Solo & Small Firms Present Challenges & Opportunities by Zac Shaffer

Solo practitioners and small firms have always been the backbone of the Ohio legal community. But, unlike with large firms, lone attorneys face difficulties that are extremely less common than with firms that have multiple attorneys. One primary hurdle is that young attorneys attempting to start their own practice aren’t blessed with the knowledge and experience of running a firm like their larger counterparts. But this shouldn’t deter anyone aspiring to run their own practice.

Any legal community in Ohio has vast resources for these attorneys, if they know where to look. First, each local bar association exists to help their attorneys become the best advocates for their clients. From connecting attorneys with each other to providing resources and assistance running their practice, this should be the first stop on any young, solo practitioner’s journey.

Second, and easily the most helpful, are other attorneys and mentors in the area. In Toledo, there is no shortage of successful solo practitioners. Two of the best I’ve had the pleasure and honor of
working with are Jerry Phillips and Kurt Bruderly. While being in different parts of their careers, both Jerry and Kurt have always been willing and able to offer advice and have been involved in their local communities. For this article, each attorney was asked two important questions; here are their answers:

1. What is the most important piece of advice do you have for attorneys who are trying to open and run a successful solo practice?
Attorney Bruderly believes that having someone who can run your books is a necessity. Specifically, his advice, or warning more accurately, was to make sure you have an accountant to make sure you are filing taxes correctly and that your IOLTA accounts are correct. He warned about how this can ruin your practice if not done correctly. We all became attorneys to practice the law. While there may be a few exceptions, most attorneys are not well-versed in accounting or even understand the intricacies of how to maintain the financial side of the business. This side of the business also detracts from the main reason each of us have become attorneys: to practice law.

Comparatively, Attorney Phillips advised that the best advice for attorneys running their own practice is simply: returning client calls. While this may seem like common knowledge or even one of those “unspoken rules”, Jerry expressed that this one task can make or break your practice. Clients are supreme. When you run your own practice, building and maintaining your client base is always going to be one of the biggest focal points of your career. The more trust your clients have in you, the more successful you can be.

2. What is one of the greatest pitfalls that they have experienced in their practice?
When answering the biggest pitfalls they have experienced, both attorneys had nearly identical responses: Not being prepared to do the work. Running your own practice means two things. First, you are running a business. Just like with any business, you cannot expect to rein in the profits in the first few years. Both expressed their concern that attorneys who believe they can start their own firm and make a profit in the first year are not prepared for the reality of the situation. You should prepare not to make money initially. You plan for major expenses as you establish your business, especially as you open and staff an office space. Expect unforeseen overhead. If you don’t plan accordingly, you are essentially setting yourself up for failure.

The other component to running your own practice is practicing law. Now, to most this may seem like a bigger understatement than “returning your client’s calls.” However, as an attorney who comes from a larger where most every aspect of the business practice was out of his control, this is something that can easily get overlooked. Not only do you need to ensure that you have enough clients coming through the door to keep the lights on, but you also need to ensure that you have enough time to do the work that your clients are coming to you for. You cannot have a 9-5 mindset if you want to be successful or even continue to exist. While this ideology should be true for most attorneys, regardless of where you work, it is especially true for solo practitioners. If you don’t do the work, how can you expect to be successful or build clientele?

While this article only captured a sliver of their knowledge and expertise, Jerry Phillips and Kurt Bruderly are two of the most successful solo practitioners in the Toledo area. While both may have had moments in their careers where they may have dropped their practice for the arguably easier “large firm life”, neither regret their decisions, and they are happy with their practices.

While they are able to set their own schedules and dictate their own work-life balance, it is sometimes easier said than done. However, their memories of improving clients’ lives and being able to run successful practices far outweigh any drawbacks. If you or someone you know is in the process of, or thinking about, opening your own practice, make sure that you are doing not only what is best for your potential clients, but also yourself.