on the rise, patrons are spending more time and less money in coffee shops, taking up space that might otherwise be occupied by paying customers. As far as I could tell, home-office shinglers…
Read MoreWhy Does the Trade Press Focus on Biglaw Attorneys Turned Solo Who Don’t Succeed?
Not all lawyers who start their own firm experience wild success. This month’s American Lawyer focuses on three who did not. I don’t take issue with the story’s spin because I believe that it’s important to impress the challenges of starting a practice. Too many of the new crop of opportunist start-a-firm gurus blithely gloss…
Read MoreWhy Is the Illinois Bar Advising Lawyers to Look Stupid By Admitting That They Can’t Estimate Fees?
Via Illinois solo Peter Olson’s blog, Solo In Chicago, I came across this post on fee agreement essentials which Olson extracted from an Illinois State Bar Association newsletter. Since my readers frequently ask about fee agreements, I was initially excited to discover a new resource. But my delight soon turned to horror when I read the…
Read MoreSome Tech Round Up: LawTech Talk, MILO Conference
Here’s a quick round-up of a couple of tech related items of use for solos. For a limited time, Nicole Black of Law Tech Talk is making her screencast on using online tools for case preparation available at no charge. Go to this link for more information. The first MILO Fest (Macs In Law Office)…
Read MoreUtah Offers Formal Program, But Nothing Precludes You From Building Your Own
New law graduates embarking on the practice of law in Utah won’t have to stumble around helplessly as they try to figure out the nuts and bolts of law practice. According to the Salt Lake City Tribune (H/T ABA Journal) Utah has just implemented a mandatory mentoring program that pairs all new attorneys (not just solos)…
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