You might think that opening a new law practice during a pandemic is a bad idea. But for many lawyers, it is the best idea. For lawyers who have just passed the bar and always dreamed of opening their practices, it is time. For lawyers who have left employment or were laid off because the firm wasn’t prepared for the new reality.

Today is the OBA’s Opening a Law Practice program. This year it is taking place via videoconferencing. But OBA Practice Management Advisor Julie Bays and I have a lot of useful information to share with this group of mainly brand-new lawyers.

Our Opening Your Law Practice resource page has downloadable papers, checklists and a sample business plan, available to anyone with an interest.

But I also want to direct those with an interest to the My Shingle blog. Its proprietor, Carolyn Elefant, opened her law practice in 1993. But she wasn’t content with just building a law practice as a solo. She has donated countless hours to being a coach, a mentor and a cheerleader for solo and small firm lawyers and those seeking to build their own law practices. Her blog’s Start Your Law Firm page has numerous free tools from audio recordings to worksheets to sample procedures. Carolyn and I have known each other for years. She has received much well-deserved attention. But hopefully today, a few new Oklahoma lawyers learn about Carolyn Elefant’s free advice and guidance.

(Editor’s note: Yes, I forgot to post this here yesterday. But I did teach a class all day.)