First of all, yes, law school graduates, I know it is possible to do whatever you want when you get out of law school, assuming you pass the bar exam. What I’m talking about, though, is whether or not you can actually make it happen. Can you open a successful criminal or DUI practice when you get out of law school?
As the introduction stated, I am a DUI attorney in Seattle. I opened my own practice one year ago, and have been working hard ever since. I did not open my firm right out of law school, but worked in an environment that was similar to a solo practice with a bunch of mentors. I was paid based on what I made (with a very small salary). I had to be a “rainmaker” from day one.
Here’s the thing about law school. It teaches you a bunch of things. It teaches you how to analyze a problem and build up a strong point of view on one side or the other. It teaches you how to do legal research. And it teaches you (a little bit) about how to write for the law. It fails to teach you several other things, though, that are important when you are opening your own law firm. Things like marketing, real life court procedure, negotiation skills, confidence, how to talk and deal with clients, and how to run a business. All of these are key factors to opening and running a successful law firm.
I understand that for some people right out of school they don’t have a choice about whether or not to open their own shop. And in that case I’d suggest you do whatever you can to learn how to get clients (the most important part of the equation) and dive in head first. You’ve got to be ready to work your butt off to be successful, but if you put the time in it can be done.
If you have the opportunity to work for someone for a couple of years, do it. For me, I’d always dreamed of opening my own DUI law practice. I wanted to be the boss, to make the decisions, to live through the failures and enjoy the successes. But I knew that it would help me in the long run to learn a little bit first. I worked for others for about 4 years before setting out on my own. And I’m glad I did.
I think it’s possible to become a DUI lawyer right out of law school. But to do it right, you need to buckle down, learn a lot, sign up some clients, and jump in the fire.