With the economy causing large law firms to downsize and limit new hires, the odds are that most law school graduates and even practicing lawyers will spend some time as solo practitioners or in small law firms. With that in mind, it is more important than ever that law students, lawyers, and even lay people interested in the law, stay on top of the emerging trends in the solo and small practice field.

Over the past few years, individual legal practice has adapted to accommodate new technology, a shaky economy and an over-influx of lawyers hitting the market. Some of the trends noted by legal journalists include:

1. Solo practitioners and small practice law firms are increasing spending on marketing.

2. Small law firms are leading the charge in moving away from print advertising to Internet sources.

3. Many small law firms are cutting costs by outsourcing legal work.

4. More clients choosing solo law firms over big law firms for lower costs and increased individual attention.

To make sure your solo or small firm law practice has the information and tools to keep up with this changing market, you will need to know where to go for news, informed opinions and reports.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Browse online legal newsletters directed towards solo practitioners

Online legal periodicals and newsletters are a handy source for staying abreast of solo practitioners and small practice law firms news and trends. These sites are updated often, if not daily, and are a prime source of information about the issues affecting small or individual practice.

I recommend: I recommend Law.com for small firm business news. Law.com offers a small firm business newsletter and contains summaries of small firm news stories from legal journals around the country. LexisOne is also a good resource for small law firms and summarizes headline legal news from major newspapers.

Check major legal research websites for small practice law firms news

While the major legal research websites are generally geared towards case law research and other tools for legal professional, most also have a section addressing news and issues confronting small law firms or solo practitioners.

I recommend: Findlaw links to top legal headlines daily, provides recent case summaries and offers free newsletters in a variety of practice areas. The American Bar Association is an exhaustive resource for an individual law practice or the solo practitioner offering books, email discussion lists and e-newsletters. The American Bar Association's Solosez is especially useful for solo practitioners and small law practices.

Follow solo practitioner and small law practice blogs

The best way to stay on top of solo practitioners and small practice law firms news and trends is to go directly to the source. Many solo legal practitioners maintain blogs which comment and discuss news and trends in the small law firm field.

I recommend: MyShingle.com is one of the first blogs dedicated to the demands and desires of solos and small law firms. The Solo Practice Trends section is a comprehensive source of information on news and trends in individual practice. The Greatest American Lawyer blog offers a light hearted and humorous approach to solo practice news and trends.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Join individual law practice networking groups or associations that keep their members abreast of the latest news and trends in the field.

Venturing out on your own to open an individual law practice is a scary thing. Rest assured, large firms face many of the same challenges as solo practitioners and small practice law firms, such as billing, calendaring and marketing, in addition to the daily practice of law. The difference is that they can afford an office staff to keep things running smoothly.

Overcoming these challenges on your own is daunting, but not impossible. Keep these things in mind when you decide to become one of the many small law practices opening around the country:

1. Learn how to market your small law practice to drive clients to your door.

2. Choose appropriate software for your practice to best manage your time.

3. Solo practitioners do not need to do everything themselves. They should know when to ask for help.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Work extra hard to get your name in front of potential clients if you are a small practice law firm

Marketing is essential to building a client base for a small law firm. Since your marketing budget is smaller than that of a large law firm, you must be more selective in how you market your business.

I recommend: Contact Lawyers Court to learn how their Internet design and marketing packages can work for you. Become a premium member of Law Marketing Portal to gain access to articles on the latest marketing tools as well as other suggestions to make your small law firm flourish.

Get more bang for your buck when choosing software as a solo practitioner

Of course, you are in business to make money. But manually managing a calendar, case notes and billing is not always plausible for solo practitioners or small law firms. There are software options made to assist busy attorneys with these and other features of their practice.

I recommend: DeskTop Business Solutions helps to manage your calendar as well as your billing by allowing you to post an appointment directly on the client's work-in-progress page for billing. Click on the power point presentation of your choice to view all the software's features. Request a free demonstration CD to learn how Needles Case Management Software can help your firm run smoothly.

Keep your small law firm on-task with a virtual assistant

Now that you have your calendar and billing under control, what do you do with all the work piling up because of your successful marketing campaign? You may not be ready for a full-time assistant and all the extra expense that brings, but you may need some help answering the phones, scheduling appointments or typing documents. A virtual assistant may be the solution.

I recommend: Team Double-Click's virtual staff can assist with all aspects of running an efficient firm from answering the phones to typing, all from their home. Additionally, the company pre-screens and tests the assistants so you can feel confident about their qualifications. You benefit from their experience without paying additional overhead costs such as health insurance. Send a description of your needs to Virtual Office Temps for a free quote on how they can help your small law practice succeed.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Solo practitioners and small practice law firms need to consider billing and calendaring software which are compatible with each other and the other software already in place to be the most efficient.
• •  Small law firms should not become too dependent on the calendaring software incorporating local court rules for dates. Always confirm with the court to make sure nothing has changed.
• •  Small law practices and solo law firms should concentrate on a specific niche and learn to say no to clients who do not fall into that niche. Your firm will lose focus if it is trying to cover too many areas.

Solo practitioners and small practice law firms education and training starts with an initial degree. With a bachelor's degree, individuals can then pursue law school. Most law schools are difficult to get into and often only take the top performing students.

Individuals interested in operating as solo practitioners and small practice law firms may also want to consider building a business management background. This will enable them to be prepared for managing their own firms. In addition, keep the following in mind:

1. Plan to be a solo practitioner from the beginning by taking courses with a strong reading, writing and legal background, even as an undergraduate.

2. Further education during the summer working within small practice law firms as a clerk.

3. Apprentice with other solo practitioners to learn the legal business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a law degree prior to individual law practice

Law schools require students to spend their first three years learning the foundations of the legal system. Students study contracts, constitutional law and property law during these years. In their final years in law school, they may focus on a specific area of their choice. A solo legal practitioner may have a general law business or a specialized one.

I recommend: Obtain education from top law schools in the country to prepare for a solo law practice. Harvard Law School is one of the country's leading law schools. Students can later earn an advanced law degree from Harvard. Cornell University Law School is another option. This elite school is small, with an average class size of just 11 students.

Become licensed to be part of a small practice law firm

To work for large or small law firms, individuals must be licensed attorneys. To obtain a license, students must sit for a two-day bar exam. This state-issued licensing exam allows students to receive their Juris Doctor, or JD, license. Preparing for this test is often difficult, though courses may help with preparations.

I recommend: Ensure qualifications for the Juris Doctor exam are complete by checking state exam requirements. The New York State Board of Law Examiners offers a guide to requirements. Study for the bar exam through various review programs. Kaplan offers a bar review. Courses are specialized per state. Small law practices may allow for apprenticeships prior to licensing. This can be another way for a student to gain necessary knowledge in preparation for the bar exam.

Develop a small law firm

To develop a small legal practice, individuals need to gain small business education and management experience. There are various resources for aiding individuals in running their own business. In addition, individuals may wish to focus on methods to develop a strong client base prior to establishing their solo law firm.

I recommend: Learn to manage a business prior to running a small law practice. The United States Small Business Administration provides excellent resources on starting a business. This includes financial help and business plan formation. Solo legal practitioners need to learn to market their businesses. Various online resources such as Kane Consulting can help. This blog provides attorneys with methods to marketing their businesses. The Attorney Marketing Center is another blog designed to help attorneys grow their businesses.