I will be moderating and presenting at an Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar sponsored by the ISBA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section Council. The seminar is titled “Starting and Running Your Own Law Practice” and will be held on Friday, February 8, 2019, at the Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon, Illinois.

After more than 12 years of practice with a small firm, I started my own law firm in 2018. I am excited to share my experiences and knowledge with other practitioners who may be considering starting a firm of his or her own or has recently done so. There are unique challenges and advantages to such an endeavor and sharing this information with my fellow jurists will serve to enhance the legal profession overall. By making sure our affairs are in order with our firm existence and operation, we can focus our attention on providing the quality legal advice, guidance and services expected by our clients. We should be able to rely on one another as a resource and sounding board when venturing out to start a law firm. No matter what area(s) of law in which we choose to practice, there are basic tools and steps we must take to ensure that our firm is in compliance with all legal and ethical requirements instituted by the State of Illinois, Illinois Supreme Court, Internal Revenue Service and various other governing bodies.

To avoid feeling overwhelmed or as if he or she is in this process of starting a firm alone, the information offered by this seminar will provide the practitioner with a support system for embarking on this process with confidence. The roundtable discussion along with the question and answer segments will enlighten the practitioner to the variety of approaches to accomplish this transition in a way that best fits with his or her individual needs. By listening to several practitioners share their stories of how each successfully started and is currently running their law practice, the attendees will gather first-hand, real-life information and strategies which will aid them in navigating the process smoothly and successfully.

My goal in moderating and presenting in this seminar is to provide a level of comfort and reassurance to the legal community. By sharing my story, a like-minded attorney will know that it is possible to start and run his or her own law firm with confidence and armed with all the necessary tools.