Starting a New Law Practice

Checklist and Resources

Select a topic below:

The Business Plan and Budget

Choice of Entity and Name

Finding the Right Office

Office Sharing

Licenses and Notifications

Financial Systems

Office Systems

Insurance

Supplies

Technology

Marketing


Resource Guides and Articles

Unlock Your Potential
An ABA/YLD member service project, this 79 page guide is designed to help lawyers determine if they are ready to start a law practice.

Forms
A number of practice forms are available online from PMAP.

Free Law Books
SC Bar Book Exchange

Lists
Starting a Law Practice Web Directory
Prepared by the Oklahoma Bar Association Management Assistance Program

Listmania! Starting a Law Firm
On Amazon.com - a collection of books on starting a law firm.

Starting and Running Your Own Law Practice: A Selected Bibliography
List of books from Pat Newcombe, Western New England College School of Law

Technology
The $5000 Law Office by Ross Kodner, Esquire
MicroLaw, Inc.
All the technology you need to start a solo law practice

SC Bar PMAP Software Links

SC Bar PMAP Hardware Links

ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
Helping Lawyers Solve the Technology Puzzle

Wireless Technology

Links to articles (mostly cautionary) about lawyers and wireless networks

Join or Sign Up

Women Rainmakers of the ABA Law Practice Management Section

Solosez Online Resources for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners

South Carolina Bar Solo and Small Firm Section

ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section

ABA Law Practice Management Section

Note: The ABA has many of their section magazines and newsletters available online, free to anyone.

Helpful Web Sites

South Carolina Bar PMAP (Practice Management Assistance Program)

NewLawyer  ABA GP Solo Division e-newsletter targets the needs and interests of attorneys in the first years of their practice, but with articles that appeal to lawyers at any level.

My Shingle

"Great things come in small practices" says Carolyn Elefant, the force behind this Web site for and about solos and small firms.

ABA Law Practice TODAY

Read articles on marketing, management, finance and technology from the best writers in the ABA Law Practice Management Section.

Starting and Developing a Consumer Law Practice

The Trueblood Law Firm of Los Angeles, CA, offers advice to attorneys starting a new consumer law practice.

Management and Marketing Advice For Attorneys
Italo Consulting

Starting Your Own Law Practice
Copyright © 1993-2004 CORPORATE CREATIONS
This article discusses five types of business entities commonly used to operate a law practice. (Not S.C. specific.)

Publications

South Carolina Bar Lending Library

South Carolina Bar CLE Publications Store

ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Bookstore

ABA Law Practice Management Section Books

Law Office Computing magazine
The old pages of this excellent (now-defunct) bimonthly magazine remain online and could be helpful.