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How to open a legal consultation office from scratch. A ready-made business plan for a legal services company with detailed calculations. Choosing a legal form for doing business

11.07.2023

For those who have a legal education and experience in the field of law, over time it becomes crowded in the enterprise. Having grown to a certain level of qualifications, a lawyer thinks about how to open a law firm from scratch and work for himself. This means prestige, freedom of action, greater income, but also greater responsibility.

The success of such a business idea directly depends on the experience of the staff, and the owner of the company does not necessarily have to be a lawyer. A law firm is not subject to licensing, so there are no difficulties in matters of registration.

Legal business must combine professionalism in the legal field and commercial spirit. These can be the qualities of one or two people: a business manager and an experienced lawyer. The manager’s task is to find and attract clientele, as well as select personnel.

Choosing a field of activity

There are many areas for a law firm to operate, the most popular being services for registration and liquidation of legal entities. This is the simplest option for starting and does not require special qualifications from employees. But there is a lot of competition in this area and large players who offer low prices.

List of promising branches for a law firm:

  1. Consulting and assistance to individuals on all legal issues: civil, administrative, as well as banking, which arise quite often. To defend yourself in criminal proceedings, you need a lawyer's status.
  2. Consulting small businesses in the field of legal disputes and other issues. Large enterprises, as a rule, resort to the services of foreign agencies.
  3. Registration and liquidation of legal entities is assistance in opening, re-registration and liquidation. Registrar services mean a low barrier to entry into the market, ease of operation, and a regular clientele.
  4. Outsourcing or subscription services for legal entities, which involves concluding an agreement for servicing corporate clients on issues of law, contractual relations, documentation management, personnel processing, contact with government agencies, representation in court, etc. The advantages of such work include a stable income, however, a wide range of issues need to be addressed.

The smart choice is to provide a wide range of services to maximize your target audience.

Registration of a law firm


State registration for a law firm is not only legal activity, but also prestige. Step-by-step description of opening a law firm from scratch:

  • registration as an individual entrepreneur or LLC;
  • registration with the tax office, OKVED code 74.11;
  • choice of taxation system – 6% of income or 15% of income minus expenses;
  • opening a bank account;
  • registration with the Pension Fund.

The cost of registering an LLC includes 10-15 thousand rubles for registering a legal address, as well as an authorized capital of 10 thousand rubles in the form of money in a bank account (one of the options). However, this form of ownership is preferable if you are going to work with reputable clients. The entire registration process will require 25 thousand rubles.

According to the law, a law office must obtain a special status, and the person creating such an organization must pass an exam and take an oath.

Office

A law firm needs an office, which does not necessarily have to be located in the central part of the city. It all depends on your capabilities and the scale of future activities. For a small company, you need a room of 25 square meters and in good repair. An office center or a residential building renting out the first floors for offices would be suitable. It’s better to start with an inexpensive space to rent (7-8 thousand rubles), and then change the location as it develops.

Advertising


The main task of a new entrepreneur is to attract clients who will become regular or bring other clients. How to promote a law firm from scratch? In addition to standard methods such as online advertising and outdoor advertising, personal meetings are needed. This is a lot of work on communicating with company owners - potential clients.

Think over a company name that evokes respect, trust and a sense of stability. The use of the founders' surnames is also practiced. Name options: “Advisor”, “Guarantor”, “Agency of Fomin and Govorov”, etc.

The most successful promotion methods:

  • Contextual advertising on Google and Yandex.
  • Providing your services through free online consulting services. This allows you to answer people's questions, thereby showing your abilities and providing contract data.
  • Distribution of proposals for cooperation in the form of a complete package indicating the cost and service options.
  • Calls, personal meetings with managers and company executives.
  • Conducting trainings and seminars as a way to earn extra money and make your presence known.

To give the impression of a reputable company, you need to take care of business cards, as well as creating your own website. The minimum cost of such a business kit is 15,000 rubles.

Furniture and equipment

The main costs go to equipping the law office office. To do this you need to purchase:

  • Furniture – 20 thousand rubles;
  • Computer, printer, fax, telephone, etc. – 40 thousand rubles;
  • Air conditioning – 15 thousand rubles;

Total: 75 thousand rubles.

