In many ways starting your own legal practice can seem like a big step into the unknown. Setting out on your own is no doubt an exhilarating and daunting experience in equal measure for most legal practitioners.
When launching a new legal practice, or acquiring one, it is important to lay a solid foundation for the future. In the early days, equip your legal practice with a well-defined business structure and have a financial plan in place that will stand the test of time.
Running a legal practice is a constant learning experience. Practice managers must ensure that they are constantly evolving in their knowledge of legal practice. Starting your own practice means becoming familiar with a broad range of issues spanning the fields of human resources, information technology, marketing and insurance.
The Law Society has put together a range of resources below to assist you with the start-up of a new legal practice.
Resources:
- Client Engagement Agreements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law
- The Law Council of Australia – “Time for Change: Addressing Sexual Harassment”
- The Australian Human Rights Commission – How to make a complaint about discrimination and breaches of human rights
- Towards a Better Legal Profession for Everyone: Addressing Workplace Bullying and Sexual Harassment (online training by the International Bar Association and the College of Law)
- Guide to Setting Up or Selling a Law Practice in Western Australia (Members Only)
- Law Council of Australia Anti-Money Laundering Guide for Legal Practitioners
- Law Council of Australia – Legal practitioners and conveyancers: a model for regulation under Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime
