Between general commercial litigation and a transactional practice like real estate or funds, which is better for going solo? I am finishing my 3rd year in big law and have exactly 1.5 years of transactional experience (mostly real estate and leverage funds) and 1.5 years of litigation experience (general commercial lit) My goal is to eventually go solo—which is more practical for a solo practice?

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Where can you generate business? That’s the real question.

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I think you have more possibilities in litigation as a solo; unless you already have portable transactional business. Also, a lot of smaller transactions appear to be handled by business brokers. In order to litigate you have to be a member of a state bar (for the most part), so I think litigators have less competition from non-lawyers.

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Yes. I had a high net worth physician call me about what I thought was a regulatory question but it turned out to be a question Legal Zoom had asked him as part of an incorporation he was doing through Legsl
Zoom. And title insurance companies have been doing real estate work for years now.

Not a solo, but know someone who left my firm to become solo, and he is in the field of real estate finance. Specifically for the purchase of large multi-dwelling buildings. If you went solo I think you would have to explore smaller deals as well in addition to adjacent issues.

I have not seen a solo general commercial litigation practice but there are certainly small shops with 2-6 attorneys that do that in my area.

There aren't as many solo commercial litigators as solo real estate lawyers, if that's helpful.

About to go solo in business lit and product liability defense. The biggest challenge for me is to find reliable local counsel and their rate has to be right for the client.

What states? I’d be interested.

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