Getting Work as a Lawyer

A recently admitted lawyer in Ohio had gone on the Bar Association's Solo and Small Firm list serv and posted a request for tips on how to get work.  This was my response, for what it's worth:

 

"Dear Amy:

 

While marketing your services as a lawyer is a process hampered by ethical land mines and a tradition of waiting to be called, there are some easy, inexpensive ways to get work.  First though, decide what broad kind of work you can do.  You can't take on work that you aren't able to do or aren't reasonably able to get prepared to do.

If you want criminal work, get on the court's appointment list.  It's low paid but filled with opportunities for experience and exposure.

For civil work, the biggest bang for your buck may be the local bar association's lawyer referral service.  Dayton's is 175 a year plus 10% of fees earned.  It is so worth the cost. Hundreds of times over.

Go to bar association events.  Go to the national ABA section events if you can afford it.  If you go, and you introduce yourself and make connections, then you quickly become a nationally known attorney.  Have a quick response to "what do you do?"  Be friendly with other lawyers.  Refer work to them.  Volunteer in a group or groups that do something you like. Speak up and take some leadership.  It isn't always quick, but exposure + competence = work.  Always be grateful for referrals. Call or send thank you cards to your referral sources. Refer back and speak well of them.

Write a blog, get a website that links to your blog, and then use a twitter account and a linkedin profile to mention your blog or website.  Write often and be real.  Read blogs by James Altucher.  Read his book "Choose Yourself".  It's five bucks on Amazon and it may change your life.  

Do good work, bill fairly, and deliver more than you promise.  Always, always do what you say you will.  Don't lie or cheat.  Lawyers and judges will know, and it will kill your career.  Don't chase low profit work or clients.  Analyze your practice areas for the highest profit for the least amount of time and effort, and then do that work most of the time.  Develop an expertise. Love it. For me that is FLSA litigation. For you it will likely be something different.

Charge a fee for consultations too. Make yourself valuable from the very first meeting.  If a potential client balks at 50-100-150 for your initial time, then you don't need them.  Exceptions of course, but charge as a rule.  

Finally, go to Dave Lorenzo's website and follow him on Twitter @TheDaveLorenzo, He is undoubtedly the best legal marketing mind.  Read all that he writes and do just part of it. You will get work and clients.

I do these things.  I believe in them and I have been successfully self employed, with luck and gratitude, since 2001.  

Good luck Amy.  Contact me if you'd like any more info. Although I think that is all that I have."

Professional conferences pay for themselves

Professionals spend years in school learning their trade.  Then after they enter their profession they are often required by their professional licensing organization to keep current in their field.  Keeping current for lawyers means taking ten to fifteen hours per year of continuing education.  It is often expensive and seemingly unproductive.

It does take time, true.  But to those who would call it unproductive, because it can't be billed to a client, I would say think again.

While taking on my first Fair Labor Standards collective action case more than twelve years ago, I was overwhelmed. Fortunately, the National Employment Lawyers Association was holding an FLSA focused conference that year.  Too bad it was in San Francisco.  That was a long way from my little shared office space in Middletown, Ohio.  It appeared too expensive and risky.  I calculated the benefits I hoped for against the clear monetary expense, and got my airline ticket west.

I met some extraordinary people. Authors of practice guides like Janice Kearns, and nationally known litigators like David Borgen.  I also met a super sharp lawyer from NYC named John Bernstein.  Nearly a year after that meeting, which gave me more than enough info to powerfully settle my case in Ohio's southern district, I got a call from a class action lawyer from New York.  He wanted local counsel in Ohio and Mr. Bernstein referred him to me.

Since that time I have done two more class cases with this lawyer, with settlements in the many million dollar range.

I didn't get those kinds of cases because I was in the fray already.  I got them because I took a chance and went to a national lawyers conference and made some friends.  That trip has paid for itself hundreds of time over and has been an inspiration to me ever since.

The American Bar Association's class action and derivative claim committee had its annual class action institute in Boston this past week.  I went for the great agenda and to meet up with some friends I made at a litigation conference earlier this year.  I was thrilled by the quality of the content, but even better than that, I was fortunate to meet some incredible lawyers who work all over the nation and the world.  We may not talk daily or even monthly, but we now have connections built face to face in a forum that allows for real evaluation.  Your MarHub profile or website copy is like smoke in comparison to the quick and certain impression you can take, or present, talking about the law or judges or sports teams with your potential co, or opposing counsel.

Go to your national professional meetings.  Join the players on the biggest stage you can manage.  They are just like you.  It is likely that you will be welcome into the cast just by virtue of showing up with a good attitude.  These conferences bring all attendees up. Sometimes in ways you don't see coming.  Don't wait. Go to the next one.  Do it.