Going solo with no clients and no money saved up, I know it’s not the smartest move, but what would be some important first steps to take to make sure you can survive?

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Get clients and money.

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If you’re plaintiff-side, the best free way to build business is via other attorneys. Go to local bar events, set up lunches with attorney friends, and put the word out hard that you’re excited about helping clients in your field and you would appreciate their thinking of you for referrals. Obviously it’s harder to network during COVID but that’s the playbook.

Keep overhead to the bare minimum.

Some expenses are indispensable such as office 365 or G Suite, malpractice insurance, a domain and website.

Do every thing else yourself or via a free service to get started such as Waveapps for free accounting/booking solutions, Square or Waveapps for low cost payroll, Google Voice for a free business phone number, I built my website myself but do so only if you have some skill in that area, claim your GMB listing for free yourself, use UPS for a low cost office address and fax number, social media and business listings provide endless free marketing.

Good luck!

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This! Don’t sign up for contracts or office space you don’t NEED.

Also, I’d caution you to work as local counsel for out of state places.

If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Find someone in your practice area and email them saying “I’m solo. This is my area. I’d like to learn from you and offer a discounted hourly rate for contract work.” That was great for me.

Join random Facebook groups and monitor the posts. Seriously helpful! I get a lot from there.

Create an electronic business card that people can easily share as an image.

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Don’t get an office
Get an address that looks like an office
Don’t worry about fancy business cards - use moo order 25 at a time if you want
Email 50
People (at least) from your network and let them know you’re out on your own and can you talk on a call.

Most importantly - tell people what you do and you’re out on your own. Don’t be shy. Seriously.
It’s free marketing and it’s your own network.

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Start marketing/networking in your neighborhood to the types of clients you’d like to have. Offer a monthly coffee seminar on real estate....etc on the areas you’re offering to the community

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Thanks!

Find a good mentor ASAP. There’s A LOT of shit to handle on the business side of things (ie. do you know how to reconcile a trust account?) and you simultaneously need to market yourself and do good work to back it up once you start getting clients. Having a senior sole practitioner you can ask questions to will be invaluable.

In terms of marketing, ditto what everyone else said but also take advantage of networking online. Invest in a good website, have a firm LinkenIn page. During COVID, having an online presence lends credibility. Get a graphic designer to make you a good logo and use it to do a huge rollout online. Announce your firm opening on LinkenIn and through email blasts with your existing networks. Try to join referral groups (ie. Lawyers Facebook groups where local real estate lawyers will send you litigation work).

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If you have criminal experience, see if you can get on the CJA panel if there is one in your federal district or if your state public defender has a similar pool (and maybe they need bodies bad enough that you don't need criminal experience).

Also suggest talking to unions. Some have arrangements with lawyers to provide 3 or 5 hours of legal work to union members at no charge (and a discounted rate if more time is needed). Things like defending speeding tickets, get me out of jail, I got a letter from my landlord and need help, etc. Zero idea as to details, what the union pays, etc. Just would caution you to keep in mind your ethical duty to provide competent representation.

Keep your overhead down and cast a wide net. You never know where the next client will come from. Market anyone and everyone.

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