Tuesday, October 30, 2007

LegalFish in Boston

I have found several ways to try and build a client base with mixed results. The first (and least expensive) method I chose was craigslist. The majority of postings in the Boston area are other attorneys trying to attract potential clients. What I have done is 1) post a legal services offer labeled "Attorney available for contract work" with the goal of meeting other attorneys in the Boston area. Some have turned out to be potential business arrangements while others have been networking opportunities. In both cases, the results have helped me to meet others in the field, and on a few occasions, meet potential clients. 2) Weed through the other postings to find potential clients. I have been lucky (or persistent) enough to gain a few clients this way. In fact, all of my business up to this point has come this way.

In order to meet more clients, I decided to "bite the bullet" and hire a legal service which connects potential clients with attorneys. I signed on with legalfish.com on a monthly basis. LegalFish provides the attorney with names of screened clients in the area who have filled out a questionnaire. I was disappointed to see only four potential clients on the first day of my membership. Legalfish assures me that clients are removed from the list when they retain counsel. This sounds illegitimate but with a decidedly smaller "market share" the jury is still out. I will be sure to post successes and/or failures as they arise.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Marketing your law practice

One of the biggest concerns I have had in my early experiences has been how to attract clients. Is it better to advertise in the local newspaper? on the internet? Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out the best way to do this. However, several experts have offered advice as to how to market yourself regardless of the medium chosen. One website which I recently discovered addresses the topic of building your law practice with dignity. The tips listed may seem like common sense, and that's because they are. The key is to pay attention to the details in building a practice, and to actually connect with your clients regardless of how many hours you are billing them.

How to build your law practice with dignity

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thanks for visiting

Hello and welcome to my blog. This blog provides a forum to express ideas and experiences gained in attempting to go solo. It is certainly a challenging undertaking to say the least. I have searched other blogs and websites and have found several 'seasoned' attorneys offering encouragement and praise for those courageous enough to attempt a career as a solo. I would like to thank these pioneers in the solo attorney blogosphere. My hope is that the documentation of my journey from the beginning will encourage other solo's. And with that, this blog is officially up and running.