How many URMs give serious thought to going solo out of LS? Forum

[legalized]

Just wondering. There are discussions going on right now in a thread in LS Admissions and Employment sides of the board on this issue.

Do you guys know the resources available to plan out and afford going solo?

It's an option. Just like biglaw, otherlaw, government, and public interest are options. It's just never talked about because people assume it will be expensive/you won't have a clue what you're doing. It doesn't have to be expensive, with proper advance planning, and when you didn't know what you were doing for ls you found mentors such as existing lawyers and this forum. You do the same for starting a new business. And since this is a service based business and not one where you have to stock up the shelves, it is definitely doable.

[The Invisible Man]

Well, interestingly enough for me, my father (and a couple of his friends, started their own law firm no more than 4 years ago. Seeing the difficulties and day-to-day struggles of maintenance and dealing with various fees, clients, etc. as an intern, I figure that, although I would have the resources and experience necessary, starting a solo practice would be A LOT of hard work and less than ideal.

[legalized]

Well, interestingly enough for me, my father (and a couple of his friends, started their own law firm no more than 4 years ago. Seeing the difficulties and day-to-day struggles of maintenance and dealing with various fees, clients, etc. as an intern, I figure that, although I would have the resources and experience necessary, starting a solo practice would be A LOT of hard work and less than ideal.

Good points, but there is PLENTY hard work and something less than ideal in each of the other options. Plus the ability to be fired, laid off, demoted.

What are they practicing?

Incidentally, I have read that when starting a new practice (esp. as a young lawyer), partnerships are to be avoided. If there is one rainmaker and one who is not pulling his weight (intentionally or un-) it creates tension and other potentially serious problems.

Solo by yourself with mentors who don't have power over your business is different from the hydra your father and his buddies started up. Sometimes one head (and one head's clients to keep track of) is better than two. Sometimes of course two heads are better than one. Especially if only one has the business sense while the other has more legal sense...or the husband wife teams I see sometimes. Or a case where you need foreign language ability to be available and only one of you has it, or you work in complementary or at least non-competing lines of the law, like and immigration lawyer starting a practice with a criminal defense lawyer.

What i heard is NOT good is to be a general practice starting out. Because then when you look around for mentors and referrals, you are in competition with EVERYbody's line of business and they might not want to help you.

[The Invisible Man]

Yea...there are pros and cons for starting up your own solo practice. However, I believe that with all the intangible difficulties, investments of time, money and energy and the landscape of this economy, it might just not be worth it.

[merichard87]

My uncle (URM) went straight into his own practice from law school. He did it by combining his interest in sports and became a sports agent which took him into sports law and he also created a firm specifically for criminal law. And I think he worked harder trying to be successful with his sports agency than the law firm (never any shortage of criminals in a big city).

[legalized]

My uncle (URM) went straight into his own practice from law school. He did it by combining his interest in sports and became a sports agent which took him into sports law and he also created a firm specifically for criminal law. And I think he worked harder trying to be successful with his sports agency than the law firm (never any shortage of criminals in a big city).

ROFL guys I knew back in my UG town heard my law school plans and said I could make good money off criminal defense.

[merichard87]

Criminal is always an option but my uncle definitely takes a lot of small cases rather than a few big ones. Depends on how hard you are willing to work.

[trialjunky]

Seems too risky to me. I intend to eventually have my own prctice but I feel it would be a disservice to me and my clients if I didn't work at a firm first and gain experience.

[merichard87]

Seems too risky to me. I intend to eventually have my own prctice but I feel it would be a disservice to me and my clients if I didn't work at a firm first and gain experience.

+1. Definitely my thoughts.

[The Invisible Man]

Seems too risky to me. I intend to eventually have my own prctice but I feel it would be a disservice to me and my clients if I didn't work at a firm first and gain experience.

Which is what I was basically implying/saying....

LOL

[legalized]

Criminal is always an option but my uncle definitely takes a lot of small cases rather than a few big ones. Depends on how hard you are willing to work.

I think I would not feel right taking big ones until I had taken (and won) a lot of little ones. Crawl before you walk and all that.

I generally would feel more comfortable working for someone else first when it comes to criminal defense. But apparently there are enough solos out there doing it from the ground up.