Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Career and Professional Development

Solo and Small Firm Practice

For students and graduates

Practicing in a solo or small firm setting offers attorneys and law students the opportunity to build their legal skills faster and do more complex work sooner and often while maintaining a more flexible schedule. In addition, many attorneys prefer the freedom and control of operating their own law practice.

Given these benefits, it is not surprising that attorneys working in solo and small firms (2-10 attorneys) comprise the majority of the legal profession. In the 2019 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report, 63% of respondents identified themselves as solo and small firm attorneys (32% and 31%, respectively).

Mitchell Hamline also attracts entrepreneurial-minded graduates interested in developing their own law practices or working in a small law practice. In fact, each year for the last eight years, 15-20% of new Mitchell Hamline graduates chose to practice in the Solo and Small firm setting upon admission to the bar.

For this reason, Mitchell Hamline’s Solo and Small Firm Practice program provides programming, mentoring, and other guidance to support Mitchell Hamline students, recent graduates, and alumni seeking to become successful solo or small firm practitioners.

Solo and Small Practice Webinar Series

View the recordings of our past sessions.

  • Sept. 21, 2020 – Paths from Law School to Solo and Small Firm Practice 
  • Oct. 19, 2020 – How Solo and Small Firm Practice is Different from Other Organizational Settings
  • Nov. 16, 2020 – Foot in the Door, Boots on the Ground: Gaining Legal Work Experience at a Solo or Small Firm 
  • Jan. 11, 2021 – To Specialize or Not to Specialize: Choosing a Practice Area
  • Feb. 8, 2021 – Deciding to Launch Your Own Law Practice

Job Shadows and Alumni Connections with Solo and Small Firm Practitioners

Every Mitchell Hamline student is partnered with a J.D. Career Advisor who assists the student in focusing their career interests, identifying their strengths, and developing a job search strategy. For students interested in Solo and Small Firm Practice, their J.D. Career Advisor can also assist them in making important professional connections with attorneys practicing in the Solo and Small Firm sector for informational interviews, job shadows, or other professional networking.

To learn more, contact your J.D. Career Advisor or careers@mitchellhamline.edu.

Solo and Small Firm Practice Pathway and Curriculum

Mitchell Hamline’s Pathways to the Practice of Law is a course planning tool to help Mitchell Hamline students navigate course planning in over twenty distinct potential career paths, including Solo and Small Firm Practice. Visit the Solo and Small Firm Practice Pathway to  explore the core courses, recommended courses, and other courses to consider at early or later stages of law school.

In addition to its practical, skills-oriented curriculum, Mitchell Hamline also offers a variety of courses designed to prepare students specifically for Solo and Small Firm Practice including Lawyer as Business Owner, Legal Practicum: General Practice and Business Practice, and the Solo Practice Residency.

For questions about the Solo and Small Firm Practice Pathway, contact Pathway Coordinator Professor Leanne Fuith (leanne.fuith@mitchellhamline.edu)

LegalWise

LegalWise is a law firm incubator program that supports, educates, and inspires Mitchell Hamline graduates who are growing solo and small community law practices. LegalWise is a resource for all Mitchell Hamline graduates to help them grow their practices wherever they are geographically. For more information, visit the LegalWise website or email carla.tourin@mitchellhamline.edu.

Solo and Small Firm Practice Resources

Solo and Small Firm Practice Podcasts

Solo and Small Firm Mailing List

Join our solo and small firm mailing list so we can keep you apprised of upcoming programs, events, and other activities. Subscribe by emailing leanne.fuith@mitchellhamline.edu with the email subject line of “Solo and Small Firm Mailing List.”

Solo and Small Firm Employers

Are you interested in hiring a Mitchell Hamline student or alum to work in your solo or small firm or in hosting a Mitchell Hamline student for an externship or residency?

Mitchell Hamline is proud to offer our students a wide array of opportunities to earn credit by working outside of the law school with practicing attorneys in the community in externships or legal residencies. These programs aim to provide students with an opportunity to achieve their individualized learning goals and gain practical, real-world experience in order to facilitate smooth transitions into their roles as legal professionals. Read more about our Externship and Legal Residency programs.