Trial Magazine

I’ve worked as a sole practitioner, at a small firm, and am now a partner at a midsize firm. Time gives a person experience and perspective, but no matter where you are in your career, running a law firm will always present unique challenges—starting with the fact that most of us learned little, if anything, in law school about running a business.

Law schools want their graduates to pass the bar exam. Showing students how to set up a client trust account and devise a business plan is much farther down the list, if on the list at all.

In this month’s issue of Trial, read about how to better run a small firm—essential office technology (p. 18); optimizing marketing through Google Ads (p. 28); discovery on a budget (p. 42); tips for streamlining your practice and case management (p. 50); and advice on starting a new law practice from colleagues who have been there (p. 34).

Fellow AAJ members are also a wonderful resource for advice and support. Connect with other trial lawyers through AAJ’s Sections and Litigation Groups and their list servers (www.justice.org/sections; www.justice.org/litgroups). You may find an opportunity to return the favor and create a new networking or mentoring relationship.

All of AAJ’s Sections have document libraries, including the Sole Practitioner and Small Firm Section. This Section focuses on how to best market your practice, handle referrals, and gain visibility; how to hire employees and navigate employee benefits; and general law firm management. AAJ’s Litigation Packet, Running a Small Firm: Management From Start-up to Trial, consists of more than 1,400 pages and covers everything from accounting and creating a business plan to marketing and data security.

Every efficiency matters in business and ensures that you can devote your time to doing the best for your clients. Metairie, La., attorney Maria Glorioso, the current chair of the Sole Practitioner and Small Firm Section, says her biggest concerns are time management and reducing overhead. She is mindful of streamlining and realized she doesn’t need a full-time bookkeeper, court runner, or file clerk. For her, being a member of the Section has kept her up-to-date on the latest ways that AAJ members “are lowering overhead and getting things done more efficiently, which in turn leads to timely resolution of cases.”

While it may feel like we need to do everything by ourselves, we really don’t. We need to understand enough about the best practices of starting and running a business, but outsourcing can be the key to running a firm efficiently. If you are interested in outsourcing, many of the businesses that advertise in Trial and sponsor and exhibit at AAJ events provide solutions for marketing, case management, client intake, information technology, expert witness services, and litigation support. For a list of some of the companies that exhibited at AAJ’s Winter Convention last month, visit www.justicewinterconvention.org.

We belong to a community where taking the time to help each other makes us better lawyers. By sharing knowledge and information, we enhance our advocacy for our clients. There may be something that makes a difference for you, and perhaps this issue of Trial will be the catalyst for a new idea or approach. Whether you are just starting out on your own or looking for ways to improve how your firm operates, I encourage you to take advantage of all the resources that AAJ and its members have to offer.

Elise R. Sanguinetti is a partner at Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos in Oakland, Calif. She can be reached at elise.sanguinetti@justice.org.