It's All About The Law™

If you just graduated law school, you may be thinking about starting your own practice.

Before I continue let me say you need to be concentrating on passing the bar. I have a couple of comments about the bar exam in a postscript at the end of this blawg post.

For many new lawyers, starting a practice is the fulfillment of their dreams. But sometimes starting a practice can be the realization of their nightmares. I’m writing this post to help you fulfill your dreams — and avoid the nightmares.

I recently read an article by Marshall Goldsmith about Why Coaching Clients Give Up. He said clients give up because

It’s harder than they thought it would be,
It takes too long,
Ownership,
Distraction,
Rewards, and
Maintenance.

I agree with Dr. Goldsmith’s list. And I believe the same issues he lists for coaching also apply to starting a law practice. So I will use his list to explain.

Running my practice is harder than I thought it would be.
You are correct. Running a law practice is hard work. You may have thought it would be easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it; and be successful at it.

Ask yourself if you are willing to work hard enough to own your own law practice.

Running my practice takes longer than I planned.
Studies have shown it usually takes 9 years for a business to become an “overnight success.”

Ask yourself if you are willing to put in the time it takes to own your own law practice.

I started my own law practice and failed but it wasn’t my fault.
Too many lawyers refuse to take ownership — responsibility for everything that happens in their practice. I touched on this in a business post. Everything we do as lawyers (good and bad) is our “fault.”

Ask yourself if you are willing to take ownership of everything that happens in your law practice.

I’m busy right now. I’ll get to that problem tomorrow.
When you own your own practice, distractions happen every day. Problems arise, every day. Being the owner means it’s up to you to deal with the distractions.

A few weeks ago, an opposing attorney flamed me. I responded politely and pointed out the facts of the case. She apologized — explaining that she had other pressing matters and confused them with our case. The question she needed to answer is “Who is responsible for seeing that your pressing matters are arranged so as to avoid confusion?” The answer is, “You — the owner of your practice.”

Ask yourself if you are willing and able to deal with every distraction and problem in your practice without delay.

I started my law practice to make money and be able to enjoy it.
The rewards of owning your own practice are often intangible. And often take years to be realized.

Just like Dr. Goldsmith said about his coaching clients, I often hear lawyers say “Why am I working so hard? I didn’t make any more money anyway, so why am I killing myself?”

Ask yourself if you are willing and able to put off gratification until your practice rewards you (if ever).

My law practice is going great! Now I can coast and enjoy the ride.
Wrong. Owning your own law practice is a process you must maintain. Your practice is either growing or dying. It can’t stand still; and neither can its owner — you.

Ask yourself if you are willing to maintain the growth of your practice.

_______________________________________________________

If you want to start your own law practice, go into it with your eyes open. It will be hard work and take a lot of time. It will be your responsibility to take care of everything that happens — good and bad. You may not see immediate rewards, and even when good things happen it will be up to you to maintain the activities that created those good things.

Starting your law practice is the fulfillment of your dreams. Every day will bring new challenges — and opportunities. Read and study the posts in this blawg. Read and study and get the help you need. Ask questions and keep asking questions. Then starting your practice won’t be the realization of a nightmare.

Thanks,
Larry

Your comments are always welcome. Please let me know.

PS Bar Exam Comments: I know many lawyers who didn’t pass the bar on the first try. And most of them are smarter than me. The issue was in their preparation for the bar exam, so here are my tips FWIW.

The bar exam is as much an endurance test as a knowledge test. It is 2 full days — and you need to be in (physical) shape for it. Put yourself on a strict schedule.

By way of illustration here is the schedule I followed every day from graduation until the exam:
– Arise at 7:00 AM
– Light breakfast (usually 2 soft-boiled eggs, 2 pieces dry toast and glass of milk)
– Begin study at 8:00 (enjoy 1 cup of coffee during study)
– Pause study at 11:00 AM
– Swim laps for 45 minutes (or whatever physical exercise you use) and get some sun (no burn)
– Shower and shave
– Light lunch (avoid greasy, spicy, or other “upsetting” foods)
– Continue study until time to leave for bar-prep class
– Attend bar prep class
– Return home for supper
– Relax — No further study for the day
– Bedtime at 10:00 PM
– Do it all over again.
Good luck.

PPS I still remember what my bar prep class teacher said, “Don’t talk about attractive nuisance unless the question involves children.” (grin)