Once an attorney realizes that she wants to open her own practice, she must consider not only the glamorous concepts associated with being a successful attorney, but also the realistic concepts of hard work, long days, and unexpected tribulations that line the path to success. An attorney who sets out to accomplish such a task is not just an attorney—he or she is also an entrepreneur, as well as marketing director, an accountant, and possibly even a secretary. Wearing so many hats may seem overwhelming at first, but by focusing on the main areas of law practice management—managerial/organizational, marketing and financial—even a new attorney can create her own business.
While one does not necessarily need to be an “entrepreneur by birth,” it is certainly helpful to possess a burning desire to propel one’s own career forward. If an up-and-coming attorney/entrepreneur expects to be home with dinner on the table by 5 p.m. each evening in the first year of practice, then he is sorely mistaken. In addition to the areas of practice management, the attorney/entrepreneur still needs to work on client files and consider the billable hour (or, how most attorneys get paid).
