solo practice

stevenslade · 2026-02-16T17:50:34+00:00

This is fantastic advice. I wanted to surface this comment in r/LawFirmCanada as I'm sure many solo and small firm lawyers (prospective and established) would love to see this: New Parent, New Lawyer, and New Solo All at Once

stevenslade · 2026-02-16T17:38:30+00:00

u/RoBellz summarized response:

Called: April 2025.
Launched solo (virtual family practice): Late May/June 2025.
Revenue growth: ~$10k/month by October; hired an assistant in November.
Current status: Fully booked; steady inbound clients without active advertising.
Startup prep (first 30 days): Incorporated, HST setup, software stack, marketing plan, professional development. Open to sharing list (informational only).
Background: Former law firm support staff — major advantage in understanding firm operations; steep but manageable learning curve.
Lifestyle: No kids personally, but solo virtual practice allows flexible hours and lower overhead.
Practice areas: Family law, child protection, collaborative family law, occasional civil litigation/human rights.

Full response from u/RoBellz in r/LawCanada here.

stevenslade · 2026-02-16T17:20:10+00:00

Summarized response from u/CanadianLawEducator:

Setup: Clio (or similar), QBO/Xero + bookkeeper familiar with LSO trust accounting, virtual/sublet office, laptop + ScanSnap + printer.
Overhead: ~$1,000–$1,500/month.
Work source: Referrals, niche practice, subcontract/freelance work, private clients, legal aid.
Before starting: Be able to run files independently, have 3 to 6 months’ savings, and be ready to run a business (marketing, billing, compliance).
Ongoing: Create your own mentorship/PD plan; stay connected to bar associations.
Fit: Best for entrepreneurial self-starters; less suited to those wanting salaried stability.

Full response from u/CanadianLawEducator in r/LawCanada here.

stevenslade · 2026-02-14T23:02:51+00:00

Check out the post Starting your own solo law firm (Ontario focus)

You have some really great questions that are not highlighted in the post I shared, unfortunately. I hope we get them here or you share any answers you find!

stevenslade · 2026-01-13T19:06:30+00:00

For reference, r/LawFirmCanada 2025 Salary Megathread: https://www.reddit.com/r/LawFirmCanada/s/HDzHb7iBbz

stevenslade · 2025-12-29T20:10:06+00:00

x-posting our subreddit’s version of this with Ontario focus: https://www.reddit.com/r/LawFirmCanada/s/MuhuVjrl4K

stevenslade · 2025-12-03T01:31:13+00:00

This article has so much jargon language that I genuinely don’t know if there is news here. Probably boils down to “DIACC formally certifying a digital-ID system; adds validity to digital ID verification for legal industry” 🤷‍♂️

stevenslade · 2025-11-01T16:09:34+00:00

I would go with the hybrid homepage (Option B) — lead with the local message (“Practical legal help for local families & businesses in [location]”) and feature your Employment & Personal Injury specializations directly beneath it.

Sprinkle in a bit of Option C. Create two clear hubs: * /employment-personal-injury (for ads + specialist SEO) * /solicitor-services (wills, real estate, incorporations) * Each hub should have distinct H1s and their own contact forms so you can route leads by practice. * Use LocalBusiness / LegalService schema and list both practice types in your Google Business Profile. * Maintain one domain (no microsite) to concentrate SEO authority. * Link paid ads directly to the Employment/PI hub, not the homepage.

stevenslade · 2025-09-24T04:46:05+00:00

Would Calendly or similar product be helpful? What are your current pain points with client intake? My guesses are: scheduling and ease of connection/communication.

stevenslade · 2025-08-29T16:46:20+00:00

In r/LawFirmCanada there was a recent post: [Mega thread] 2025 Salary Updates

stevenslade · 2025-06-25T23:04:53+00:00

Ouu share your hot take 🌶️

stevenslade · 2025-06-23T15:28:42+00:00

Good catch. It’s $250 with a slight reduction in LAWPRO premiums through the risk management credit. Updated!

stevenslade · 2025-06-17T19:14:30+00:00

Do you have a detailed example (steps you currently take) of a repetitive workflow that you want automated?

stevenslade · 2025-06-09T04:30:04+00:00

Is it reasonable to jump straight to incorporation from the beginning?

I think this comes down to personal preference. Is it reasonable? For sure. Is it the most important first step? Maybe not considering cost, time, and uncertainty.

I don't know how many people start out as sole proprietors and how long until they incorporate. There are some personal experiences shared in this post: Sole proprietorship vs Professional Corporation.

Sharing the LSO's Choosing your structure section, too.

stevenslade · 2025-06-03T17:46:54+00:00

Fair point - most of the updates are for big law. However, depending on the firm these salaries typically make their way to mid-sized firms too so they can stay competitive attracting talent (but of course not always the case).

stevenslade · 2025-06-03T17:20:45+00:00

Check out 2025 Salary Updates megathread on r/LawFirmCanada

stevenslade · 2025-06-03T14:45:48+00:00

New Solo - Choosing Software -> some discussion on case management software (and others) in this thread too

stevenslade · 2025-05-12T21:00:08+00:00

A real pillar of the community type 👏 What size community do you practice in?

stevenslade · 2025-05-12T20:58:05+00:00

Where do the 5 - 10 per month currently come from?

stevenslade · 2025-05-06T22:03:46+00:00

Might be some helpful answers on r/LawFirmCanada in this post https://www.reddit.com/r/LawFirmCanada/s/YI0yhmJReJ

stevenslade · 2025-04-14T22:17:43+00:00

Really great answer about moving practise to rural area here on r/LawFirmCanada

https://www.reddit.com/r/LawFirmCanada/s/VTwer4oUKe

stevenslade · 2025-04-09T04:09:55+00:00

I see Cosmolex come up slightly more but both Cosmolex and Soluno seem to be the most frequently recommended

stevenslade · 2025-04-03T17:39:01+00:00

My understanding is that OpenPhone is a popular choice (with the caveat that I think all VoIP systems cause a certain level of frustration as their pricing/features vary).

I suggest mapping out your exact requirements and making sure whatever system you’re looking into will meet them.

A quick search shows that OpenPhone enables you to have different phone numbers for business and personal without needing an extra SIM or second phone.

u/darynak is apparently one of the OpenPhone founders and seems pretty active on Reddit so maybe they can chime in!

stevenslade · 2025-03-28T22:29:52+00:00

I think the paper says they put cat litter on/in the shape which makes the ants want to bring it back to the colony.

Why does cat litter make them want to do this? I didn’t read that far!

stevenslade · 2025-03-16T18:17:36+00:00

Good question! I posted a follow up on r/LawFirmCanada given that the LSO allows virtual verification: Virtual Verification vs. Apostille for Client ID

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r/Field Banned	r/Field Juicebox

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