The Solo and Small-Firm Conference on Feb. 21-22 is the CLE event of the year for solo and small-firm attorneys to network, have fun with colleagues and attend programs specially designed for the practice. This year’s conference is loaded with social opportunities and stellar programming featuring New Jersey Appellate Division and trial court judges and the state’s most respected solo and small-firm practitioners. Hear from Catherine Finnerty, chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Solo and Small-Firm Section, on how attending the conference has boosted her practice skills and professional network, and how all solo and small-firm attorneys can get the same benefits.
Most New Jersey attorneys work in a solo or small firm. As a result, sometime these attorneys can feel isolated from the state’s greater legal practice. Why is it important for solo and small-firm attorneys to attend events like this, not only for skill building but to expand their industry circles?
Events like the Solo and Small-Firm Conference are critical. There is a focus on business building and networking that can’t be matched. When you are a solo and small firm lawyer, you sometimes get bogged down in the day-to-day grind of your practice, and you forget to socialize and network with others. Coming to the conference is a great way to meet attorneys from other practice areas who can serve as a source of referrals for you. Plus, all of these attorneys are like-minded – they want to build their practices too – and they are really open to helping and providing advice to others.
As a longtime Solo and Small-Firm Section member and the current chair, how have you benefited from attending the conference over the years – both personally and professionally?
I have always loved attending the conference. I have met people there that have become friends and close colleagues. I have a whole team of people I can call when I have problem – literally at a moment’s notice. The conference has helped me optimize my solo practice in ways I otherwise would have never learned. For example, a few years ago our conference had a program on how to conduct an intake ethically and successfully so that the client retains you. I implemented the tips and increased my rates of retention. The conference can give you great insight into yourself and your practice that can translate into increased profitability.
Solo and small-firm attorneys cover a wide range of practice areas. How does the conference appeal to all attorneys in this demographic?
We do our best to make sure the conference has topics with broad appeal. For instance, this year we have a program on escrow agreements, something of interest to transactional attorneys. We also have programs on mediation and subpoenas, topics that are more litigation oriented. But it’s not all about legal skills – it’s about building your knowledge on how to run a business. We have programs on cybersecurity and insurance for your practice, not just malpractice, and we have a program on video marketing. If you are thinking about adding video marketing to your budget, you can hear from people who have tried it in their practices, along with a marketing consultant and someone from the state Office of Attorney Ethics on how to do it without running afoul of any Rules of Professional Conduct. This conference truly has something for everyone – plus food and cocktails!
One of the top programs for this year will feature five current and retired state judges on how solo and small-firm practitioners can be both civil and zealous advocates. Why is it important for solo and small-firm attorneys to learn directly from judges?
I always think about it as having the inside track – you get to see the judges in a different context other than sitting on the bench deciding a case, and you get to hear their thoughts on how they run their courtrooms and their expectations of us. Who wouldn’t want that opportunity? Even if you are a transactional attorney who doesn’t go to court, you have to be concerned about the pressures on the judiciary these days and the public’s opinion of our profession. I find these panels with judges present a lot of food for thought, and encouragement to make our profession better and perform at a higher standard.
What do you hope attorneys will take away from attending the conference?
Inspiration. I hope every attorney will take away some inspiration, whether in the form of a plan they are going to implement to market their firm, a practice tip or a new networking contact they arrange to have a coffee with later. And I hope everyone has a few laughs with friends and colleagues and comes away with that good feeling you get when you share a meal and some time together.