I attended law school with the express purpose of opening my own law firm upon graduation. At age 42, with a previous career in professional services marketing, I felt confident I could easily open and operate a successful law firm. Certainly, I would have no trouble getting new clients, because I had mastered the art of networking and had attended my fair share of “rubber chicken” luncheons and dinners.

Ultimately, I did create not one, but two profitable law firms; however, it was not nearly as easy as I thought it would be!

Running a successful law practice is a challenging endeavor for women attorneys who often juggle the dual roles of breaking barriers and managing a business. As a law practice owner, you represent clients while managing a team, ensuring compliance, and building a sustainable future. Here are seven actionable tips to help you confidently manage your law practice.

You’ve implemented goals for your practice and firm operations in 2025. Here’s to a terrific year!

What about Communications?
 

Many members of Women Owned Law have a solo practice, but they have a silent partner: technology.

Review these best practices using technology, some preventative and some learned through unfortunate experience.

Why it’s hard to hire a great paralegal

You know that speaking at a conference, bar association meeting or CLE webinar is among the most powerful ways to attract attention to your practice.

Does this sound familiar?

You’re going from a conference with an important prospective client straight to a casual dinner.

As a busy attorney, you probably struggle to work efficiently and effectively. As lawyers working on the clock, time management and productivity are essential skills. Even working on a fixed-fee basis, you still record the time you expend, in order to evaluate any fee adjustments and determine which activities take longer than others. Here are a few points to consider as you review your use of time and your productivity.

You are aware of your eventual passing and have taken the basic steps of estate planning: writing a will, assigning power of attorney and buying a burial plot. Making these arrangements is crucial, yet the role of the executor of an estate can be challenging, depending on how their loved one lived. Did the person live simply, without clutter and overwhelming tendencies toward accumulating belongings? Or were they compulsive collectors?

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) introduces a new regulatory framework for companies in the United States, requiring the reporting of beneficial ownership information (BOI) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This law aims to enhance financial transparency and combat illicit activities facilitated through opaque ownership structures. As an attorney, it is crucial to understand the implications of this law to effectively advise your clients. This article focuses on three key aspects of the CTA: who must file, when they must file and what information must be filed.

Who Must File Under the CTA?

Editor’s Note: This article summarizes Shannon Wilkinson’s presentation, which was recorded on February 15, 2024. You may watch it by logging into your member account and going to the Virtual Speaker Series. Here are the link to her presentation (48 minutes) and the slides.

In March of 2020, virtual work became normalized and now it’s here to stay. Our meetings, presentations, and what used to be phone calls, are happening virtually. Why? Because it works, saves money and promotes a better work/life balance.

If you haven’t fully embraced LinkedIn yet, 2024 is the year to get started. LinkedIn is rolling out new features based on growing demand as businesses turn towards the platform for their marketing needs. LinkedIn continues to lean further into supporting thought leaders who share insights from their areas of expertise. In the past year, LinkedIn has added two new features that significantly increase the marketability of businesses and make it easier for consumers to find experts and contact them.

Your photograph plays a significant role in your digital presence on your website and in your profiles online.

Someone seeking legal counsel will likely conduct an internet search to find the websites of attorneys in a specific area of practice; once they land on yours, they will look over your headshot and credentials.

As a legal professional, you’re an expert at navigating the law. However, your legal education might not have prepared you to successfully navigate another critical, but often overlooked, aspect of the profession: how to manage the business of law.

You’re a lawyer, above all else, yet it’s important to remember that the practice of law is also a business. In order to achieve the highest levels of success for yourself and your clients, you need to negotiate the financials of lawyering, in addition to the practice of law itself.

As several members of Women Owned Law reflected on their operational and marketing activities in 2023, they identified successful efforts that they plan to continue in the year ahead.

Introduction

Electronic discovery (eDiscovery) has become an integral part of the legal process, enabling law firms to efficiently collect, review and produce electronic documents and data during litigation. However, the increasing volume and complexity of electronically stored information (ESI) have significantly driven up the costs associated with eDiscovery. To maintain profitability and competitiveness, law firms must adopt effective strategies for managing eDiscovery costs. This article explores seven key strategies that can help law firms streamline their eDiscovery processes and control expenses, without compromising the quality of their legal services.

In the dimly lit room, the hum of servers was the only sound that broke the silence. The CEO leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips as he surveyed the room filled with diligent workers, each absorbed in their tasks. This was no ordinary company; this was a well-oiled machine of cybercriminals, a business as well-structured and organized as any law firm.

The legal profession is notorious for lacking civility. Many managing partners are unaware that simple improvements in workplace civility can have a direct impact on retention and employee engagement, while also reducing liability and improving the firm’s bottom line. Here’s why and how civility among attorneys must change.

Civility is defined as the consistent treatment of others with respect. Civility Training brings an awareness to attorneys that everything they say and do (how they say it, where they say it, how they do it, where they do it) impacts everyone they encounter. It also provides positive behaviors that attorneys that can improve the workplace culture. The number one reason employees leave organizations is due to how they are treated by their managers.

There is no single roadmap to business prosperity, though there are some solid guiding supporting growth strategies.

Which of the following do you already have in place? Which insights are most relevant for implementation in your practice or business?

What are the keys to growing a prosperous business, from Day One?