Stay informed with the latest insights and updates

Are you a Solo, Small Firm or a General Practitioner and thinking of advertising? Then this article gives you significant insights before you dive into the whole new world of advertising for your firm.

The author talks about the Ironman Triathlon and compares its challenges to those of a lawyer running their solo practice.

Are you thinking about making a change? Andrew Sudano shares his experience after opening his own law practice and why maybe you should consider becoming an entreprenuer.

Back in 2016, Kim Whaley was featured in an OBA article doing exercises and stretches to offset being stuck at a desk for long hours. Kim offered up sensible ways of finding the time to stay fit. The exercises were accessible for everyone who could sit, stand and breathe. This follow-up is more involved, with the intention to create real change for your spine which will improve your posture and your desk performance.

If you are a solo practitioner, chances are you are going to be a highly motivated self-starter. However, you will also be acutely aware of your limitations, as you are often required to work at your personal capacity. We can all use help and encouragement to stay motivated. It’s important to remind ourselves why solo practitioners should be respected by the legal profession and selected by clients in the market for legal services.

OBA Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Section Chair, Grant Buchan-Terrell outlines his priorities for the Section this year and highlights what's in store and why you should get involved.

While succession planning may be difficult for many lawyers – particularly practitioners who are older or located in more remote areas of the province – it is absolutely necessary in the interest of the public. Lisa Laredo looks at the recommendations and shares creative solutions.

The story of King Midas is about the tragedy of avarice and contemplates what follows when true happiness is not recognized. Midas was a man who wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. The law firm equivalent is of course the “Rainmaker”. However, too much rain is as bad as too much gold. Midas’ blessing turns out to be a curse.

In this article, Grant Buchan-Terrell, principal of gbtlaw, offers some survival tips for solo and small firms from his 22 years of up and down experiences as a business law boutique practice.

Lawyers need to practice what they preach and implement a succession plan that kicks in when they are no longer willing or able to continue in the profession.

One lawyer’s story about growing a successful law practice and eventually making the difficult decision to downscale to sustain a healthier work-life balance.

Sole practice is both rewarding and difficult. Several sole practitioners were kind enough to provide us with their thoughts and feedback on the top three pros and cons of sole practice.

The author shares his insights and lessons learned after having done his first appeal before the Court of Appeal as a sole practitioner.

In this article, the author reflects on experiences since March 2020 working remotely and challenges perspectives on the benefits of in-person as opposed to remote office environments.

This article is a culmination of the experiences of a young lawyer. More specifically, it’s about the traits that have allowed him to thrive as a solo attorney in the competitive world of law.

Mentorship is one of the most important and least discussed components of the legal community, which largely influences the growth of newer generations of lawyers by the help of older ones.

A sole-practitioner's outlook on practice during the time of Covid.

In this article, Birute Luksenaite talks about her first experience doing a spot-audit and the lessons she's learned along the way.

In this article, an anonymous member of the OBA discusses their experience with making mistakes in their legal practice and the resources available to avoid making mistakes in the future.

In this short essay, Antonio DiMinno and Daniel Rizzi talk about their story from planning on starting their respective practices in law school, to their present operation of a law firm together. They discuss the lessons learned along the way and hope to share some of those lessons with you.

This article takes a look at some of the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes being made, through the lens of a first year call grappling with issues of access to justice. What changes are being made? How can we make sure that these changes are promoting access to justice? What are the challenges involved in ensuring accommodation of disabilities at this time and in the future? Finally, how do we ensure that the changes we make now are both sustainable and accessible?

In this article, the author shares the wisdom and experiences he has received from his mentors about five key factors to consider before hiring your first clerk, assistant, or associate.

The author talks about the challenges she faced in opening her practice straight out of articling and into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perhaps you are looking to hire your first associate or staff member, or perhaps you already have a team. Either way, contracts and policies are your best opportunity to improve your legal position, and the simple reality is that the vast majority of employment contracts are ineffective. As a fellow OBA member, we will gladly review your current employment agreement template, at no cost, and let you know if it needs to be updated.