The good news?  The vast majority of lawyers starting a new small practice succeed eventually, many even exceeding the income levels they reached in larger firms. But most startup lawyers struggle in their initial years on their own, especially during the first year.

With some careful planning and the right research and gameplan, these struggles can be minimized, and in many cases avoided: through a well-planned pre-launch, realistic goals, and the right marketing techniques after launching your new startup practice, you can place yourself in the optimal position for your first year flying solo.

Running a successful legal practice in today’s market demands knowledge in business and marketing.

How can you generate business for your firm?

- For starters, you need to have a web presence. It can legitimize you, and it can drive your business. You can start by posting on Craigslist. You may not land a million-dollar client that way, but everyone has to start somewhere. There are referral services available online. There’s Avvo.com, as well as LinkedIn and Facebook.