How to Start a Law Firm | Highrise Review

If you haven't started your law firm yet, I'll let you in on a little secret. The hard part isn't getting started, the hard part is managing the firm when you start to get really busy. And, I'll be honest with you, if you do the stuff that I've been talking about here, particularly with respect to law firm internet marketing, you will be busy.

See, when you start to get busy, then you have to be organized. You have to have a system in place to make sure you don't forget anything. And, trust me, you'll forget something a few times before you really get serious about putting a system in place (I know from personal experience).

For me, part of that system is managing my case load, managing my contacts, and managing what happens every day with my clients. I was looking for a place where I could store all of my information in an online "case" file and have it accessible to me (and eventually my staff) anywhere I was. And, I wanted a way to be able to look at a case at any time and immediately know what was happening, what had happened in the past, and what was next.

The firm I rent space has something like that set up. I can't remember what it's called, but I know it is extremely expensive. I wanted something like that, but something that didn't require a network, or IT people, or any big learning curve (remember, starting a law firm is your chance to streamline whatever you want to do). And then I found Highrise, which is set up to do all of the things I've said.

I only signed up for Highrise last week, but I can already sense that it's something I'm going to use for a long time. First, it's really easy to use. Second, it can do all of the things I need it to do (see above for a rundown). And third, it's set up in a way that I can add users as I add staff to only a minimal increase in expenses (I think for up to 15 people it's only $50/month).

One of the coolest things about Highrise is that you can set it up so that people can leave notes on a particular case, and everyone can see them. You can also attach documents, create tasks, and calendar important dates. It's a great way to create an electronic "case file" that anyone can then use.

The important part for me now, and for you, is to come up with a system to handle every file and every case so that everything is done the same - efficiently, effectively, and so when you hire someone new they can learn the system. And to do this, you need to write everything down, step by step.

I know, I know, it sucks. And it takes a lot of time. And it takes a little tweaking every now and then. But trust me, when you start to get busy, you are going to wish you had something set up to manage the information you are receiving on a daily basis, to manage the cases you have going, and to set up new ones.

If you have some time, take a look at Highrise. If you're starting a law firm you don't have to necessarily go there first, but it's definitely a great tool to check out.

Starting a Law Firm | Are There Too Many Law Students?

I read a lot of blogs. I read about business, I read about marketing, I read about criminal defense, and I read about starting a law firm (yes, there others out there!!). I was going through my reader today when I stumbled onto a post that cited an article discussing the number of law school graduates compared to the number of jobs. It got me thinking about your chances of success out there.

These are the numbers, in a nutshell. 30,000 expected open jobs a year, and 45,000 graduates. Makes it look like we are about 33% overboard when it comes to churning out law school graduates (if my math is wrong, sorry - the point is there's a big difference). This means that right now when you enter law school there is a 1 in 3 chance that there won't be a job out there for you. And, with the shift in business model that is sure to happen, those numbers could become even higher.

And there's a catch 22 for all the law schools out there. They know a lot of the new students coming in aren't going to be able to find a job, but they also know those students' loan checks are just as good as the students at the top of the class. The problem I see with it is the lack of full disclosure to entering law students concerning the harsh reality they may face when the graduate.

I know because I was there recently enough to remember. I graduated from law school in 2005 from the University of Kansas. At that time there were a lot of on campus interviews going on. About the top 30 of our class (of 250) had jobs lined up paying a ton of money (I almost said great jobs but then remembered what the jobs actually entailed - great paying, yes, great job, no). The rest of us were slugging it out trying to find anything we could. I think that remains the case today.

I don't think very many people come here that are entering law school, though if you are curious as to how to start a law firm going in you might, but just in case, I thought I'd let you know the truth about law school. There are opportunities out there. You can be great even if you aren't in the top 25 of the class. But it's tough. And nobody's going to give you anything. You have to earn it.

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