A Few Things Many Attorneys Realize During their First Year as a Solo

It might seem like a very simple concept: Graduate from college. Attend law school. Pass the bar. Open your own solo law practice. Have a successful career. Retire. Live happily ever after.

This plan sounds great… and it can be an excellent path for many. But it’s important to remember that things are not always as easy as they seem.

Of course it’s important to have a positive vision for your career. It’s also important to have high aspirations and attainable goals. But it’s also important to be realistic.

Starting a solo law practice involves experiencing an unavoidable learning curve. In many scenarios, it is necessary to take small or large risks. Therefore, it can be helpful to understand certain realities that some solo attorneys are exposed to in their first year of law practice.

Following are a few details about what many new solo attorneys realize as they grow accustomed to owning a small law practice:

There are never enough hours in the day. Many solo attorneys open their law practice truly believing that they will limit their work hours to eight per day. However, eight hours of work per day can be unrealistic. Running a successful solo law practice can be more than a full-time job.

Stress is par for the course. If you are a few weeks or months into your career as a solo attorney and you do not (or have not) felt any level of stress or anxiety about your venture, consider yourself lucky. In general, feeling a certain level of stress about your career during your first year is typical.

Finding good clients can be a challenge. Finding clients is one thing. Finding good clients is another. Building your business is not going to happen overnight. In fact, it might not happen for months (or longer). Don’t get discouraged. It can take a successful solo attorney many years to build an excellent reputation and an impressive book of business.

Office space is not always essential. The instinct is to believe that your law practice must rent space in a Class A building that is considered impressive and professional-looking. But many solo attorneys realize during their first year that paying rent in a fancy office building may not the best use of their financial resources.

You might feel lonely. It might seem trivial, but your first year as a solo attorney might leave you feeling a bit lonely. If you are normally accustomed to being around other people during the workday and you suddenly find yourself alone in your office without a lot of noise or chatter from co-workers, the quiet atmosphere may seem strange. Don’t worry. You will either get used to it or think of a way to make changes to your office environment to make it more lively.

One of the best ways to gain a clear picture of what it’s like to open, manage, and run a small law practice is to develop a professional relationship with a helpful mentor. Find someone who was in your shoes 10 or 20 years ago – and who has built a successful solo firm. Ask questions. Get practical advice. Follow your mentor’s guidance. Then, at some point in the future – after your law practice is successful and thriving – offer to help another young attorney who is about to launch his or her own solo career.