Personnel

A legal business from scratch can be started with one professional who is also the owner, but the ideal option is a partnership of two lawyers. A company must gain momentum and clientele before it can afford to hire professionals.

The agency will need an assistant secretary. His tasks: take calls, do routine work, send emails, print and sort documents (salary from 14 thousand rubles).

The accounting of a law firm using a simplified taxation system has simple accounting. The easiest way is to turn to a freelance accountant (outsourcing), paying 3 thousand rubles monthly for his services.

Law firm business plan: investments, profitability and payback


Opening a law firm will not require significant capital investments

How much does it cost to open a law firm from scratch (capital investment):

  • registration of an LLC – 25 thousand rubles;
  • office renovation – 30 thousand rubles;
  • furniture and equipment – ​​75 thousand rubles
  • creating a website, printing business cards – 15 thousand rubles;
  • advertising costs – 10 thousand rubles;
  • Software, Internet, security – 20 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of office supplies – 5 thousand rubles.

Total: 180 thousand rubles

The income of a law firm is the fee for its services, which constitutes monthly revenue.

Table. Cost and income received from services provided

Table. Calculation of company profitability

Table. Calculation of investment attractiveness

Obviously, the payback will not be 4 months, but more than six months, since the first 2-3 months are spent reaching the break-even point.

Choosing a strategy

The answer to the question of how to open a law firm is multifaceted, as is the possible range of services. A successful strategy is to enter into partnership agreements with attorneys, auditing agencies, and similar agencies while working. At the same time, you do not need a staff of expensive specialists, a large office and the costs of its maintenance. You focus on your specialty while benefiting from partnerships.

The provision of legal services today is more relevant than ever, and both individuals and legal entities often turn to legal companies. How to open a law firm and make money on consultations and legal services?

Business specifics

Today, almost every citizen needs the help of a lawyer, since frequently changing laws and not very clear legislative norms raise questions in many situations. This means that there is a need for clarification, which only professional lawyers can give.

At the same time, people need legal assistance on many issues, including legal support for business, assistance in registering companies, filing bankruptcy, protecting the interests of legal entities and individuals in court, representing the interests of parties when concluding transactions, etc.

Some people need advice to complete a major transaction (purchase of real estate, partnerships, etc.), while others need the constant services of a lawyer and are ready to enter into a cooperation agreement with a law firm.

Services

When you decide to open a law firm, you should first decide on the range of services that you plan to provide to clients. Of course, the wider your range of services, the better. But when choosing, you should be guided by the demand for one or another type of legal services. This means that in a small town there is no point in counting on great demand from legal entities, but it is better to focus on legal assistance to individuals. In general, a law firm can offer clients:

  • protection of the interests of individuals and legal entities in court, as well as representation in government bodies;
  • legal consulting for individuals;
  • assistance in registration activities;
  • legal support for the activities of companies;
  • legal examination and drafting of documents;
  • preparation and drafting of agreements, statements, contracts, claims;
  • information support for organizations and consulting specialists in the legal field;
  • consulting and accounting support;
  • Notary Services.

It is worth remembering that you can provide legal services without a license (with the exception of notaries), although many areas require additional permits, and the activities of a law firm will be regulated by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Law “On Advocacy and Advocacy”.

Registration of a law firm

  • Once you have decided to create a law firm and have decided on the services provided, you can begin registering your business.
  • First you need to find office space and sign a lease agreement, as well as draw up a business plan for your future law firm.
  • After this, you need to undergo state registration with the tax authority. Preferred (limited liability company). This will show that you plan to conduct serious activities and are ready for long-term cooperation.
  • Choose a tax system. The best option is (according to the “income minus expenses” scheme - this is beneficial if there are a large number of employees and a significant rent for office space).
  • Select codes: 74.1 Activities in the field of law, accounting and auditing; consulting on commercial activities and enterprise management.
  • Renovate the office, equip it with furniture and necessary equipment.
  • Hire employees and organize an advertising campaign.

