how to make money as a new attorney

by Prof. Catharine Koss III 4 min read

Here are eight ways to start doing that.
  1. Stop wasting time with the wrong clients. ...
  2. Spend time getting better clients. ...
  3. Work smarter, not longer. ...
  4. Spend less money. ...
  5. Improve your client intake process. ...
  6. Accept credit card payments to get paid faster. ...
  7. Hire staff or use cost-effective services. ...
  8. Use technology to streamline your day.
Nov 10, 2021

Can you become a millionaire as a lawyer?

For some though, it's the opportunity to earn a lot of money. Lawyers and attorneys often earn substantially over the average salary in the country they practice and while for many this will simply lead to a very comfortable upper-middle life, for some who make it to the elite sphere of law, it can lead to vast wealth.

How can a lawyer make 7 figures?

4 Keys to Achieving a 7-Figure IncomeRun your law firm like a business. You studied the law as a noble profession, but to break the seven-figure barrier, you must run your law firm like a business. ... Focus on a niche. ... Identify your ideal target market. ... Pay attention to your firm's finances.

What type of lawyer can make the most money?

Types Of Lawyers That Make The Most MoneyMedical Lawyers – Average $138,431. Medical lawyers make one of the highest median wages in the legal field. ... Intellectual Property Attorneys – Average $128,913. ... Trial Attorneys – Average $97,158. ... Tax Attorneys – Average $101,204. ... Corporate Lawyers – $116,361.Dec 18, 2020

How can a lawyer make a lot of money?

Here are eight ways to start doing that.Stop wasting time with the wrong clients. ... Spend time getting better clients. ... Work smarter, not longer. ... Spend less money. ... Improve your client intake process. ... Accept credit card payments to get paid faster. ... Hire staff or use cost-effective services. ... Use technology to streamline your day.Nov 10, 2021

What do you call the owner of a law firm?

Partners: The owners of a law firm are traditionally referred to as “partners,” though sometimes they are referred to as “shareholders” or members.” They have an ownership interest in the firm and are typically the most experienced lawyers who command the highest billable rate.Jul 29, 2019

Are law degrees worth it?

The highest 10% of lawyers earned median annual earnings of more than $208,000 in 2019. Some law school graduates forgo serving as a lawyer in order to have more work-life balance. There are many jobs you can do with a law degree and legal-related roles where having a J.D. may be an asset.

Do lawyers make good money?

Do lawyers actually make good money? A: Law careers have always been some of the most lucrative in the United States. Depending on their location and specialty, lawyers can make as much as $200,000+ a year, which is considerably more than people make in most other professions.Sep 21, 2021

What type of lawyer makes the least money?

In general, private sector lawyers make more money than public sector lawyers, and sole practitioners earn less money than lawyers at large firms. Geography will impact salary, with lawyers in bigger cities bringing home more than lawyers in rural areas.

How can I make money as a lawyer?

To make more money as a lawyer, you need to change the way you think. Here are eight ways to start doing that. 1. Stop wasting time with the wrong clients . You already know who this client is.

How long does it take for a lawyer to get paid?

Unfortunately, lawyers wait three months on average to get paid—and that’s on top of the two months that many lawyers wait before actually sending out a bill to clients. Also, according to the Legal Trends Report, lawyers only actually collect on about 86% of what they bill, leaving 14% of invoiced amounts on the table.

What are some good apps for lawyers?

Some apps, such as Box, Evernote, or Skype, are useful for any small business, but there are lots of lawyer-specific apps as well. For example, AgileLaw lets you run paperless depositions.

Is it hard to cut clients?

It’s hard to cut the clients that only have a slim chance of paying, especially when they’re desperate for help and you’ve already invested time and emotion in the case.

Offer Personal Coaching Services

One of the best ways to leverage your legal expertise for additional income is by offering coaching services to new attorneys. Pick a specific area of practice to zero in on and focus solely on that to start. For instance, you could teach young up-and-comers trial techniques or show law firms how to better manage their offices.

Sell a Niche Legal Course

Another great way to monetize your know-how is by creating a course that runs more or less on autopilot. For instance, you could create an online class entitled “Confidence in the Courtroom” or the “The Business Side of Law” and offer it via a platform such as Udemy, Educadium or OpenSesame for maximum exposure.

