Re: Taking "The Plunge"

More | Report Post

Puts a whole new meaning to the
phrase, i been "stiffed"

On 10/25/06, Carol wrote:
> On 10/24/06, Martin wrote:
>> Won't they be dead?
>>
> Ok, should have said the spouse or
family will come back.
>
>
> On 10/24/06, Carol wrote:
>>> On 10/24/06, kris wrote:
>>>> Carol,
>>>>
>>>> Just wanted to let you know
that you, JF and some of the other
*positive*
>>>> posters in this board are a
real inspiration. I'm planning to
go solo in
>>>> January - I have my office &
phone number and little else. My
main goal at
>>>> first is to just meet operating
expenses - luckily, DH has a good
job and we
>>>> don't have to have my income to
pay the bills.
>>>>
>>>> How long did it take you and
the other solos who actually
practice law to
>>> turn
>>>> a profit (i.e., earn a buck).
I love the advice about joining local
>>>> organizations, chamber, etc.
Could you let me know a little more
about the
>>>> "will party" you posted
earlier? I've often thought this
would be a neat
>>>> idea, but was unsure how to
actually go about it w/o being
tacky.
>>>>
>>>> My plan is to practice
bankruptcy/estate planning/probate.
Anyone have
>>> advice
>>>> for a newbie, especially in
these areas (please - no get out of
law advice!)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Kris
>>>>
>>> As far as turning a profit, most
people I know who went solo operated
in the
>>> red the first year, yours truly
included. When you figure that it
takes
>>> months to settle even a simple
PI and a year to collect on probate
attorney
>>> fees you have to do something
else to bring in the money in the
meantime. If
>>> you're very unlucky you may not
make anything for a couple of years,
and may
>>> even lose money. But I also
know a couple of attorneys who hit
the ground
>>> running and did great right
off. But they had background that
helped them
>>> specialize in a certain area and
were able to cultivate that. As for
the will
>>> party, that was my sister's
idea. right after I passed the bar
we were
>>> sitting around a friend's deck
one night and she noted that she and
her
>>> husband had never made a will.
several of the neighbors were there
and stated
>>> an interest but just didn't want
to take the time out of work, ect.
to set up
>>> an appointment with an attorney,
and didn't they need to have all of
this
>>> information together first,
etc. As I was explaining that it
can be very
>>> simple, she suggested that maybe
we could just all get together one
evening
>>> and make some out. It kind of
took off from there. You have to be
careful
>>> about soliciting business, some
states really frown on that. But
she put the
>>> word out to any of our friends
that we were going to have a "will
party" and
>>> maybe even a living wake after
for all of us who were interested.
I brought
>>> my laptop to not take any
chances on confidentiality, everyone
brought snacks
>>> and drinks and the rule was no
drinks till after the wills were
signed. with
>>> a simple will template it was
very easy to just put in the names
etc. Then
>>> unrelated parties witnessed
them. Two copies and if they wanted
I'd keep a
>>> copy at the office. After that,
party! I have also gone to clients
houses to
>>> do wills and powers of
attorney. I disagree that there no
money in probate
>>> unless you're well connected, I
don't remember who said that but
it's not
>>> true. You get a farmer with a
couple of hundred acres and you're
got quite a
>>> nice little attorney fee there.
estate planning is good, the probate
will
>>> follow since families will
almost automatically go the attorney
who did the
>>> estate planning or made the
will. We don't charge much for a
simple will for
>>> more than one reason, the first
is that it's so easy it hardly takes
any time
>>> and I won't gouge people just
because I could. The second is that
it creates
>>> good will and they'll come back
with the estate.