Please answer, I need help and opinions thanks!?

So I'm looking forward to become an attorney, either for District attorney or Social Services, But what if i want to work alone? I heard that after you pass the Bar examination you sign a law firm? Is it to help you practice cases? & gain clients? The thing is Working for DA or SS you would not have enough vacation days to spend with your family, But working alone you would, but working alone how do you gain clients? I've been researching but I have not seem to find the right answer. or the answer I'm looking for, thanks (;

Craig R

Law is no different than any other field in this respect. You need to spend some time working for someone else while you figure out how your field really works. Let someone else pay for your mistakes.

Second, there's more to having your own practice than just passing the Bar. You need to be an entrepreneur. Again, spending time in a working law firm will show you the ropes for starting your own business.

Don't get in a hurry to reach your ultimate goal. Pay your dues, learn your lessons, and figure out how everything works before you make yourself responsible for earning your own paycheck every week.

Bobbie

you work for someone to gain experience and a reputation in your local community, then you go out on your own. Remember you need to be able to feed your self.

MrKnowItAll

Unlike in medicine or accounting, in law you could go out the day after you get your Bar Exam results back and hang up your shingle. I know some people who did.

You have to be brave to do so, though. In a law firm, if there is something you don't understand, you can go to a coworker and ask. If you start your own firm, you don't have that option.

You get clients by schmoozing. Networking. Talking to your cousins. Advertising in the yellow pages. (In my experience the most successful people who start their own firm have a hustler personality..in time they become more hustler than lawyer). You can get a relationship with a bank, whereby they send you real estate closings. You can sign up to be put on the list of lawyers who get sent "indigent" defendants by the state, or who get hired by the state to represent minors in child custody cases. (My friend did that.)

DO NOT think you will have more days off than you would working for the DA. Self employed people typically work way more, although their hours may be more flexible. When their is a hearing, and you work with others, they can cover for you if you are sick or busy. You don't have this option if you work alone.

You should be able to talk to your law school's career services office about this.

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