Congratulations! By making the decision to enter the world of solo or small firm practice, you have embarked on a career that will provide you moments of unspeakable personal and professional satisfaction, punctuated by periods of uncertainty, self-doubt, great frustration, and, yes, sheer terror. Not to worry–you are not the first person to choose this path. Help is available. Read on.

Lawyers of my generation are fond of reminiscing about what we term “the good old days.” Back in our day, we say, we knew how to pick up the phone and take care of business; we had no need of snarky emails. Back in our day, we say, we knew how to fight fair.

Starting a new firm, despite the area of practice, can be a daunting challenge. When I left a firm and decided to open my own practice in 2010 (before eventually teaming up with my current senior partner), I knew practically nothing about how to open or run a law office.

Alabama is an at-will employment state. An employer can terminate an employee for any reason, for no reason, or for a bad reason. The employer doesn’t have to have a reason, and he doesn’t have to give a reason.[1]

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Alabama State Bar’s Volunteer Lawyers Program. As a way to thank all of our volunteers, we have selected 30 representatives and will be sharing their stories over the coming year. Each volunteer represents hundreds of others who have made the program successful. That success is not confined to the program, but is shared with every volunteer and every client who received assistance.