“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” – John BIngham
Maybe you always dreamed of starting a law firm, but never had the courage to utter the words aloud.
Or you were toiling away at a firm, grossly underpaid and wishing for better.
Maybe your law practice is struggling and you’re looking for ways to make it sustainable going forward.
Whatever your reason, MyShingle is the one place in the universe where we empower lawyers to start.
That could mean starting your very own law firm. Starting a new practice area or new business model or a side business with DIY documents for clients. Starting a TikTok channel or Instagram posts or some other social media presence.
Because no matter where you are in your legal career, isn’t it time to finally start owning, and stop loaning your legal talent?
So how do we help?
MyShingle offers the most comprehensive online resource for solo and small firm lawyers with thousands of blog posts and an impressive stock of free e-books, checklists and forms on starting and running a law firm. And we offer programs like The Legal ClauseIt, LawyerMomOwnerSummit.com and others where you’ll find new ideas for your practice and a community of like-minded lawyers.
Want to learn more about why we do what we do? Take a look at the Solo Manifesto.
Solos and small firms are, and have always been the source of unbounded
innovation and diversity in the legal profession. Here are just a few of our favorite examples:
The contingency fee model – now employed even by some large firms – was developed by solo and small firm lawyers.
The landmark case, Bates v. Arizona which opened the door for lawyer advertising was brought by two small firm attorneys who sought to promote their firm’s low cost legal services in a newspaper ad.
As a solo lawyer decades ago, attorney Tom Goldstein pioneered the practice of “ambulance chasing” Supreme Court cases, and taking them at no cost to build up experience. Today, nearly every law firm follows Goldstein’s model.
Solo attorney Stephanie Kimbro developed the technology for one of the first exclusively virtual law practices so that she could work and still spend time with her daughter. During the pandemic, thousands of law firms relied on similar technology to run their practices and serve clients remotely.
As a new solo attorney back in 2012, Rebecca Geller pioneered a business model to accommodate women lawyers seeking to parent and practice law. Since then, her firm has grown to 15 attorneys.
Small law firm owner Erin Levine was frustrated by the number of clients unable to afford a family law attorney. So Levine built Hello Divorce, a company that leverages technology to democratize and automate the divorce process and which is now funded by venture capital.
Back in 2002, Carolyn created the blog MyShingle.com, the longest-running blog on solo and small law firm practice and responsible for helping thousands of lawyers launch their own firms. Dubbed the patron saint of solo and small firms, Carolyn writes and speaks on topics including starting a modern law firm in the digital age, how small firms can leverage technology to compete with large firms, the need for regulatory and ethics reform to ensure the sustainability of small law firm practice, and the role of woman-owned law firms in achieving gender equality in the legal profession.
Meet Carolyn Elefant
Carolyn is the author of Solo by Choice: How to Start a Law Firm and Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be. Carolyn has co-authored the ABA Publication “Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier” and “The Legal ClauseIt: Plug & Play Engagement Agreements and Power Pacts for Small Law Firms.”
Carolyn has been listed as an Energy and Environmental Super Lawyer for Washington D.C. since 2012 (the only small firm lawyer on a list of AmLaw 200 firms), was named an ABA Legal Rebel (2010), a Fastcase 50 Innovator (2011) and an ABA Woman of Legal Tech (2014) and appeared on the Daily Show in 2014 to discuss law firm business models.
In 2019, Carolyn delivered a talk at the prestigious 2CivilityConference entitled Killing Solo Softly: How Regulations Disadvantage Solo & Small Firm Lawyers and has spoken at solo and small bar conferences and events in California, Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Vermont, Maryland, New Mexico, Florida, Ottawa, Canada and Washington D.C., Carolyn is also co-creator of the LawyerMomOwnerSummit, featured here in the DC Bar magazine and currently serves on the Planning Board of ABA Legal Techshow.
In her day job, Carolyn owns the Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant, a national practice founded in 1993 that fights climate change through representation of renewable energy companies and sustainability entrepreneurs on permitting and IP and defends communities and landowners across the country impacted by pipeline infrastructure and eminent domain in federal district and appellate courts where Carolyn has argued cases of constitutional import. Carolyn also founded and served as legislative counsel for the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition from 2005-2014, a 55-member national trade association responsible for early commercialization of offshore renewables in the United States. Carolyn has been recognized as SuperLawyer since 2011.
Work With Carolyn
Legal tech is booming.
Which is great news. Unless you’re a legal tech company trying to attract customers. Because as we all know, the characteristics that make for a great lawyer – like rigorous analysis, probing questions and general skepticism – also make for a tough sell. Moreover, lawyers can be elitist and often seek advice from other practicing lawyers.
I can help you with your brand, with your message and most of all, with attracting lawyers’ attention in a sea of white noise.
How?
I am an influencer. Over the years, my blog, MyShingle has developed an unrivaled reputation in the legal industry as an honest broker of information. Time after time, brands that have worked with my site have reported increased signups, sales and traction.
I am a creator. Content is what I have been doing at MyShingle for nearly 20 years. My words have gotten me a spot on the Daily Show, shout-outs in the New York Times and regular circulation by larger trade press outlets. My content is earnest, direct controversial and always original.
I am a woman. The vast majority of of legal influencers are men at a time when law firms are seeking to promote and advance equity and diversity. I am also sensitive to the unique opportunities and challenges for women owned law firms, and in three months, organized the successful LawyerMomOwnerSummit.com virtual conference (September 2020) with an audience of 350 paid attendees. Who does your company want to work with?
I am a law firm owner. I started my own firm in my 20s and have run my own law practice for over 25 years and have represented clients with complex legal matters against AmLaw 100 big law firms in federal district and appellate courts, and clients with more traditional consumer issues like employment law, criminal defense and contracts. Because of my credentials, I have credibility with a diverse array of lawyers from large firm ex pats to solos starting right out of law school.
Here are some of the brands I’ve partnered with on content projects and reports
I have an endless supply of ideas for marketing and promoting your brand and helping you gain customers either through sponsored content at MyShingle or creating a completely original and unique campaign tailored to your company’s ideal audience. Here are some projects I’ve worked on with brands:
- Created webinars and master classes on substantive legal practice matters;
- Promoted products and discounts to 8500 person (and growing) newsletter
- Written or post sponsored content at MyShingle
- Created themed video series
Check out my work at Above the Law and Legal Blogwatch