Carolyn Elefant's Solo by Choice

In her new book, Solo by Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be, Carolyn Elefant of the MyShingle weblog writes that technological advances have made it easier and cheaper to open a law office than ever before. At the same time, the old biases against solos are falling away. Says Elefant, "In an entrepreneurial age, starting your own law firm is now appreciated for what it is--an act of entrepreneurialism with an enormous potential for success."

How does one go from law school or a big-firm job to a career as a solo? Elefant's book provides a blueprint. You'll find out how to reach a decision about whether a solo career is right for you, how to plan for the change, and how to grow and market your new practice. One of the book's principle strengths is that it draws on personal anecdotes and insights from scores of real-life solos. There are checklists throughout the book and a number of helpful appendixes with tips for buying equipment, setting up a "paperless office," performing on-line research inexpensively, and creating a sample forms library.

Elefant's book is recommended not only for lawyers thinking about a solo career, but also for those who've already taken the leap, who can read it both for inspiration and new ideas. For other thoughts about the book, see the weblog posts at The Inspired Solo, Build a Solo Practice, LLC, and Simple Justice.