The office is the face of the company

Everyone understands that clients will not go to a law firm that does not inspire confidence in them. This means that your law firm's office should communicate that your business is reliable, your employees are competent and can solve any legal problems. How to achieve this? Rent office space in the city center, in a crowded place, in a prestigious building. It would be nice if there is a transport interchange, a business center and convenient parking nearby.

In addition to a good location, a design that will demonstrate the integrity and respectability of the organization is important for a law firm’s office. This means that you need to make a good renovation, choosing a strict design for decoration, equip the office with comfortable and modern furniture that will create a positive impression on clients, and also install computers in the office and provide high-quality communications and high-speed Internet.

The office also needs to be equipped with a convenient place for clients waiting in line, a meeting room, specialist offices (this can be one office, but with partitions that guarantee good soundproofing), a room for technical staff, and a bathroom.

Search for clients

So, you opened a law firm and started working, but clients are not in a hurry to come to your office. What to do? Conduct an advertising campaign, offer your services to various companies and individual entrepreneurs. Ask your regular clients to recommend your company to their business partners and business colleagues.

You can negotiate with potential clients (we are talking about legal entities) and offer favorable terms of cooperation, as well as expand the range of services offered. This works great, especially if clients who have ever asked you for help are satisfied with the level of service from your company. So, having completed a one-time order well, you have every chance of getting a contract for permanent legal services for a specific organization.

Staff

As for personnel, a law firm must have qualified lawyers with higher education, work experience and a license to practice law. If you plan to provide a wide range of services, then it is better if you have a separate specialist with a narrow profile for each area, for example, in family, criminal, financial or land law. This will help streamline the conduct of business by area, and will once again demonstrate to clients a serious approach to working in your company.

But it is clear that not everyone can afford to maintain a large staff of highly qualified workers, especially at the beginning of the company’s activities. So it would be appropriate to hire a few law students to help the core staff. You can also invite law school students for internships (by concluding an agreement with the educational institution).

A secretary-administrator is also needed who will receive calls and transfer them to the right specialist, ensure the functioning of the office, register documents and engage in archival activities (you can also take a law student from the correspondence department of the university to the position of secretary).

In addition to legal specialists, you will also have to hire technical personnel - office cleaners and janitors to restore order in the area adjacent to the office (if there is one, of course).

Initial Investment

For a law firm, it is very important to make a good impression on potential clients immediately after opening and create an atmosphere of respectability around itself. Therefore, there is no need to save on office, furniture and equipment. How much does it cost to open a law firm? Let's calculate the approximate costs of opening a law firm, taking into account that the office area is 200 square meters, and the cost of renting one square meter is 3,000 rubles per month.

As for the profitability of the legal business and its payback, it all depends on the specific case. If we talk about average indicators, then this is about a year or a year and a half (subject to active activity). During this time, your company will demonstrate its capabilities, acquire regular customers, and it will be possible to sum up the first results.

When starting a business, you will have to work for authority, and only then will it work for you. So at first you will have to take on any matter, and each time prove that you are competent, competent and capable of resolving any issue in favor of your client. Of course, it will not be easy at first, but credibility in the legal services market is crucial, so you will have to earn it.

Qualified specialists are the main resource of any law firm. So you need to do your best to attract and retain leading legal experts in the company. This will add weight to your business in the eyes of competitors and potential customers.

Another feature of the domestic legal services market is high competition. Therefore, you always need to be aware of the market situation so as not to become an easy prey for another large law firm. And also do not spare money on advertising your services and paying for the work of qualified specialists (otherwise they will simply be bought by competitors). Well, and, of course, you need to constantly fight for clients, each time proving your high professional level.

In this material:

How to open a legal consultation office from scratch? It's not as difficult as it seems at first glance. You can start in this business without any investments, from scratch. This explains the presence of a large number of small businesses that provide legal services to the population on a paid basis. Let's look at how to do this and what difficulties you will encounter.

