When you start marketing yourself as a solo, the most important thing you should be able to do is state how much it will cost for you to do a specific act. Clients want to know your fees upfront. Do not beat around the bush or give a lame excuse of having to meet with the person before you can quote a price. Because the moment you do this, the client will just call another attorney and ask them for a quote.

You should also think about providing payment plans for your clients, especially in this economic climate. For example, I recently had a client email me to see how much it would cost to handle their case. They were worried that they could not afford my services. I gave them the option of paying an hourly rate or a flat fee. In addition, I gave them the option of low monthly payments with upfront down payments at varying percentages. They admitted that they had called other firms for quotes and that I was the only attorney that had given them a quote without forcing them to make an appointment. As a result of my flexibility, this client has referred six more similar cases to me. Now, imagine if I hadn’t given him a quote after our initial consultation. I would have lost seven clients.

One of the most important items that you will need to purchase for your solo is case management software (CMS). Not only will it keep you organized, but it will help to lessen the risk of malpractice claims. There are many CMS companies to choose from. Be sure that the CMS service you select has all of the following key features for the price that you’re paying.

• A centralized database of all your cases
• Creation of To-do Lists
• Conflicts of Interest checking
• Statute of Limitations checking
• Input of hourly, contingent, and transactional billable time records
• Communication logs with ability to store details of phone calls, emails, etc.
• Call-back reminders
• Schedule deadlines, appointments, and meetings by day, week, month, or year
• Generate invoices

Amicus Attorney 2009 Small Firm Edition combines all of these basic features. You can request a free trial of their products to determine if it will suit your needs. Amicus will send you a CD by mail, which will allow you to test drive the service for 30 days. You will also have access to free technical support during your trial period.

Once you’ve decided to become a solo, your biggest challenge will be getting clients. It may seem like an easy task, but trust me when I say it is not. It may seem impossible to get more than a handful of clients at first (especially if you don’t have a large budget for massive advertising campaigns). I found a great, practical resource that will help you to overcome this initial obstacle. Check out How To Get and Keep Good Clients by Jay G. Foonberg. It will definitely help you to grow your practice and avoid common mistakes.