In advance of their presentation at the Above the Law Academy for Private Practice event in Philadelphia on October 28, 2016, the hosts discuss some elements of podcasting and how they use it to help their professional growth. They provide some pointers for listeners thinking about launching their own podcasts including doing some research on what’s out there, lining up a few guests, and thinking several shows ahead. Having a podcast is a good way to add value to your website or blog, put yourself out there as a thought leader on a subject area and have content available for prospective clients to find and listen to and get to know who you are.

Scott and Oscar remind listeners of how things can go viral very quickly on Social Media. They recount examples of how lawyers have gotten in trouble or mocked over social media posts and social media campaigns. Be mindful of who are your friends on platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and remember that they will see what you are posting. The hosts also discuss how taking certain stands on issues of law could come back to haunt and could hurt your ability to get clients in that area. The caution extends to how lawyers present themselves when they get a high-profile or media-worthy cases. You can’t be too careful – what you say and how you look will be floating in cyberspace for a long time and may be the first thing people see about you when they do a search for you or for a lawyer in general.

While there are many positives about having a solo practice there is one glaring negative. There is no other person that understands or cares about your practice the way you do. The hosts discuss why they think it is imperative for solos to seek out other like minded solos and to build a support system of other attorneys who you can rely on to help you with feedback.

We hear from lots of lawyers and law students asking us about what are the first things you have to do to start a practice. Many think its picking out office space, designing business cards, and choosing letterhead. While those steps need to be taken eventually, Scott and Oscar say that Step One is to have a vision plan about what kind of law you want to practice, where is the work going to come from? Remember that you will likely not have a lot of income in the first three to six months, so what is your budget for that time period and how are you going to cover it? Step Two is to educate yourself about the area of law you want to practice and the marketplace for it. Meet other lawyers who do that kind of work; ask if you can shadow them; join Bar association sub-committees on the topic to make connections and just try and grasp what you can about that particular subject area. Step Three is to make sure you are committed to being organized and ready to handle the work that comes in. The hardest part of a solo or small practice is finding the right balance of spending time getting the work and spending time doing the work. In the beginning especially, the hours and demands are harsh and the money might be lean. You have to make sure you are in a position to get through that initial phase and do great legal work for the clients as well.