Develop a Helpful App for Lawyers

Producing a mobile app targeted at legal professionals can be surprisingly profitable if you know how to market it. A top-selling app on iTunes or Google Play can potentially net millions. You can hire a developer on Elance or Upwork at an affordable rate if you don’t have any existing programming skills.

Publish Legal E-Books Online

The great thing about writing e-books is that they can pay off for a long time after you’re done putting in the effort. Publishing e-books is easier than ever thanks to platforms like Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. To really maximize your profits, create an audiobook version of your text for iTunes.

Conduct Test Prep Courses

Studying for the bar exam in any state is often the most stressful part of any would-be litigator’s career. If you have a knack for teaching, you could always become a test prep coach for law students. Sites like Barbri connect knowledgeable coaches with hungry law students and allow attorneys to rake in the cash.

Teach as an Adjunct Professor

A great attorney can seriously boost his or her earnings by taking a position as a professor at a law school. While this particular path requires a lot of effort to see through to the end, good law professors can potentially double their annual incomes by teaching just a few classes per week.

Create a Popular Podcast

Nowadays, podcasting is serious business and podcasters with die-hard followings can benefit via advertisements and endorsements. Starting a podcast is easy since all you need is a mic, a laptop and a little opensource editing software. Though it may take some time to build a passionate audience, podcasts are simple to monetize.

These stakeholders argue that without this radical change, the financial situation of lawyers will continue to get worse

The situation of the decreasing earning opportunities for lawyers is worse among young lawyers who are just joining the profession.

Offer and Sell Your Services Online

While every other profession is trying to cash in on the gig economy, the legal profession is still stuck in its medieval practices.

Blog

Unfortunately, most experienced lawyers who are knowledgeable on many subjects do not make any attempt to pass them on and make some money.

Write and Sell e-books

Some lawyers who have great ideas and who want to write a book are usually discouraged by many factors. One of which is how to get an agent and publisher who will publish their book.

Write Freelance Articles

There is a huge market out there for freelance article writing. A single article can fetch you many times over what you earn in a month.

Some advice that many attorneys sorely need

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when I curse and gnash my teeth at the self-employment tax. Remember in the 90s when there was a lot of talk about granting the president a line-item veto? I think each taxpayer should have the ability to cross out one line of their tax return.

Three Traits That Make For An Unrivaled Attorney

There are three traits that every attorney needs to be successful – to take on a new legal task feeling unrivaled.

What do you want to do as a lawyer?

As a lawyer you want to continue with the practice of law as opposed to switching careers. You do not expect the commercial environment for legal services to change considerably for the better in the near future. You want to earn as much as possible while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Is legal bill more voluntary or negotiable?

This, in turn, is making legal bills more and morevoluntary” or better said, negotiable. In fact, consultants have sprung up whose job it is to evaluate and push down legal bills.

Why do firms need counsel?

A firm may need an of counsel attorney to handle overflow cases or to consult on cases that are not in their regular practice area. Basically, you have an ongoing relationship with a particular firm.

Do lawyers pay to write motions?

Some lawyers are willing to pay others to write legal briefs and motions. If this is something you are good at, it can be a great way to make extra cash.

Can I monetize my podcast?

If your podcast becomes popular enough, you’ll be able to monetize it with ads and sponsorships. Like blogging, it won’t necessarily bring in cash right away, but if it’s something you enjoy doing anyway it’s possible to bring in a little extra income. BuzzSprout has a very detailed guide on how to get started.

How to change your lawyer?

Here is what you need to know if you want to change your lawyer: 1 If you are not happy with your lawyer for whatever reason, you can terminate his or her services without notice. 2 You do not have to pay your new lawyer another fee. All lawyers who work on your case, if they are entitled to a fee, will share one fee between them. For example, if your case settled for $9,000.00 and there were no expenses and there is a one-third fee all attorneys will come to an understanding (or a court will decide) how much each lawyer will get. 3 You do not have to fire your lawyer. You never have to talk to him or her again. Your new lawyer will send your old lawyer a letter and they will (hopefully) work it out. 4 There should not be any delay with your case when you change lawyers. If both lawyers are civil and handle this properly, your old lawyer should sent the file to the new lawyer.

Can I change my lawyer without notice?

Here is what you need to know if you want to change your lawyer: If you are not happy with your lawyer for whatever reason, you can terminate his or her services without notice. You do not have to pay your new lawyer another fee. All lawyers who work on your case, if they are entitled to a fee, will share one fee between them.

image