Lawyers in a solo or small firm law practice often find themselves intimidated by the business aspects of managing their own firm. Marketing in particular is troubling to attorneys, who have been trained to tread cautiously inside the ethical boundaries that prohibit solicitation. Yet in New York City, simply hanging out a shingle will not bring new clients into the office. In this metropolis with 75,000 attorneys, a lawyer’s shingle often comprises simply one of hundreds of names listed in the lobby directory of a midtown high-rise office building. Focused, proactive marketing is essential to the success of the small law practice.
Distinguishing a small firm in the very crowded New York legal community is, undoubtedly, a challenge.[FOOTNOTE 1] The successful ones often focus as much attention on business development as they do on servicing their clients’ needs. Marketing the small law practice is about demonstrating to an identifiable target market why this firm is the right fit to handle prospective clients’ legal needs.
