Starting A Solo Law Practice
Solo practice means freedom but also responsibility.
Translation: You're responsible for everything!
That may be overwhelming to some people, but for other personality types it's an invigorating challenge. If you're in the latter group, read on.
Here are some of the key startup issues:
- Office Space
- Managing Files
- Managing Time and Billing
Office space? For starters that can be your laptop, your cellphone, and your kitchen table. Build from there on an as-needed basis. Don't saddle yourself with an obligation that may not turn out to be suitable after all. You might consider shared office space or virtual office space. There are options at all price points and levels of service.
See what others are doing and pick and choose the best pieces. The goal is to arrive at an efficient, cost-effective setup that just feels right.
When it comes to managing files and time and billing here are some specific recommendations.
Both of the following recommendations are web-based products. This means that they run in the web-browser on your computer and you can access your data from anywhere.
For files start with Google Docs. There's a free version and for even more power there's the $50 per year version. Either way you are getting a ton of functionality for cheap. The calendar alone is completely amazing.
There is a huge community of fellow lawyers and independent business people to share tips and techniques with. Learn about subjects like security and digitizing paper documents.
For time and billing look at Time59. It's only $99.95 / YEAR and will let you track billable time and expenses, invoice your clients, record payments, and keep track of who owes you money. It also handles trust accounting.
Google Docs and Time59 will both run on your computer and smartphone. You can access and update your information anywhere.
Thanks for reading. There are lot's of great options out there. You can pick what's best for you and combine them into your custom-made practice infrastructure. I hope this article gets you excited about starting your new practice.