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A number of months ago, I requested and was accepted to host this blog review. In this Blawg Review, I tried to collected post from blogs relating to or from those that work in a home office or are in solo practice. Or as some would call, independent practitioner.
One thing I have discovered over the last few years, and especially since I started to publish this blog in March, 2005 is this. Solo’s, independent practitioners, those that practice law from a home office tend to be innovative. We tend to be out in front. If for no other reason we have no one to answer to. We are the partnership committee. We are the marketing committee and we are the technology committee. For that reason, we tend to adopt new advances in those areas, dare I say, quicker.
And as Carolyn Elefant at My Shingle mentioned in her great post “Solos Practice Longer… But for Love or For Money?“, “one of the benefits of running your own firm is that you don’t have a committee forcing you to retire. Perhaps that’s why some of the oldest practicing lawyers are those who work for themselves.“
Tim Abbott over at Walking the Berkshires tells us about One for the ages: Catherine Roraback. Cahterine, who recently passed away at the age of 87, was still representing clients. She was a country lawyer, but earlier in her career she was involved in the landmark case Griswold vs. Connecticut.
Not only can we practice as long as we want, and take the clients we want. We can practice law when and where we want. Brett Trout tells us to Do Nothing – Be More Productive. Brett, who needed to get things done, decided to get away from the office. So he hopped on a plane and spent a few days at the beach working. Brett says that, “without any interruptions, the time passed quickly and efficiently.“ I just have to wonder what a senior partner might have said if some associate would have asked to go to the beach so he could get some work done.
Over at f/k/a we see a great post from David Glacalone called, The End of Lawyers? or The Cartel’s Last Stand. David gives us some great suggestions for books we have to read. The general theme is “the future of law”. I for one will enjoy watching whether the predictions actually do come to fruition. But, what will be even more interesting will be if it does happen, who will survive such a change. Will it be those who can accept the change and adjust to it, or not.
And speaking of innovation, what about “Using Blogs as Marketing Tools”? Jay Fleischman at the Bankruptcy Practice Pro reminds us just how many advantages we do get with blogging. And as a home office lawyer or solo, what better way to network with other home office lawyers or solos?
Than again, we could not mention blogging and not mention Rick Georges’ post at the Futurelawyer called “First Amendment Rights in the BlogoSphere.” While some may want to fight a defamation case that springs from Internet postings. Some are wanting to limit the establishment of blogs. Take a look at Rick’s post. It certainly caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up.
Least we forget a couple of others about blogging. Jim Calloway’s Practice Tips mention of the ABA’s 50 Ways to Market Your Practice. A list which was directed to the solo and/or small firm.
Above the Law did not do the Solo and/or small firm any favors with its post about the 50 Ways List. And, Above the Law did mention my own post about the 50 Ways List where I questioned why blogging was not mentioned.
And for a second time in Blawg Review #132, My Shingle is featured with her own reaction to the Above the Law post when she states, Solos Aren’t Simpletons When It Comes to Marketing.
Susan Cartier Liebel publisher of the wonderful blog Build A Solo Practice, LLC ask the question, “Can Saying “I’m Sorry” to a Client Create More Income For You?
Michael Sherman at Lawyer Profit Systems give us some traits or behaviors that a solo lawyer needs in a post called, “For Growth You Need More and Less.”
In addition to those mentioned above, there are some great blogs out there from solo’s and home office lawyers. They include, but are not limited to the following:
The MacLawyer, TechnoEsq, The Practice Blog, Home Office Envy, Chuck Netwon, Rides the Third Wave, Solo in Chicago, Victor Medina’s Small Business and Solo Law Practice Blog.
I know I missed some. Get me your URL and I will put up another list of solo and home office lawyer blogs soon. However, until than, Blawg Review has information about next week’s host, and instructions on how to get your blog posts reviewed in upcoming issues.
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