Starting a business

You can open a legal business from scratch without the appropriate education. There is no need to have a diploma from any university that trains lawyers in order to provide legal services to the population on a paid basis. If you are literate in the field of law, have encountered this more than once, and had to run your own practice, then you can easily do it for money and without a diploma.

It so happens that people who are faced with certain life situations turn to court to resolve complex issues. Taking an active part in the judicial process, delving into the intricacies of the current legislation, such people may come to the conclusion that they understand it no worse than qualified lawyers.

For example, if a person went through a difficult divorce process on his own or with a lawyer, and used the acquired skills to help acquaintances and friends who found themselves in a similar situation, then he can help others in this matter. It is practice that makes a truly qualified lawyer, and not diplomas of different colors and shapes.

And if there is no such experience, then this is not a reason to give up on this project. There will always be those people who have both diplomas and some experience. Moreover, they are ready to work for hire honestly and conscientiously. Not everyone believes that individual entrepreneurship is simple and accessible to everyone. As strange as it may sound, there are also many legal scholars for whom the idea of ​​starting their own business is not even in the realm of their dreams.

You need to choose a specialization. The legal services market is saturated precisely because of the availability of this project. It is difficult to compete successfully in all areas of law. Select one or more directions. If you have experience, as stated above, in divorce proceedings, it is necessary to specialize in it.

The only thing you can’t handle without a diploma and a lawyer’s license is criminal cases. Only criminal proceedings require appropriate education and qualifications.

What needs to be done to open

How to open a legal consultation? The process of starting a legal consulting business is made easier not only by the absence of the need to have an education. Everything you need for it is in any office, which is easy to rent. This includes a desk or computer desk, office chairs and armchairs. All you need to do is bring your computer or laptop, cell phone, printer combined with scanner, and paper and stationery. After this, all that remains is to order a sign on the office door with the inscription “Legal consultation”.

But before you open such an office, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur. If you do not work anywhere, register as unemployed at the Employment Center and go through a simple procedure for applying for a subsidy to open your business, prepare a business plan. The state supports unemployed people starting their own business. The minimum amount of subsidies is from 25 thousand rubles. This is enough to buy a laptop and a printer.

If you are going to hire staff, then you can provide that each hired employee already has his own laptop. It’s rare to see a lawyer or a university graduate who doesn’t have his own laptop. Otherwise, you will have to include costs in the business plan and increase the amount of the required subsidy. You can see a sample of how to prepare a business plan in Appendix No. 1.

Refusal to receive a subsidy is not a reason for frustration. Purchase several devices on credit or in installments. If you have any funds for the initial start, purchase used laptops. They will cost 8 thousand rubles each. Thus, to open an office with 3-4 jobs you will have to spend about 30 thousand rubles.

This is the minimum set, but there are also small legal advice businesses that operate without an office at all, using rooms in business centers for meetings with clients. This approach requires good self-confidence in yourself and your professional capabilities. This makes some sense.

An enterprise located in an office with a sign displayed at the entrance can itself attract some customers. But the rent for such offices is high, and all such places are already occupied. Renting premises in a multi-storey business center does not provide such advantages. You will still have to get involved in the active promotion of the services provided, encouraging potential clients to make at least one call. But where to receive this call - at home or in the office - makes no difference. Just make sure that when answering a call, the background for the client is not a child’s scream or cry, a dog barking or a cat meowing.

What difficulties await

The main difficulties that you will definitely have to face when opening a legal business are the following:

  • very high competition;
  • it is very difficult to provide an enterprise with a permanent and solvent clientele;
  • staff dishonesty.

Many citizens consider themselves consummate lawyers, and therefore consider it necessary to work in this niche. And since it is impossible to find law firms for everyone, the remaining applicants open their own consultations. Add to this a very low start in this business, and you get a formula of high competition that does not decrease.

This leads to the next difficulty - it is very difficult to find clients. Those that come across either offer to take on hopeless cases that other lawyers have refused, or do not have enough money to pay the required cost for such cases. Don't rush to give up on such things. Perhaps they are the ticket to the Olympus of the legal business. If a rumor spreads in the city that a new office has opened that provides services to the poor at half price and takes on hopeless cases and successfully wins them, there will be no end to clients and the staff will have to be increased. Take note of this.

