JD Bliss (JDB): You’ve created a specialized niche for yourself in legal research and writing while working from a home office. Do you feel that what you do engages your strengths as an attorney?
Solomon: Definitely. I’ve always been good at, and enjoyed doing, research, writing and analysis, and I have built a practice that allows me to make the most use of these skills. I’m no stranger to the courtroom, though. I’ve been in active litigation practice, and continue to handle oral argument in connection with most of the New York appeals on which I work.
JDB: What was your career path from law school graduation to starting your own firm?
Solomon: I graduated from New York University School of Law in 1993 and practiced civil litigation at a New York City firm for two years. While I was there, I gained experience in all phases of litigation, including drafting pleadings, motions and appeals, and was involved in everything from discovery to settlement discussions. Disputes among the partners were undermining the firm’s stability, so I took a position with Lexis/Nexis, training law students in the New York City area. At the same time, I began working on a telecommuting basis for a small Boston-based firm (where I had worked as a paralegal during college), helping them with their insurance coverage work and making court appearances in connection with some New York cases they were handling. That brought me to 1996; I was married – my husband is also an attorney – and ready to start a family, wanted to remain involved in the law, but also needed to control my time so that I had the flexibility for family responsibilities.
JDB: How did a focus on research and writing emerge as the best option for you?
Solomon: A number of things all came together at the same time. By the mid-90s, the technology for online research and document transmission by e-mail was in place and gaining wider acceptance. The availability of online research meant that I could work at any hour of the day or night from my home office, which met my goal of having flexible work hours. The ability to e-mail word processing documents to my clients allowed them to edit briefs I drafted without having to first type them into their system, and allowed me to send cases to them for review without tying up their fax machines for hours on end. The fates cooperated with the technology: the Boston firm asked me to expand the work I did for them, and my husband helped me spread the word among colleagues that I was available to help them if they needed a last minute motion or a focused appellate brief drafted. So I had a good initial client base to work with.
JDB: Have you found attorneys receptive to the idea of having someone do their research and writing for them?
Solomon: Other attorneys have almost universally been very receptive to the idea of outsourcing legal research and writing. Often, when I tell another lawyer what I do, the response is: “I’m so happy to meet you. I’m swamped with work and I really could use some help” or “Great! I hate doing research and writing!” Sole practitioners and attorneys at small firms, in particular, see the benefit of not having to choose between hiring an employee or working unbearable hours in order to deal with a busy period that may be short-lived. On the flip side, a number of attorneys---one from as far away as the Dominican Republic---have asked me for advice on how to set up a similar practice for themselves. I’m more than happy to help them, since I think there is a great untapped market for outsourced legal research and writing services.
JDB: How do you physically carry out the work that you do?
Solomon: I keep regular 9 to 5 hours at my home office. I have a babysitter to take care of my 2-year-old son and to pick up my 7-year-old daughter from school and take her to her after-school activities. After I make dinner, do other household tasks and spend time with my family in the early evening, I often work later at night. I usually do administrative tasks, such as billing, at night or on the weekend.
JDB: What about business development – how do you generate new work for your practice?
Solomon: My situation similar to that of any other solo practitioner. While I have clients I’ve worked with for years on a variety of different matters, I’m always looking for ways to bring myself before potential new clients. I do a great deal of networking and seek referrals from current clients. I also strive for as much visibility as possible, through writing articles for publication, presenting CLE programs to local bar associations and getting press coverage for my practice and for outsourcing in general. I have been fortunate to have been featured in national legal publications like the ABA Journal and the National Law Journal. Of course, I have a web site (www.QuestionOfLaw.net), and I have been working with a web site consultant to increase its search engine ranking. The important thing about business development is that you have to keep at it – always keep asking yourself what you haven’t tried, and use your downtime to do marketing. It’s also important to be diversified, both in your client base and in the services you provide.
JDB: What gives you the greatest satisfaction in the way you work now?
Solomon: The flexibility I have is a major plus. I believe many attorneys are dissatisfied with their careers because they feel the time demands of the profession lead them to shortchange their families, and I’ve been able to eliminate that frustration. It’s also immensely satisfying to me that I really work in strategic partnership with my clients. I’m a big proponent of the personal touch in what I do, and often I can help an attorney strategize a case based on the results of my research. Sometimes I need to tell clients that, based on my research, the position that they want to take is unlikely to be successful; then I help them explore alternatives. It’s intellectually exciting to me to work at that level.
JDB: Based on your own success at maintaining a legal career but taking it in a new direction, what thoughts would you have for attorneys who may be considering a similar step?
Solomon: If you want to be successful, you really have to love what you do. If you’re excited about your work, you’ll be willing to work hard---not only on core legal tasks but also on administrative and business development activities---in order to achieve your professional goals. If you love what you do, you’ll also be committed to improving your skills and, in my experience, mastery leads to confidence and excitement. Your clients and prospective clients will pick up on your positive attitude.
