The National Creditors Bar Association Law Practice Management Blog

Lawyers start their own law firms for any number of reasons.  There isn’t a wrong one.   Despite that, most lawyers starting law firms tend to make the same mistakes.   So, if it’s time for you to start your own law firm, good for you.  And, these are three things you should figure out now, so you don’t get caught short resolving them later.   Create a Niche.    It’s really hard to market a law firm if you’re trying to sell ‘general practice’ legal services.  You can’t sell everything.  So focus down, create a niche, and build on it.  In a hypercompetitive environment, like small law, you need every  single  edge you can  get ; and, the most obvious differentiation point for a law firm is to drill down to specific practice areas.  This process also has the added benefit of opening you up to referrals from law firms focused on complementary practice areas.   Decide What to Cha...

If you ever want to stop practicing law, and become a business management consultant, here’s how you do it: When lawyers ask you about going paperless, recommend the Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 .   It is, hands-down, the best scanner for law firms on the market; and, in over a decade of consulting work, I’ve never had a single complaint about it.   It’s fast, it’s wireless, it works on both PCs and Macs, it’s portable and it comes with PDF conversion software.   This version of the ScanSnap is under $500, and you can usually find discounts online, at sites like New Egg .   If you want to go paperless, but have been stymied by figuring out what hardware you need to get started, now you’ve got your answer. This is not a product pitch, and I’ve never received a penny from Fujistu -- it’s just my opinion, backed by long experience.   However, if you find that the ScanSnap ix500 does not suit your needs, there are other versions of the ScanSnap available , inc...