I graduated law school May, 2007 and passed the MA bar on November, 2007. I opened up my solo practice the day after I passed the bar exam.  This decision came out of both necessity and determination.

I went to law school at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, MA.  They really helped to prepare me for my solo practice work through their mandated coop program.  Their coop program is an internship program that is worked into their 3-year curriculum.  The first year of law school is a traditional, 2-semester course work load.  Beginning the second year and continuing to the third, students rotate between going to school full time and working full time at an internship of their choice.  The school year was broken up into 3-month quarters so courses were tightly packed and summer vacation was non-existent.  All in all, during my 3 years in law school, I worked at 4 different places ranging from corporate taxation at the Department of Revenue, clerking for a federal judge, divorce and advocacy work for victims of domestic violence, and lastly for the small firm Infinity Law Group (more on this later).

Upon graduation from law school, I quickly sent out what seemed like a million resumes to firms all around Massachusetts.  I knew early on that I did not like the Big Firm environment because I wanted to practice family law litigation.  In a big firm I would never get the opportunity to litigate or even meet with clients, which is part of why I became a lawyer – to help and relate to people. So I sent out resumes to mostly small and solo firms.  It was at this time that the economy started to take a turn for the worse and many small firms were not hiring new lawyers.  Some that posted for job openings were only willing to talk to experienced attorneys practicing 5+ years.

I was discouraged by the bad economy but eventually landed a job with a solo practitioner.  I worked for this attorney for less than two weeks before I was let go.  I’m not sure if it was a lack of need for my services, ill performance on my part, or personality conflicts, or even a combination of those things that led to me being let go.  I realized a few days into the job that I woke up every morning dreading the prospect of another day at work.  It was at this time that I gave practicing on my own serious thought.  Life is too short to be unhappy and miserable doing a job. And if others won’t give you opportunities, you have to make them for yourself.

So I made up letterhead, got my own liability insurance and started out on my own.  I worked out of my home but rented an office space with the small firm that I had interned for in law school.  About a year into my solo practice, the owner of the small firm, Infinity Law Group, decided to close down shop for personal reasons.  At that point, I made the decision to purchase the law firm from her to reboot my branding and marketing efforts.

It’s now been 3-years since I passed the bar.  I have an established family law and estate planning practice.  I hired an associate to handle bankruptcy work and employ a northeastern intern every quarter (paying it forward).  My practice and firm is growing despite the economy.

In the beginning, I was confronted daily with doubts on opening my own firm, both from myself and also some of my family who didn’t believe I should’ve gone through with the decision.  But I learned that I have to do what makes me happy and success and money will follow only if I am happy with what I do.  After 3 years in solo practice, I wake up everyday loving what I do. I look forward to Mondays just as much as Fridays. That feeling of happiness alone keeps me going.