Should I Start My Own Law Firm? 

14/03/2022

All you need to know to start a law firm

Why You Should Consider Starting Your Own Law Firm

Starting a law firm is not an easy task. There are many aspects that need to be taken care of. However it does offer a lot of benefits for those who are willing to put in the hard work. This article will help answer the question: 'Should I Start My Own Law Firm'?

This article discusses the various advantages and disadvantages of starting your own law firm. The pros include having a say on what kind of clients you work with, the freedom to choose cases, and being able to set your own rates. The cons include high startup costs, legal bills, finding office space and dealing with law firms who have their own already established in the area.

But if you're interested in starting your own law firm, then this article is perfect for you!

What You Need To Know About The Process Of Starting A Law Firm?

The process of starting a law firm is difficult task but there are many things that can help with the process.

To start a law firm, the lawyer will need to think about things like:

- The type of business entity - will your firm be a incorporated, or a traditional partnership model?

- What you'll name your law firm - the name of your new law firm is crucial for market exposure

- Deciding on your business location - where are your ideal clients? What works for your life?

- Purchase a domain name for your website - we recommend porkbun.com 

- What legal technologies can help you start a law firm? - This is crucial for starting a law firm

How To Start the Process of Starting Your Own Law Firm?

The first thing you should be doing is evaluating whether you are in a position to start a law firm. We don't necessarily mean your knowledge or experience, but rather around the risks. Any startup comes with risks and sacrifices, and knowing that you are in a position to take these risks is key. We recommend sitting down, evaluating your expenses, startup costs, and survival income. 

Let's assume you've considered this and are ready to go ahead and start your law firm. You must ensure you have a clear idea on what services and areas of law you will offer, the type of clients you are targeting, and how much time you have to spend with your clients. 

A crucial aspect to consider is how will you actually get your clients? Depending on the type of law firm you are starting, you will need to tailor your marketing and outreach strategies. You might want to set up a small firm providing services to a small group of clients, or you want to build a larger firm offering services to SME businesses. Each of these will have different strategies. 

Once all of this is figured out, and you have considered the points listed above under what you need to know about the process, you should be ready to take the leap! And take it from us, startups are hard, but extremely fun and rewarding. 

What Technology Can Help You Start a Law Firm?

Legal technology is a term used to describe the application of digital and data-driven solutions that help law firms better manage complex cases, increase efficiencies, and reduce legal spend.

Legal tech has been on the rise in recent years. Its primary use cases are in client onboarding (validient.com), contract management, case management, risk assessment and compliance (e.g., GDPR), document review and storage (which can be outsourced), training and succession planning, and research. You can find more information on why firms should invest in technology here.

But, starting a law firm means you might not need every piece of technology under the sun. Therefore, you must assess your own needs. Below is a list of technologies that we believe are 'must-haves':

- Client Onboarding System - we of course recommend Validient to streamline your processes

- Practice Management System - find one that offers good integrations, and ease of use

- E-Signatures - wet signatures are a thing of the past, invest in an e-signature system 

- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - we recommend HubSpot for keeping track of leads, deals, and for marketing opportunities. Digital marketing is extremely important for all firms. 

We have gone into more detail of types of technology throughout legal matters here which also majorly increases client engagement. 

By now, you should have a good idea of what type of legal practice you will be setting up. But, how will your clients find out about your firm? We have already touched on the importance of marketing your law firm. Below is a more thorough breakdown. 

Why is Legal Marketing Important?

Marketing for law firms is an industry that has only just begun to take off.

The legal field is a vast and complicated business, which makes it difficult to generate leads and find new clients. This can be attributed to the fact that many people are still unfamiliar with the law. It can also be due to the negative public image of lawyers in popular culture, especially in cases of divorces or lawsuits.

One of the most important components of marketing for law firms is generating content that educates potential customers on the benefits they would receive by working with a lawyer through articles, blogs, pictures and videos. Delivering content like this shows potential clients that you aren't looking just for their business, but you are looking to help guide them through their journey. Content can also make you come across more personable which is always a bonus! 

Another important component is building connections with other companies and individuals within your industry through social media platforms like LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a very powerful tool for making connections and to increase collaboration in the legal industry so work to grow your following on there. 

Once your firm is maturing and you have been delivering work for multiple clients, you are able to build case studies to showcase your work and increase your integrity in the market. 

Conclusion

Starting any new business is difficult. It requires sacrifice, long hours, and commitment. But, the rewards for taking the leap and going for it can be monumental. 

We hope this article has helped you in your considerations of starting your own law firm. If you would like to discuss this further or to learn about how our software can help your firm, get in touch by booking a demo or emailing info@validient.com


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