Throughout the year, the Career Services Office invites speakers to share their experiences with current students. Recently two members of the Temple Law Alumni Association, Ken Spivack (’93) and Brad Shuttleworth (’04), joined us to offer some encouragement, suggestions, and advice for young lawyers interested in opening their own practice.
What does it take to be a solo practitioner?
“Fire,” says Brad. Striking out on your own is not easy. If it’s something you’re considering after law school, it’s crucial to have a clear idea of why you’re doing it. There’s a certain degree of risk involved in starting a firm. You may never have regular pay or have time to take a vacation, but if the idea of being your own boss appeals to you, this may outweigh the fear that comes with an unstable situation. You’ll need that fire to keep going when times get tough.
It’s also helpful to gain some experience by working in the field before starting your own practice. Brad clerked for a judge before striking out on his own. “It was that clerkship that gave me the confidence to do what I did,” he says.
It comes down to providing good service in a competitive environment. Do a few things and do them well.
How do you start?
One of the first things you can do to prepare yourself for starting your own practice is to find a mentor. Of course, you can’t just wander around hoping to find someone to take you under their wing. You need to do some research. Ask yourself, “What do I want to do?” and find out who does it well. Joining organizations like the TLAA, Philadelphia Bar Association, and American Bar Association will help you meet and learn from colleagues. Take advantages of networking opportunities while you’re still a student. “Students are cute,” says Dean Melissa Lennon, “many senior attorneys will want to help you.”
Once you get started, how do you know what to do?
After you take the bar exam, you may never want to see, let alone refer to, your prep books again, but they can be a valuable resource. Don’t throw them away! Going to Continuing Legal Education classes and participating in boot camps are good ways to network and hone your skill set. Go to a local courthouse and watch a trial, says Ken. It gives you the opportunity to see a courtroom in action, which can be helpful.
How do you succeed?
“Opportunities are out there,” says Ken. It comes down to providing good service in a competitive environment. Do a few things and do them well. If you network with people who specialize in other areas of the law you learn from them and build valuable connections. Those connections may refer business to you based on your area of specialty. When it comes to business, however, a solo practitioner needs to quickly learn which cases to dedicate time to and which cases to turn away. It requires careful evaluation of the time value of money, which is a skill that isn’t taught in law school, but is critical to learn. It is important to remember you don’t need a lot of work if you keep your expenses down. Some young lawyers will look into co-working space to save on rent, or assist more established lawyers on a fee sharing basis.
It’s a risky business, ‘hanging a shingle,’ but if you’re motivated, starting out as a solo practitioner may be the path for you.
