For Solo Practitioners, Going It Alone Isn’t Lonely
By Kim M. Keenan

“It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win.” —John Paul Jones

It looks like a simple dinner gathering in a private room at a local tavern. A group of newly minted solo practitioners meet with Daniel M. Mills, a former solo practitioner who manages the D.C. Bar Practice Management Advisory Service (PMAS). Most of the men and women around the table have recently hung out their shingles and taken the Bar’s course “Basic Training: Learn About Running a Law Office,” fondly known as “boot camp” for lawyers starting a solo practice. The group includes a few participants who are testing the solo waters as a future career option. The legal experience among those at the tavern today ranges from five to 20 years; however, no one in the group has ever run a law office. What’s more, many are experts in at least one area of law but have never handled a trust account.

Over the past year, “Basic Training” has become one of the most popular courses at the Bar, with classes typically filling up more than a month in advance. Many of these lawyers have taken different paths to arrive at boot camp. Some are here out of economic necessity, while others signed up to achieve a personal goal of running a law office. One thing is certain—more lawyers from every area of expertise are entering solo practice. While the Bar has always offered free and confidential services to assist members with the overall business of practicing law, “Basic Training” provides a crash course in starting a practice. Regardless of law school or practice setting experience, few lawyers have access to training on how to set up—and successfully run—a law practice.

This boot camp offers Bar members practice management services in an interactive setting, complete with a manual for easy reference. The course also gives lawyers practical advice on a variety of key issues and provides answers to questions such as:

These questions offer a starting point for a dialogue that provides lawyers an opportunity to assess whether they are suited to solo practice, while at the same time exposing them to issues relating to administrative requirements, operating accounts, and trust accounts. Topics such as insurance and ethical issues also are discussed. Best of all, the course materials are updated regularly, providing new practitioners a “Bible” of sorts for their new endeavor. The training aims to cover all areas of practice management, including business planning, client relations, communications, financial management, and office systems such as calendaring and docketing. If you are thinking about the course or are interested in the PMAS, contact Daniel to learn more, ask questions, or set up a personalized, confidential review of your law practice with an eye toward making your law office efficient from the start and improving your quality of service to clients. The truth is that every lawyer can benefit from learning the business of practicing law to enhance his or her contribution to any practice setting.

Solo and small firms represent nearly half of the nation’s lawyers, according to the American Bar Association. Although they represent a significantly smaller percentage in the District of Columbia, small and solo firms are growing in numbers. The most obvious reason for the increase is the strained economy, but other factors such as a desire to practice in a different setting also have driven this trend.

At the end of the day, whether you are practicing in a large firm and want to learn more about law firm management or you are considering starting your own law office, the Bar has resources to promote your success in the business of practicing law.

A full listing of services that PMAS offers is available on the Bar’s Web site at www.dcbar.org/pmas. These services are included in your Bar membership, another privilege of being part of the Bar.

The group at the tavern has come together in an effort to provide networking opportunities for new solos. Keeping solos connected to other lawyers provides a venue for sharing challenges and successes. Of course, there also is the occasional referral. One of the lawyers at the gathering shares that when he was downsized from his law firm, he realized that this was an opportunity for him to move and practice from the beach!

When one door closes, another opens.

For more information on the Practice Management Advisory Service or to register for the course “Basic Training: Learn About Running a Law Office,” contact Daniel M. Mills at 202-626-1312 or dmills@dcbar.org. Kim M. Keenan can be reached at kkeenan@dcbar.org.