The gist of the post is that this guy (I'm just using "guy" - if you all are sensitive about this issue get over it) is a New York lawyer who just started a law firm. He's in a home office but has visions of a separate office as business picks up. He expressed these "problems" and wanted my thoughts on them:
1. He didn't want to go solo with no experience but has been forced to because of the low salaries offered by employers. How do you market yourself without the experience?I know I've touched on some of these issues before, but maybe not as specifically as requested in these comments. To put the questions in context I'll post the relevant portion of the comment before answering.
2. What do you do when people can't afford you?
3. How do you market to a low income population?
How do You Market Yourself Without Experience?
#1 - One of the first points of understanding that you expressed in this segment of your blog is the fact that the economy has left many of us lawyers with no choice but to go out on our own. For me, I never wanted to go solo before obtaining at least three to four years of experience. One problem is that there are not many employers willing to pay lawyers enough to live. No, I did not expect to receive offers of $160,000/year straight out of law school. I did, however, expect to receive at least $60,000/year versus offers of $43,000 - 45,000/year and lower. Yes, I said "lower."I understand what it feels like to be out there trying to sign people up, wanting to help them out, but being hesitant because you don't know all the answers and don't feel 100% comfortable handling their case. When I first started out I was in the same boat (though I had some people to rely on). At my first job I was in an "eat what you kill arrangement." I received a very small base salary and then got paid based on what I brought in.
In New York City, you cannot live on low salaries unless you are already financially situated or living with friends or relatives who can support you a bit until you get on your feet. Many of us do not have those luxuries.
The second problem is that some firms just are not hiring as many lawyers as they did before. Competition is stiff. Thousands of newly minted attorneys are joining the ranks each year. They need jobs as well. We're all in this together.
Therefore, because we have to live and make extremely high student loan payments, many of us have had to select a different route, including going solo or even taking temporary assignments.
I said all of that to say that when you don't have a lot of experience, sometimes, there's a hesitation about marketing yourself a lot. Clients want to know that when they knock on your door, you can handle the matter they present to you. Sure, you were trained to go and do the research for the matter. You can also talk to experienced lawyers and obtain advice about your case. But something inside of you initially wants to hold back when you consider the fact that the clients are real people with real situations that they're leaving in your hands. What are your thoughts on this?
Here's what I would suggest - get out there and learn what you're doing so you're comfortable helping people. I don't have any idea what kind of law you want to practice, but I can guarantee you this, there are a ton of resources out there to help you. Use them. And then go watch other people put them into practice, and put them into practice yourself.
For example, when I started my firm it was in a new state where I'd never practiced. I had a basic understanding of how everything worked but wasn't familiar with the nuances. I did two things the first week I moved to my new place - I went out and got all the practice advisories and materials in my practice area that I could get my hands on, and I started going to court and just watching what was going on.
No one likes to say this, but lawyering, for the most part, isn't rocket science. It's putting in the work to understand your client's facts and how they apply to the law. If you are committed to doing that with each of your clients, you can be confident that you can represent them. If they ask about your experience be honest, and don't forget to tell them what you've been doing to make up for that lack of experience.
The bottom line is that not everyone can afford my services (or I haven't convinced them of the value of my services). And, while it makes me feel special to be busy and working, I'd rather put my free time into marketing my practice than working.
The hardest thing to come to grips with when you are new to starting a law firm is the true value of your services. You've got a knowledge base that not many others have, and when you apply that base with your effort for each client, that equates to a lot of value. Remember that when people try to talk you off of your fee.
And one last thing on people that can't afford you. Part of your sales pitch should be informing them of ways they can pay you. Do they have credit cards? Do they have friends and/or relatives they could borrow from? Do they have a piece of property they'd like to put up as collateral? The thing I always point out is if they want to hire you, if they are interested in what you have to offer, then there's always a way to find the money. Probably sounds a little cold-hearted but it's true.
What do You do When People Can't Afford You?
#2 - The second problem that I've run into is the fact that there are lots of clients out there that need help; however, they cannot afford to pay me or anyone else for that matter. So far, I've assisted one client for free in their criminal appeal. It was a long process, but it provided great experience for me. I also assisted another client who paid me to represent them at an arraignment hearing. I've been involved with the city's volunteer attorney program, which assists clients in various civil matters. The volunteer attorneys typically volunteer their services for the day.I wish them luck and send them on their way or to an attorney that I think they can afford.
All of these opportunities have provided tremendous experience for me. But I still have to live. My firm will not survive on pro bono work.
I realize that sharing my contact information with the clients can be a means of marketing myself, because they can in turn recommend me to other people who may be in need and can actually pay.
"What is Your Advice Regarding law Firm Marketing to a Low Income Population?"
I don't.If you live in New York where it's so expensive and you have to make a lot of money to live and all that stuff, then there should be a lot of people out there that can afford your services. Market to them.
I market my services to people that can pay for me. And you should too.
If, however you are hell bent on helping the underprivileged, then here's what I would do (and God bless you for wanting to do that). First, your firm needs to run like a well oiled machine. Whatever you are doing, there needs to be a specific process that happens for each case, every time. And the reason for this is you are going to have to be a volume firm - more case equals more money. To give people the value you are going to promise, you need to have the operation streamlined.
Second, you need to specifically spell out (and then stick to) the scope of work you will be doing. If it is a litigation matter and they want you to write a letter, charge a fee for that. If they want you to negotiate up to the time of filing, charge a fee for that. You get what I'm saying. If you don't do this then you'll start to get some scope creep and find yourself very busy and very poor.
Third, and finally, you're going to have to have the balls to stick to what you say. You aren't going to be able to help everyone. Some people might just not have any money. Unless you know going into a case you're doing it for free, don't expect to get paid later. It's just going to leave you pissed off and resentful.
Anyone have any thoughts about these questions? Any experiences? Let's hear them!
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