Opening your own law firm is probably the most thrilling and terrifying thing you’ll do in your career. Even established attorneys can find themselves struggling to leave their practice and branch out on their own. Venturing out means that you are taking on a whole new career; you’re no longer only an attorney but an entrepreneur.
While it can feel daunting to take on such a massive undertaking, the possibilities are also exhilarating. To help you get a kickstart on your next professional move, here are eight effective ideas to start a law firm.
Table of Contents
1- Have a Clear Focus
Being a general attorney doesn’t help your clients. They want a subject-matter expert who can help them navigate the legal complexities of their problems with ease. If you’re going to practice family law, then make sure your firm clearly advertises those services, such as adoption and custody.
Important Note: Lawyers can focus on a particular area of law, but they cannot officially call themselves a specialist or expert unless they are certified by an ABA-accredited organization.
2- Assess the Market
In order to provide the highest quality service, you’ll have to cross fields for a bit and learn to think like a marketer. This means analyzing your jurisdiction to understand what type of lawyers most people want, what types of legal matters most clients have, and how they are researching solutions to their problems.
Evaluate your competitors. When you search, “lawyers in [your city]”, what firms appear first? See what types of cases they specialize in to get a better idea of what demand there may be in your area.
Of course, if you already have an area of specialty, you can focus on further refining your research to learn what common questions, issues and needs clients in your jurisdiction have.
You might also consider teaming up with a legal marketing agency to craft a compelling website that highlights your skills and experience.
3- Ensure You Have a Strong Business Plan
Develop OKRs, objectives, and key results, to make your business plan shine. A plan is crucial to ensure that you understand what your business is capable of with its starting capital and what you want to achieve within its first five years. Take time to understand your goals. Successful law firms have a clear vision, mission statement, and goals.
4- Build a Unique Brand
Online image is paramount for lawyers today. You need a recognizable, strong identity that immediately resonates with your target audience. As an attorney, you want to always appear professional, capable, and confident in your ability to achieve desired outcomes. Moreover, you want to be approachable and informative, assuring prospective clients that you have the skills to help them reach an ideal resolution.
In addition to a website, create social media accounts. Choose these wisely. LinkedIn would be ideal for marketing to businesses as a corporate lawyer, but civil attorneys will perform better on TikTok and YouTube.
5- Create a Customer Journey
Map out the client experience from the moment they find you online to the resolution of their case. It will look different depending on how they connect, e.g. submitting an inquiry on your site or finding you through social media. Take these factors into consideration so you can craft a cohesive journey that closes clients faster and maintains strong relationships with them after their cases.
6- Invest in Legal Software
Legal software like a client management system and AI-powered research tools will set your firm up for success. Top-ranking firms leverage automation to streamline processes, reduce workflows, and dedicate more billable hours to meaningful work.
7- Find a Good Legal Marketing Team
Hiring a marketing agency can help you accelerate your business’s growth. Be sure to work with a legal marketing agency that understands the regulations and unique needs of the legal sector. They will be able to help tailor your advertising messages to resonate with your audience and maximize your return on ad spend.
8- Continue Your Education
Continuing education empowers attorneys by helping them expand their skill set and take on new types of clients. Continuing education can help you become a legal powerhouse, offering unique advantages over your competitors.