Any self-employed lawyers open to talking?

[justKate]

Any lawyers who work for themselves? 

I'm considering whether I could make a little money taking cases while mostly being a SAHM.  I need to make $1500/month to cover my student loans.  Is it crazy to think I could do it on my own?

We're moving to a sort of rural area in a new state, and since we'll be there 4 years or more I'm open to taking the bar exam there.  I want to stay home with DD, but we need a little more income and I think the work would help keep me mentally stimulated.  My experience is in unemployment compensation and criminal law.

I guess the pros are obvious, but my concerns are:

how do i get business?

liability insurance--how does that work?

would I have to meet clients at my home, or could i meet them at the public library or something?

what sort of "support" will i need--trust accounts, access to research tools, etc?

would I be able to make enough to cover my loans and expenses?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.  Or if you'd be open to chatting privately instead, PM me!

ETA: x-posted in WAH Well 

[JudiAU]

Not a lawyer here but I do work at a large law firm and also have a few lawyer friends who are solo. I think you would have a hard time covering your basic expenses and generating that level of income without working many hours. Insurance is expensive. Solo lawyering is very difficult and time consuming, just like any small business, especially if you don't have a built in client base. You'd also need to have a (presentable) home office. Meeting at a starbucks or public library would just be odd.

I think it would be easier and better paying to take a part time contract attorney position, even with a non-profit. You could more easily schedule child care.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by JudiAU 

I think it would be easier and better paying to take a part time contract attorney position, even with a non-profit. You could more easily schedule child care.

I would say to work per diem for a small firm, where you get paid based on the hours you work.  Non-profits generally don't pay unless you're a full time employee.
 

[justKate]

Part-time or contract sounds perfect, actually...DD would still be in daycare, but less, which would be good for both of us.  Sometimes it's hard to keep in mind that there are arrangements out there. 

[slylives]

I have to disagree. I am in the process of starting my own practice, and the flexibility more than makes up for the hours. Which can be as long or short as they need to be to make the money you need. I got my insurance through a local Bar-supported insurance firm and paid only $600 for the entire year.  I work from home and although I am happy to meet people in their homes, most people actually prefer to meet at a local coffee shop or library. I think there is a large-firm bias that plays into the idea that having a business meeting in a public place is odd. On the contrary, my local coffee shops, etc, and bursting at the seams with professionals conducting meetings! Your areas of practice are entirely different to mine, so I am not sure how you would generate business, but network, network, network would be my first piece of advice. Also check out any Bar-run services for small firms and solos in your area.

Feel free to PM me, I could talk about this until the cows come home. Good luck!!
 

Originally Posted by JudiAU 

Not a lawyer here but I do work at a large law firm and also have a few lawyer friends who are solo. I think you would have a hard time covering your basic expenses and generating that level of income without working many hours. Insurance is expensive. Solo lawyering is very difficult and time consuming, just like any small business, especially if you don't have a built in client base. You'd also need to have a (presentable) home office. Meeting at a starbucks or public library would just be odd.

I think it would be easier and better paying to take a part time contract attorney position, even with a non-profit. You could more easily schedule child care.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by slylives 

I have to disagree. I am in the process of starting my own practice, and the flexibility more than makes up for the hours. Which can be as long or short as they need to be to make the money you need. I got my insurance through a local Bar-supported insurance firm and paid only $600 for the entire year.  I work from home and although I am happy to meet people in their homes, most people actually prefer to meet at a local coffee shop or library. I think there is a large-firm bias that plays into the idea that having a business meeting in a public place is odd. On the contrary, my local coffee shops, etc, and bursting at the seams with professionals conducting meetings! Your areas of practice are entirely different to mine, so I am not sure how you would generate business, but network, network, network would be my first piece of advice. Also check out any Bar-run services for small firms and solos in your area.

Feel free to PM me, I could talk about this until the cows come home. Good luck!!
 

Hmm....I just passed the bar, so I'm not even close to embarking on having my own practice, but I'm definitely interested in doing it sometime in the future.  What type of law do you practice (if you don't mind me asking that is :)?

[justKate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slylives 

Feel free to PM me, I could talk about this until the cows come home. Good luck!!
 

I'm going to try to "friend" you somehow, if we have something like that, so that i can bug you about things when I get settled in our new state.  I remember when I was a kid, my parents' insurance agent always came to our home.  I was thinking about doing (smaller) estate planning, uncontested divorces, unemployment hearings, and (maybe) misdemeanor defense (if I can stomach it).