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Resources for Solo Lawyers

St. Petersburg real estate and probate attorney James W. Martin shares his legal knowledge by teaching Law Practice Management as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law. The following resources provide starting points and background information for lawyers and law students interested in practicing law in Florida as a solo practitioner.

 INTRODUCTION TO LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Textbook: A good starting point is this textbook: Experiential Guide to Law Practice Management: Opening and Operating Your Own Firm, Lynne Adair Kramer and Ann L. Nowak, 2nd Edition 2022, Carolina Academic Press, ISBN 978-1-5310-2465-9. 

An Interesting Video: I ran across this seven minute video a while back, and I think it’s relevant to our circumstances today, even though the London barrister is talking about a different law practice management text: London Barrister Phillip Taylor Video

ABA Resources for Law Practice Management: For decades, leaders in law practice management have come from Florida, California, New York, Texas and Utah, among other states, and their work product has appeared in publications of the American Bar Association. Here are some ABA resources to become familiar with for law practice management:

The Florida Bar Legal Fuel: Florida lawyers are leaders in technology for law practice. It would not surprise you to know that the original PC was created in Florida by IBM, and Florida lawyers used it to create systems for the practice of law that are still in use today in updated platforms. The Florida Bar supported law practice management by creating the Law Office Management Assistance Service (LOMAS) forty years ago, which has since transitioned to a web version known as Legal Fuel, which is here: The Florida Bar Legal Fuel

Florida Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct: Ethics surround the practice of law. Were it not for legal ethics, an MBA degree might be enough for anyone to practice law. But, as a profession, the courts have established rules that we must follow, and we must read them and apply them to the business side of the practice of law every minute of every day. So, here they are: Florida Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct

Florida Statutes Governing Law Practice: Of course, the Florida Legislature has adopted laws to prevent the practice of law by nonlawyers so you should read it here: Florida Statutes Ch. 454 Attorneys at Law

And, as a reminder of the seriousness of this statute, see Section 454.23, which reads:

“454.23 Penalties.—Any person not licensed or otherwise authorized to practice law in this state who practices law in this state or holds himself or herself out to the public as qualified to practice law in this state, or who willfully pretends to be, or willfully takes or uses any name, title, addition, or description implying that he or she is qualified, or recognized by law as qualified, to practice law in this state, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.”

Blogs Regarding Law Practice Management: It’s always good to know what others lawyers are doing. You will not find a more sharing group of people. Perhaps there is a bit of competitiveness in all lawyers, and what better way to compete than to show what you’ve done and what you can do and how technology can be applied to the practice of law, and to say “gee whiz look at my new device” (for you early adopters). Here are some useful blogs for law practice management:

The Florida Bar 2022 Economics and Law Office Management Survey: The Florida Bar Research, Planning and Evaluation Department has, over the years, surveyed Florida lawyers regarding such things as firm size, hours, fees, etc. The most recent survey report was issued in 2022 and can be downloaded here, along with an article that appeared in The Florida Bar News:

The Florida Bar Opinion Survey: The Florida Bar also surveys Florida lawyers for opinions on all sorts of bar-related things. The most recent opinion survey results are here: 

Firm Size in Surveys: Both surveys begin with firm size and show a fact that surprises many lawyers: most lawyers work for firms of five or fewer lawyers. In fact, about a third of all lawyers are sole practitioners, like me. This is not a new or recent fact. It has been this way for decades. And, this fact is not limited to Florida; it is generally the make-up of law firms throughout the country.  

NAME, BUSINESS PLAN, CONFIDENTIALITY

Name: The choice of a law office name requires thought, discussion, and research. The firm name will appear on websites, directories, business cards, letterhead, court filings, advertising, lawyer directories, everywhere. Even sole practitioners need to choose a firm name, even though it might be their own. The choice of a firm name is constrained by legal ethics, as well as by state and federal trademark laws. Here are some helpful legal resources to consider in choosing a firm name:

The Written Business Plan: Every business needs a business plan. And every business has one, written or not, intentional or not. Businesses work (or not) because of their methods, procedures, processes, and plans, in addition to their resources (people, money, time, equipment, materials, clients). Law firms need business plans, too. My wife Cathy Martin says, “It’s not real unless it’s written down.” She’s right. If you’ve never done a business plan, here are an explanation and template from the US Small Business Administration and a business plan sample from Bplans.com:

Word and Excel: It’s likely that you are proficient in Word, but perhaps not so much in Excel. So, here are some training links on Microsoft’s website if you want to get up to speed:

