10 Step Guide to Starting a Law Firm [Updated for 2021]

Starting a law firm

Starting a law firm of any size is no easy feat, but it can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. Ensuring you’re organised and have the correct systems and processes in place from the start will be key to your firm’s long term success. LEAP’s cloud-based solution gives start-up law firms of all sizes everything they need to run a successful law firm from anywhere, at any time. From 1-100 users, LEAP gives you the tools you need to run matters from start to finish, foster client relationships and ensure you get paid on time.

Download the 10 Step Guide to Starting a Law Firm

Complete with practical guidance and helpful checklists, this 10 step guide covers the essential steps for starting a law firm. Whether you’re opening a law firm as a sole practitioner or fully staffed, this guide will help you answer the all-important question, ‘how do I start a law firm?’

Compliance – your obligations as a practitioner, professional indemnity insurance and handling trust money.
Practice areas – how to choose what services your firm will provide.
Firm structure – selecting the right structure for your law firm.
Billing – how to implement the most suitable billing cycle for your firm.
Location – how to set up a law firm from home, on the go or in an office.
Firm name – choosing a name for your firm that will make it easy for potential clients to find you.
Attracting clients – market your firm and deliver exceptional client service.
Software – selecting the right software for your law firm; from practice management to accounting and customer relationship management (CRM).
Finance – financial considerations and ways to fund your new law firm.

Step 4: Choose your billing structure

Is it fixed fee, time-based billing or both? Your area of practice will generally dictate your costing model. To avoid future difficulties, implement a billing cycle now. Bill your clients regularly using clearly itemised invoices presented in plain English. Avoid waiting until the very end of a matter to send an invoice. Smaller amounts sent monthly will be received more positively than...

Step 7: Attracting clients

When you start your own law firm, you are no longer just a lawyer, but a business owner too. This means you’ll also need to consider your marketing approach and how to best attract clients. Before you can devise an effective marketing plan, you need to know who your clients are. Here are some ways that you can drive new business: utilised video marketing to produce short information videos for LinkedIn, connect with local business owners on Linkedin and...