THE ENTERPRISING LAWYER: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

A Lawyer's Foundational Guide to Starting, Managing and Winding Up Your Practice

Lawyers spend years perfecting their craft, but not every lawyer has invested time in building the acumen and entrepreneurial skills essential to managing the business aspects of their practice. The OBA wants to help you be the best lawyer you can be and provide you (our members) with the right tools to remain relevant and competitive.

Practitioners, whether solo or founder of a small - to - medium sized firm, spend a significant amount of time on the business aspects of running their practice, not actually practicing law.  Yet very little time is spent on harnessing the expertise needed in the business aspects of running a practice.

  • Get the essential foundational tools to support your practice from start-up, to day-to-day management, to wind-up.
  • Hear from lawyers and third-party experts who have first-hand experience in building and maintaining a successful practice from the ground up.
  • Gain unparalleled insight into how to seamlessly overcome the growing pains of a start-up and enjoy the rewards of being your own boss.

The Enterprising Lawyer Series is your one-stop resource to establishing and maintaining a profitable and fulfilling practice. This series is available exclusively to OBA members – JOIN IN

THE ENTERPRISING LAWYER ENTERPRISING SKILLS

It is a given that to excel in law, you must have a keen knowledge of your practice area, strong analytic and critical thinking skills and “be a good lawyer”. But one of the most important skills you also need, especially in today’s increasingly competitive legal industry, is emotional intelligence. Join in this discussion to find out how you can enhance your own emotional intelligence and use it to thrive in your legal career.

SERIES B - MANAGING YOUR PRACTICE

Today, it is more important than ever before that you know how to maximize the business of your law firm. Setting benchmarks for the year, establishing standard budgets, determining billable time and rates, moving from traditional hourly rates to flat rates, and using accounting systems to help you with your financial targets are all imperative to stay ahead of the curve with your practice. Learn how to run a profitable law practice and thrive in the competitive legal industry by participating in this essential program.

SERIES C - WINDING UP YOUR PRACTICE

Are you interested in retiring or slowing down your practice? Or perhaps you want to transition to being your own boss with your own practice. Hear practical advice from lawyers with first hand experience with buying or selling their law firm. Our panelists will discuss finding a compatible practice, determining fair value of a law practice, hiring a professional to assist with buying or selling, negotiating the purchase price, and considering your payment options. Learn how to prepare your law practice for sale, attract and interview potential candidates, and draft the purchase agreement. Gain tips on transitioning your practice once it is sold, including law society obligations regarding trust accounts, transferring client files, communicating with clients about the transaction, and closed files.