Solo Practice

To be quite honest I wish that I could even partially deliver the pinnacle article in regards to the mind of a solo attorney, but I am no expert on the mind of all solos.  However, I like to think of myself of an expert of sorts in regards to my own mind.  Some may dispute that rather bold statement, but the reality is I have the stage and if you are reading this you have chosen to listen so I feel at liberty to speak my piece.

The most evident characteristic of this solo's mind is the unending desire to be at the helm.  The main reason that I start my own law firm was that I wanted to control my own destiny.  To put it another way I wanted to have the ball in my hands as time ticked off the clock.  Maybe I tolerate risk better than most or maybe I am confident enough to transcend the doubt.  Whatever the reason may be I refuse to accept that anyone must accept employment when they can create their own opportunities.  Let us think about this for a second.  We have to admit that there comes a time when an employer's and an employee's interest somewhat part ways.  Truthfully, that may happen sooner as opposed to later.  If we view the development of the skills necessary to actually build a successful law practice, meaning the acquisition of and delivery of legal services to quality clients, as the promised land for up-and-coming attorneys, then we can more easily see why the employer's and the employee's interest disband.  Once the attorney learns that he or she can find paying clients and deliver results, the attorney no longer needs the "security" of the law firm job.  So why would the law firm properly train the attorney to reach the promised land if it meant that the attorney may wake up one day to realize all of this?  That's easy...they wouldn't.  So I decided to do it myself.

After reading that you may think that I am overconfident, naive, or just a rebellious youth.  Some of that may be true, but I only take offense to the naive characteristic because I do whatever I can to be informed and cognizant of the business of law.  I know enough to know that I don't know much.  That is why I spend as much time as I can improving, researching, and evolving.  Nothing makes me happier than to hear positive feedback from satisfied clients, but a close second would be when a client or a contact tells me that they are my clients because they trust me and because I routinely breakdown the stereotypes associated with attorneys.  I am just a guy that happens to get paid to provide legal services.  I don't refer or introduce myself as Attorney Nathan Dosch and I don't display my degrees and credentials on the wall.  As I've said before, I would put my work-product up against anyone, so this isn't meant to say that I take the provision of legal services lightly.  In fact, I take the legal profession very seriously and it is a privilege to practice every day.  I wish more attorneys looked at it this way.  If that was the case maybe we wouldn't be the butt of so many jokes.

If I could provide a window into my mind I most certainly would.  Better yet if I could boil the mind of a solo down to one post that would be something.  What I will say is that having my own firm is the best way for me to practice law.  I would also say that going solo is not a feasible option for all attorneys.  Some will not be able to stomach the risk.  Others will not be able to self-regulate their time.  Still others do not understand or enjoy building a practice as opposed to just doing the work.  In part it goes back to the idea that practicing law and the business of law are somehow mutually exclusive.  From my perspective, as the owner of a small business that provides legal services, I have a difficult time believing that they are anything but one and the same.