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...

Modern law firm consumers are an entirely new breed.  They have more law firm options than ever before, and aren’t afraid to use them.  They are committed to mobile search.  They are more cost-sensitive than any consumer base in modern history.  Absent a near-instantaneous response from a potential lawyer hire, they will immediately move on to the next attorney on their list. This can be frustrating for law firms, whose billing practices tend to be antiquated.  Hourly billing, without a cap, is perhaps the scariest consumer pricing arrangement there is.  Put yourself in the shoes of your potential client, and ask how appealing it would be to sign an agreement undefined in length, and with a high hourly rate attached.  Furthermore, if you’re asking for retainers, consider whether you’d be able to draw that cashier’s check on your own bank account, on short notice. The good news is that these two obvious roadblocks to client engagement fo...