Attendees at the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) 2021 Solo and Small-Firm Conference on Feb. 20 can look forward to a practical, optimistic and uplifting day of programming that takes some of the challenges presented in 2020 and converts them into actionable ideas.
“The focus will be on helping lawyers run and manage their businesses more effectively and efficiently,” said William E. Denver, chair of the Solo and Small-Firm Section.
NJSBA President Kimberly A. Yonta will deliver the keynote speech and present the section’s Attorney of the Year Award to Ayesha Hamilton.
NJSBA Trustee James A. Lewis V will kick off the day with an inspiring message on embracing adaptability in the midst of change.
“All of us experienced an unexpected pivot, and I think we can learn from the flexibility that we all developed over the last year, whether that’s taking advantage of business opportunities or learning to lean on our community,” Lewis said.
“There’s something to be said for having a positive mindset. It’s also important to identify the particular areas where we’ve grown and can continue to grow.”
Lewis said the conference is an invaluable opportunity for attorneys across practice areas “to learn best practices in this new environment,” from each other and the NJSBA.
While the pandemic upended both personal and professional lives, the conference will focus on how to rise to its challenges.
“One of the topics will be about self-care and evaluating yourself and your practice,” where so-called ‘practice pivots,’ or shifts in an attorney’s specialty areas, will be discussed, Denver noted.
“If you only practice municipal court law and there are just no cases, maybe it’s time to figure out something else you can do. Or if you’ve always been interested in wills, trusts and estates, maybe now is the time to take a bunch of CLEs and start getting comfortable in moving in a new direction,” he said.
Attendees will also hear from experienced solo and small-firm attorneys who are successful at running a variety of businesses, including how they meet their day-to-day challenges and how they grow their businesses in the midst of the pandemic, Denver said.
Panels include “New Ideas for Getting New Business,” “How to Make Strong Financial and Management Decisions to Keep Your Firm Thriving,” “Why Diversity? How Promoting Diversity Inside and Outside of Your Firm Leads to Greater Success,” “Ethics: How to Prosper and Flourish—The Link Between Client Expectations and Collecting Fees,” “How Hitting the ‘Off’ Switch Can Help You Survive,” and “What I Wish I Knew in 2019: Succession Planning Tips to Secure Your Future.”
To register, visit njsba.com.