Legal Niche Guide For Solo Lawyers
A practical guide with a framework to build a niche even whilst you practise in existing areas of law and don’t have a lot of time
Solo legal practice is changing.
The main reason is artificial intelligence.
General practice alone is becoming harder to sustain in the way it was practised years ago.
Routine legal work is increasingly automated.
Clients are better informed than ever, as AI and legal technology quietly reshape where value sits in a solo law practice.
In this environment, being known for something specific matters more than it ever has before.
This paid guide shows solo lawyers how to build a legal niche deliberately and from scratch, using what they already know, do, and practise every day.
Paul Ippolito is based in Sydney and works with solo lawyers across Australia and internationally on niche and practice strategy.
Price
$99 AUD
Why Niching Matters For Solo Lawyers Now
For decades, the general mixed-practice model worked well for solo lawyers.
Today, that model is under pressure.
High-volume, routine work, once the backbone of many solo practices is being eroded by technology in general, AI-driven legal platforms, and increasing legal consumer self-service, often before a client ever speaks to a lawyer.
At the same time, competition between lawyers based on practice area, price, and geography has intensified.
Being “another generalist” is no longer a strong point of difference.
A legal niche is not about branding or marketing hype.
It is a strategic response to these structural changes.
This guide explains why niching works, when it works, and how to do it properly as a solo lawyer.
Here’s What You Will Learn
Inside the guide, you’ll learn:
How to identify niche opportunities already inside your current practice
Why you don’t need to quit your existing practice areas to build a niche
How to test and validate a niche before committing to it
The daily habits that build real niche expertise over time
How to become visible and known for your niche (without being salesy)
How niching can protect solo lawyers from AI-driven disruption
Written specifically for solicitors, barristers, and independent consultant lawyers.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide is designed for solo lawyers who:
Want to stop competing as “just another generalist”
Feel uneasy about the future of routine legal work
Want to attract better work, not just more work
Want a clear strategy to stand out in a crowded legal market
Want to future-proof their solo law practice
Niching takes time.
This guide shows you where to focus.
If you are serious about building a sustainable, differentiated, and resilient niche practice - something you are genuinely known for - then this guide is for you.
If You Don’t Know Me Yet
This guide is written by me Paul Ippolito, and is based on my lived experience running a solo legal practice, niching several times myself - both inside and outside of law and advising solo lawyers on how to do the same.
I am still a practising lawyer, principal of a solo law firm, a legal educator, and an adviser who has built, run, and advised solo law practices for many years.
This guide reflects what has actually worked for me repeatedly, in real practice.
Price
$99 AUD
Not Sure If You’re Ready To Niche Yet?
If you’re unsure whether niching is the right move for your practice right now, start here:
Take The “Are You Ready to Niche?” Self-Assessment
It takes about 3 minutes and helps you understand:
how exposed your practice may be,
whether niching is urgent for you, and
what your next step should be.
Take a look also at our Legal Niching Action Checklist, a standalone, practical tool that shows you exactly what to do - step by step.
Next Steps
Niching is a strategic decision with important consequences.
A private strategy session is designed to work through that properly.