They learn about the dishonesty of employees when they leave the office, taking with them a dozen regular good clients.

To prevent such developments, the business owner needs to independently search for clients and establish relationships with them.

The client must understand that he is addressing the manager, and his employee is only helping in this matter by performing routine work.

But the employee must also understand that clients do not come to him on their own, that this process is complex, labor-intensive, and requires certain investments and developments. And if their office leaves, he will have to independently resolve this issue, which will be more complicated than the process of providing services itself.

How best to promote services

Having a sign does not mean a stream of customers, and a newspaper ad will not improve the situation. This already worked poorly 10 years ago, and now it is completely ineffective. Focus your efforts on the following:

  • creation of a legal advice website;
  • regular publication of valuable legal advice on it;
  • duplicating publications on the company’s social network page;
  • recruitment of subscribers through contextual and targeted advertising;
  • creating a legal literacy newsletter for subscribers;
  • conducting online seminars and consultations;
  • cold calls to potential clients.

Such promotion must contain a business plan for the project, and it will have to be done before opening a legal consultation in order to get off to a successful start.

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Question how to open a law firm This question is usually asked by lawyers who are tired of working for hire. Although, in order to open such a company, it is not at all necessary to be a lawyer. This activity is not licensed and any person can register a company. The exception is defense services in criminal proceedings - this requires the status of a lawyer.

For the stable operation of a law firm, the manager must first of all be a successful businessman, but he may not be a lawyer. The manager must be able to attract clients and select qualified legal personnel.

Organizations engaged in the provision of legal services have the right to use the simplified taxation system (STS). Let me remind you that with this taxation system there can be two rates:

6%, if the object of taxation is income,

15% if the object of taxation is income reduced by the amount of expenses.

Most law firms in our country specialize in providing services for registration, re-registration and liquidation of legal entities. This is explained not only by the fact that this is one of the most popular services, but also by the low barriers to entry into the market. This work does not require legal qualifications and, accordingly, personnel costs are minimal. To operate such a company, two people are enough, even without higher education. But this type of activity is becoming less and less profitable due to fierce competition and dumping by large players like Registrar.

Narrow specialization provides some advantages, but also imposes serious limitations. In my opinion, a more competent legal business should be built on a wide range of services, where company registration would be only one of the types of services. The most interesting area of ​​activity in terms of income is b2b (Business to Business) - servicing legal entities. Here the competition is already lower, especially in the small business sector. Large businesses prefer to use the services of foreign consulting companies.

Therefore, before opening a law firm, you need to have a plan for the future and decide on a strategy. If we focus on the growth and expansion of the list of legal services, then this already requires qualified lawyers. Many legal entity registration firms have realized that they have reached the ceiling within their narrow specialization and are expanding their range of services. This is easier to implement than starting from scratch, immediately offering a wide range of legal services, which requires significant investments

It’s easier for a lawyer in this regard. He has the opportunity to start a legal business from scratch and without investment. As I did with my partners, I built up a client base while working for hire, and only then opened an official account and registered the company. But I started by providing services only for individuals and individual entrepreneurs. And only after the official opening it began to focus on legal entities.

What expenses are required to start? I’ll reveal the figures for my office, although this is far from an indicator.

The initial costs were as follows (prices in Moscow):

There was already a registered LLC, so there were no expenses for this item. And so registering an LLC will cost an average of 20-30 thousand rubles, of which 10,000 - 15,000 rubles cost the legal address. If you register yourself, you can save about 10,000 rubles.

Furniture and office equipment – ​​50-60 thousand rubles.

Rent and repairs – 60 thousand rubles.

Other expenses (telephone, Internet, software) – 30-40 thousand rubles.

In our case, there was no need to hire lawyers, since we were specialists ourselves. And so you should expect that the minimum salary for a lawyer in Moscow is 30-40 thousand rubles (the level of qualifications is a separate issue).

