Helping Solo Lawyers Make Time To Reflect & Strategise For The Future
Why Regular Reflection Is Essential For Lawyers Who Practise On Their Own
In the ever-evolving world of legal practice, change is the only constant.
Solo lawyers are no exception.
Yet paradoxically, solo practitioners are often their own worst enemies when it comes to embracing change. The legal world is shifting beneath our feet driven by AI and rapidly evolving client expectations and both directly impact solo practice.
In the face of this, it is not enough to merely maintain the status quo.
Solo lawyers must anticipate, experiment, adapt, pivot, and most importantly take regular time to stop and reflect on where things are going.
Reflection As A Legal Super Power
Reflection is a powerful tool for growth. It allows us to step back from the daily grind, assess strengths and weaknesses, and gain a deeper understanding of the world around us.
For me, as a practising solo lawyer, this means setting aside quiet time weekly to reflect on changes in the legal industry, understand their implications, and strategise on how best to adapt.
The challenge, of course, is making the time.
But reflection shouldn’t be sporadic - just 30 minutes a week (every week however) is enough.
It’s in those quiet moments, maybe over a coffee somewhere nice, that true reflection happens.
This is the time to re-group and re-calibrate, and check how your career and practice are really going.
Small Steps, Big Changes
After reflection comes action. But it doesn’t need to be drastic.
Small, incremental steps, repeated consistently, often lead to the most significant changes.
Experiment with a new idea. Adopt an innovative technology. Refine your client intake to make it easier for both client and lawyer. Pursue learning in a niche area that excites you.
The key is to start small, test, measure, adapt, and repeat.
Self-improvement shouldn’t feel arduous - it should feel energising and even enjoyable.
Paul Ippolito - Lawyer Coach For Solo Lawyers
Creating Your Future Practice
The future of lawyering isn’t something that happens to us - it’s something we create.
Each lawyer should actively shape their own solo career.
The future isn’t a destination, but a journey - one that is unique to every one of us. It requires initiative, reflection, and adaptability.
Taking someone else’s prescription of the future may seem tempting, but the one you craft yourself is the one with the best chance of being realised.
My future of lawyering as a sole practitioner will inevitably be different to yours, and so it should be.
Shape Your Own Path
By setting aside regular time for reflection and embracing incremental change, solo lawyers can lead in shaping their own future of practice.
So make the time. Reflect. Take the small steps. Build your own future in law.
Because at the end of the day - as I said before - who is better equipped to create the future of your solo law practice than you?
Ready To Begin?
Need help getting started?
The future of law isn’t waiting. Why should you?
Reach out to me Paul Ippolito now for a free initial 15 minute consultation to help you shape your reflection and future thinking practices better as a solo lawyer.
Paul Ippolito is Principal of Ippolito Advisory. Paul is available for media enquiries, speaking and consulting. You can contact him here.
