Future Planning For Sole Legal Practitioners
How Reflection & Scenario Planning Can Help Solo Lawyers Stay Proactive, Adaptive And Ahead
As a professional small law firm coach I am a great believer in setting aside time to reflect on the future for sole legal practitioners.
I also like to keep future planning simple.
Once a week, I sit quietly in a café with my day book and think bigger picture.
This is my hour to reconnect with what’s working, what’s not, and where I want to go - both personally and professionally.
I check in on what needs my focus this week.
I note what I want to keep building this month.
I revisit the bigger things that matter this quarter.
That’s it.
It may surprise some, but I believe less is more when it comes to planning.
For me, a few focused months can achieve much more than a few frantic days.
The above routine keeps me grounded, honest, and strategic.
My suggestion to you?
Find the version of my routine that works for you - because sitting aimless in a rut every day alone as a solo lawyer is not a plan for the future.
You need to make future focused planning a part of your sole practitioner life.
Thinking In Short Term Horizons
As far as I’m concerned though, apart from the regular what is coming in the next few weeks or month type of reflection, I keep my longer-term futures planning for my solo law firm to 1, 3, and 5 years ahead.
Beyond that, too much is uncertain for it to be really useful.
Instead, I try envisage a variety of different scenarios into the future and then how things might pan out in different ways so I prepare myself to adapt accordingly.
Sounds simple, well it’s meant to be.
Tech, Tech And More Tech At The Core
The reality of my future focus nowadays as sole practitioner is largely shaped by the impact of technology, more tech, and then even more tech.
I place less emphasis on the more routine things I do, and more on the areas of greater complexity.
Tech is the main reason for this.
For me, it’s all about looking at patterns, signals, and trends that provide learning and experimenting opportunities for me, in my work.
These allow me to experiment, innovate, and adapt how I’m working.
And then I just repeat the process.
At the moment, I have a strong focus on AI - front and centre. Its impact and non-impact on my work as a solo solicitor.
My overall aim is to stay proactive in solving problems, not just reacting to them.
Procrastination and inaction are no longer options.
I look to move forward, experiment, and adapt because that’s how progress is made.
For me as a sole practitioner the future is about thinking ahead, reflecting soundly, considering the options and not standing still.
Paul Ippolito, Principal of Ippolito Advisory, is a coach for lawyers helping sole practitioners set up, launch, and grow their practices. He is available for media enquiries, speaking and consulting. You can contact him here.