Confidentiality and Security: Confidentiality is a defining characteristic of law practice. Few businesses in history can claim such a role, such a responsibility, such an honor, in civil society. You might know the war-time phrase “Loose lips sink ships”, but it is also true that “Loose lips sink client cases”. So sacred is this duty of confidentiality that the legal system recognizes the attorney-client privilege. But, in order to maintain confidentiality in a high-technology world, we must be familiar with and confident with the concepts of security. Here are some materials to assist you in maintaining client confidentiality:

ENTITIES

Florida Bar Requirements: 

  • Florida Bar Legal Fuel: Choose a Corporate Structure
  • Rule 4-8.6 Authorized Business Entities:
    • (a) Authorized Business Entities. Lawyers may practice law in the form of professional service corporations, professional limited liability companies, sole proprietorships, general partnerships, or limited liability partnerships organized or qualified under applicable law. Such forms of practice are authorized business entities under these rules.
    • (b) Practice of Law Limited to Members of The Florida Bar. No authorized business entity may engage in the practice of law in the state of Florida or render advice under or interpretations of Florida law except through officers, directors, partners, managers, agents, or employees who are qualified to render legal services in this state.
    • (c) Qualifications of Managers, Directors and Officers. No person may serve as a partner, manager, director or executive officer of an authorized business entity that is engaged in the practice of law in Florida unless such person is legally qualified to render legal services in this state. For purposes of this rule the term “executive officer” includes the president, vice-president, or any other officer who performs a policy-making function.
    • Comment: Employment by and financial interests in an authorized business entity. This rule and the statute require termination of employment of a shareholder, member, proprietor, or partner when same is “legally disqualified” to render legal services. The purpose of this provision is to prohibit compensation based on fees for legal services rendered at a time when the shareholder, member, proprietor, or partner cannot render the same type of services.

Identifying the Type of Entity for Those Types Allowed by Florida Bar Ethics: Florida lawyers are allowed to practice alone or in the following types of law firms, and the legal name of the entity indicates the type of legal entity that it is, as follows:

Florida Entities Not Allowed by Florida Bar Ethics: The type of entity is indicated by the following words in the entities that law firms are NOT allowed to be in Florida:

Books on Formation of Legal Entities by Professor Martin: Among the books I have written are the following that I wrote in 2022 as starting points for forming a PA or PLLC for a law firm because a PA is similar to a business corporation and a PLLC is similar to an LLC:

 COMPENSATION

Attorney Compensation: The details of compensation for any business owner or employee is always complicated, and for lawyers it’s even more complicated because, unlike other businesses, lawyers are regulated by The Florida Bar, which sets forth its own restrictions.

Compensation in 2022 Florida Bar Survey: The most recent Florida Bar survey shows us that:

  • 66% of lawyers charge by the hour
  • 54% of lawyers charge over $350 per billable hour
  • 52% of lawyers work at least 50 hours per week (not all billable)
  • $120,000 is the median compensation of attorneys with more than 8 years
  • $175,000 is the median compensation of attorneys who are firm owners

ACCOUNTING

Quickbooks and Quicken Accounting Software: There are many brands of accounting software. Some work on Mac, some work on Windows, some work on both, some work totally online. The Doe sample financials were prepared using Quickbooks accounting software. Quickbooks is now an online software as a service provider. Another brand is Quicken, which is primarily for personal use. Their websites are here:

Law Firm Accounting Article: Here is an article with some good thoughts regarding law firm accounting; it’s very practical and it talks about the need for the accounting system, and how it is set up, to provide information lawyers need to manage their practices:

TAXES

Business Taxes and Tax Returns: Everyone is familiar with individual taxes and tax returns because they receive IRS Form W-2 every year if they are an employee or they receive IRS Form 1099 every year if they are an independent contractor. Business taxes and tax returns are required at five levels of government: federal, state, county, and city. Here are links to tax returns, instructions, and explanations for each level for a law firm located in St. Petersburg:

Federal

Florida

Pinellas County

City of St. Petersburg

Practice Areas: The practice of law is divided into various practice areas, but the names of those practice areas vary depending on who named them. Here are some sources for practice area names:

Trends: Legal trends in the practice of law are directly affected by technology, economy, public health, and other factors. Here are sources to assist you in identifying trends:

Demographics and Location: Demographics might play an important role in determining where to locate your law firm. A county with a growing elderly population might be what a new elder law attorney needs. A county with fewer lawyers might reduce competition for legal services. Here are sources for demographic information affecting the practice of law:

OFFICE SPACE

Office Space: You need to decide on office space for your law firm. Here are some online search providers where you might find estimated rent rates and lease terms:

Rent Rates: Most office space leases charge rent based on the number of square feet times the annual rental rate. For example, an annual rental rate of $20 per square foot for 2,000 square feet of office space would result in $40,000 a year rent ($3,333 a month). And remember that most leases charge for all internal office space including hallways, and leases for high rise buildings add on an additional percentage for elevators, stairways, and common areas. So, it’s best to start out with as small and efficient a floor plan as possible if keeping your expenses lower on the front end is important for your law firm budget.