We also need a secretary, but for the first couple of months we didn’t bother. And then they hired a person who worked from home: took calls and made appointments. When we were in the office, we sometimes switched the phone to ourselves and took calls ourselves. Technically, this is easy to organize. You can, of course, rent a professional call center, but this is necessary when there is really a flurry of calls, and a self-organized virtual secretary is not inferior in quality if everything is done correctly. The asking price is 7,000 rubles per month. Call center services – 11,000 rubles one-time and 9,000 rubles monthly, i.e. it’s still two to three times cheaper than hiring a secretary for an office and organizing a workplace.

There’s no point in talking about an accountant - definitely outsourcing (incoming accountant). We have a simplified taxation system and, accordingly, simple accounting. Services cost 2500-5000 rubles per quarter, depending on the amount of work.

In total, about 200 thousand rubles were spent at the start in the first month. We reached the break-even point in the second month, but this is thanks to the existing customer base and current orders.

It should be borne in mind that we did not use the classical scheme for organizing a company, which allows us to significantly reduce costs, which will be discussed below. Therefore, when calculating a regular business plan, these figures must be multiplied three times, and when the enterprise reaches payback depends on the skill of the manager.

The scheme of work we implemented is as follows. Initially, orders were fulfilled entirely by ourselves. Over time, we expanded the list of services through our affiliate network. This is a criminal lawyer, realtor, auditor, registrar and others. The most difficult thing is to find a conscientious specialist who provides quality customer service, otherwise your reputation may suffer. And you can always agree on a partnership, since this is a mutually beneficial cooperation.

Of course, this is one possible option for order execution. I am only describing my personal experience and my path to organizing an office.

This type of organization provides the following advantages:

Minimum costs (rent, salary, etc.);

High quality of services, control over which is not required, since each partner cares about his reputation;

Income is proportional to expenses, resistance to seasonal lull;

Mobility and flexibility in choosing a room.

The main advantage of this approach is that the best price/quality ratio for the service is established.

The classic version of a law firm involves renting a substantial premises and a staff of lawyers and assistants. I see serious disadvantages in this option:

Significant rental costs (especially relevant in Moscow);

More stringent conditions in choosing premises;

Constantly high wage costs, regardless of seasonality;

Other costs also increase significantly (organization and maintenance of workplaces, more complex accounting,

It is more difficult to select personnel than a partner, since a hired employee is a dark horse, and a private specialist or company has an established reputation. In addition, it is more difficult to change an employee than a partner;

Less job stability due to staff turnover;

The quality of services is worse; in-house lawyers do not care about their reputation;

Spending time and effort on monitoring execution and working with staff.

We will still come to this option over time. But in order to maintain the level of quality at such costs, it will be necessary to significantly increase prices, which means entering into tougher competition. Or a huge number of orders are needed, which will allow maintaining the price/quality level by reducing margins.

From time immemorial, people turned to their smarter and more experienced brothers to help them solve various everyday and personal problems. A thorough knowledge of the laws and the ability to find a way out of the most difficult life situations first brought the experts universal respect, and then a good income.
Today, law firms remain just as in demand, and good specialists in this field continue to be highly valued in the labor market. It is these lawyers who often open their own business. Developing a legal business literally from scratch requires from a future businessman not only professional talents, but also remarkable leadership and organizational skills, as well as competent planning skills. We will talk about how to succeed in this endeavor in this article.

Market analysis

Before starting a legal business from scratch, analyze how much the labor market in your city needs such services.

A lawyer, especially if he is truly a professional, will never sit idle. With proper advertising, clients will find it, even if the company is located on the outskirts of the city.

Opening a law firm does not require large expenses for an entrepreneur. He doesn't need expensive specialized equipment, a huge building or a crowd of staff.

How much does a lawyer earn?

A question that worries every specialist. What if the firm opens, but does not bring as good a profit as working in an already established law corporation? The salary of individual workers in this industry can reach $3,000 monthly. But, of course, everything depends on work experience, direction, as well as competition in the region.

Law is one of the most competitive professions. To achieve success, you need to be a very good specialist, or be able to break through. The company requires registration of an LLC, and this is paperwork, which also leaves much to be desired.

