Going Solo? Kim's Weekly Blog Pick - Susan Cartier Liebel

As Big Law firms reel from the economic downturn, lawyers across the country are deciding to fly solo.

I made the break from Big Law more than 10 years ago, and lawyers often approach me asking how to do it.

With the right amount of guts, determination, and moxy (is that the same thing as guts?), many attorneys have found that they can live their dream by working on their own.

I have often referred these seekers to Susan Cartier Liebel's Build a Solo Practice blog. There, she provides invaluable practical tips for solo practitioners, and I particularly enjoy the forum she has provided for experienced attorneys to share their journeys. You'll see guest columns including "Passed the Bar: Hung a Shingle," "Going Solo, Confessions and Inspirations," and "Living Proof Home Office Lawyering Works."

With a strong background in advertising and marketing, Susan opened her own law practice in 2001. She also taught law students how to open their own practices at Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut.

Susan's most recent venture is Solo Practice University, a web-based educational community that Susan says "picks up where your law school education left off."

She is creating a collaboration between lawyers across the country who will teach web based courses, including "How to Effectively Use Virtual Assistants," "Staying at Home and Staying in the Law," and substantive topics such as bankruptcy law and litigation. She has created the Solo Practice University E-Zine, a free newsletter for "law students, new lawyers, and Big Law Defectors."

If you're contemplating flying solo, you should definitely check out Susan Cartier Liebel's blog!

Art Credit: Guido Daniele, awe-inspiring Italian multimedia artist and body painter.

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