Floor Plans: Drawing out a floor plan will get you thinking about space needs for lawyers, staff, reception, filing, kitchen, and other things. Be sure to remember how to compute square footage (length times width). Here are some floor plan resources:

Virtual Law Office: Vvirtual law offices allow remote work to be done efficiently and quickly. Lawyers working remotely still need a place to work, but it might be a room in the home or a shared space in a co-working arrangement. Here are some virtual law office resources:

Lease Forms: Before you sign an office lease, it’s a good idea to read existing and sample leases and checklists. Here are some examples:

PAPERLESS LAW OFFICE

The Florida Bar Legal Fuel Practice Resource Institute (PRI) and ABA:

American Bar Association:

The Florida Bar Ethics Opinions:

INSURANCE

Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company (FLMIC) Links:

American Bar Association (ABA) Links:

EMPLOYEES

Some Employment Laws (Wikipedia): Here are links to some general background information on historic employment laws:

Some Employment Laws (U.S. Department of Labor): These are links to resources on the DOL website:

Florida and Federal New Hire Information: Here are links to some new hire forms:

Westlaw Practical Law Toolkits: Here are some tools on Westlaw (be sure to research both state and federal employment law before use):

Florida Bar Resources Regarding Employees: The Florida Bar website includes these resources:

Legal Assistants and Paralegals: These links relate to paralegals (also known as legal assistants):

ALI-ABA Article: I wrote this article a while back:

IRS 100% Tax Penalty for Using Tax Withheld from Employees: Robert W. Wood is a prolific tax attorney in San Francisco whose article here in Forbes is required reading for anyone with employees:

TIME, FEES, BILLING, AND TRUST ACCOUNTING

Statutes, Rules, and Materials Regarding Attorneys Fees and Trust Accounts: There are so many statutes and rules governing attorneys fees that there are entire treatises devoted to the topic. For now, here is a good place to start:

Time, Billing, Accounting, and Practice Management Software and Software As a Service: Here are some providers of software to assist lawyers, and, in some cases, any business or profession:

Credit Card Payment Processing: Some of the above provide services provide credit card processing as part of their products. Here are some others:

MARKETING

Supreme Court Decision: The starting point for attorney advertising is this 1977 opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court allowing some advertising by attorneys as a First Amendment right:

No Direct Solicitation: The Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct do not allow direct solicitation:

“Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this rule, a lawyer may not:

(1) solicit in person, or permit employees or agents of the lawyer to solicit in person on the lawyer’s behalf, professional employment from a prospective client with whom the lawyer has no family or prior professional relationship when a significant motive for the lawyer’s doing so is the lawyer’s pecuniary gain. The term “solicit” includes contact in person, by telephone, by electronic means that include real-time communication face-to-face such as video telephone or video conference, or by other communication directed to a specific recipient that does not meet the requirements of subdivision (b) of this rule and rules 4-7.11 through 4-7.17 of these rules; and (2) enter into an agreement for, charge, or collect a for professional employment obtained in violation of this rule.”

Regulation of Lawyer Advertising by The Florida Bar: The Florida Bar website provides detailed information regarding rules regulating lawyer advertising:

Regulation of Lawyer Advertising by the Florida Legislature: The 2023 Florida Legislature passed a new law regulating legal services advertising.

Legal Directories: Here are some legal directories and web sources used by consumers and other attorneys to find a specific lawyer:

Websites: Lawyers’ websites are a necessity for marketing. Here are some web hosting designers and providers:

Networking: The web is filled with networking advice. Here is one that appeared in Lawyerist:

Engaging a Legal Ethics Attorney: It may be wise to engage a legal ethics attorney to review advertising and marketing plans in advance. Here are links to lawyers listing legal ethics as their practice area:

Other Practice Areas

For other practice areas, click here.

Contact

If you have the need for a St. Petersburg real estate and probate attorney, you may use the contact form below or call James W. Martin directly at 727-821-0904 or email him at jim@jamesmartinpa.com for a consultation.

This page was written by St. Petersburg Florida attorney and Adjunct Professor of Law James W. Martin and was last updated on January 5, 2026.

Get in Touch

For your initial consultation, just fill out the Leave a Message form or email jim@jamesmartinpa.com or call (727) 821-0904.
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