Different regions have their own characteristics related to the field of jurisprudence. Before opening a legal enterprise, be sure to clarify them. To understand.

Business plan

A business plan for a law firm is the first thing a competent aspiring entrepreneur should do. Lay out your actions step by step, estimate how much finance will be required at each stage, and then figure out where to get these same finances. In fact, getting money is much easier than managing it correctly.

The following options are possible:

  1. Credit (it is doubtful that the company is worth such sacrifices);
  2. Sale or pledge of your property;
  3. Debt (I believe parents and relatives will happily support if they think the company is promising);
  4. Opening a company by several people (team up with friends, divide the capital equally - and the financial burden will become much lighter);
  5. Investment (whether you manage to get government help or you manage to interest a business angel - it will still be a huge success).

Before developing a legal business, an entrepreneur goes through the registration stage.

The company must look respectable. This is one of the main levers influencing the influx of clients, so it is best to register it as an LLC. Select a tax system (payment options are 15 or 6%).

Premises: selection criteria

Before opening a law firm from scratch, find suitable premises. It could be a very small office. The main thing is that it is not located on the very outskirts (until you become a lawyer known throughout the city, the firm should be located in easily accessible places). In this room you or your assistants will meet with clients, and accounting and other documentation will be stored here.

It is also possible that employees will respond to customer calls directly to their homes. Then the office is needed only for meetings with clients.

Repair and equipment

Renovations are not the most important thing a start-up law firm should spend on. However, it is needed as an indicator of status. It is best if the room is decorated in neutral colors. Light walls (choose paint, wallpaper is less durable, and it’s not advisable to wash it), plastic windows, good office furniture, several plants. It’s good if there are certificates or diplomas hanging on the wall.

The equipment you will need is very little:

  • Computers;
  • Fax machine;
  • Telephones;
  • Scanner;
  • A printer;
  • Xerox;
  • Shelves and cabinets;
  • Safe;
  • Tables;
  • Armchairs.

Office equipment is relatively inexpensive for the company owner, but saving on equipment and repairs is not worth it. Remember, the first impression of you will be based on the appearance of your office.

Law firm staff

A well-promoted law firm will never have a shortage of people willing to get a job, but a start-up law firm is unlikely to attract the attention of seasoned lawyers. It may be the case with young people who have recently graduated from college. How can a lawyer make money if he has neither a name nor work experience? If your company takes on the role of a springboard for budding specialists, it will provide a service not only to them, but also to the state.

You can find young workers by placing an ad on the Internet, on special websites, in the newspaper, and by directly negotiating with universities. Provide the best students with the opportunity to do internships, write dissertations, and after graduation they will find a job with you. To test their readiness, create an “entrance exam”. It is also necessary to provide for “working in pairs” under the guidance of an experienced lawyer.

In total, the composition of the team will be as follows:

  • Several experienced specialists;
  • Young lawyers;
  • Accountant;
  • Secretary (one or more);
  • Cleaner;
  • Security guard.

Security guards and janitors earn about $150, secretaries earn about $250, and lawyers can take a percentage of deals as payment.

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Advertising campaign

Those wishing to start a legal business should place the main emphasis on advertising. Every company wants to attract customers, and advertising is the way to do this most effectively.

First, make yourself a website. The site must be designed in a strict style and contain prices and maximum information. Entrust this matter to programmers. Run advertisements on radio, television, the Internet, print out advertisements and stick them in the subway, on poles and on boards, make yourself business cards. Offer your services to large companies.

People who want to open a law firm are usually stereotyped as having to be lawyers. This is optional, just like with managers. The main thing in this matter is a tenacious grip and the ability to organize the process. Opening a company does not require any special expenses. This is an interesting, useful and profitable business in which you can earn income. The only real difficulty in this matter is finding good professionals. If students and beginners agree to work for not very high pay, then ready-made specialists know the value of their work. When the staff is recruited and the advertising campaign is launched, you can reap the fruits of your efforts. You will have to wait for the first clients, but if you show yourself well, then more visitors will flow in like a river.