Law Students and the Role of a Sole Practitioner

The sole practitioner or "solo" office is also an unpredictable group in its paralegal utilization. Schools in some areas report that solo offices offer some of their most prized internship opportunities. Attorneys in this category are worth pursuing. For beginning paralegals, this group of attorneys represents the largest segment of potential employers, constituting about 46 percent of all lawyers in private practice in the United States. In other words, solo practices constitute the largest single segment of American law offices. Savvy entry-level paralegals see this market as a huge half-empty glass, just waiting to be filled. This category may have greater potential than any other for future growth in paralegal employment.

In addition, the solo law office is often where entry-level paralegals can get the most varied experience possible. Working for a sole practitioner typically brings exposure to several different practice areas. Also, it enables students to experience different law office roles and see firsthand the business aspects of a law office and what makes it work.


Also, students often describe the solo law practice as a very egalitarian work setting, where job descriptions overlap and every employee has occasion to do almost everything. An opportunity to see many sides of the business of law practice, it requires great versatility and willingness to adapt to constantly changing needs. The student who enjoys variety can flourish and learn a great deal in this setting.

Another advantage exists here for paralegals who value close, personal community ties. Solo practitioners (and members of small firms, too) who practice and live in the same rural or neighborhood setting rely heavily on their reputation in the community. They work hard to maintain solid relationships with clients and townspeople both in and out of the office. Their livelihood depends on it. The satisfaction these relationships bring may be greater than in some large firms where associates and paralegals sometimes toil for months for clients they never see.

In a small or solo practice firm, students generally find
 

• A greater willingness to train
• Varied experience, working in diverse subject areas on many different assignments in one office
• Frequent shifting of law office roles and combining of job titles (such as paralegal/secretary)
• An opportunity to learn virtually all aspects of law office operations

The Publicly Funded Law Office

Found in every state, publicly funded law offices generally come under two categories. One is the public defender, which provides free legal representation to criminal defendants whose income is below certain levels. The other is legal assistance or legal services, which also serves indigent clients but in civil-not criminal-matters. As taxpayer-funded offices, legal as stance offices are funded, in large part, by the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and usually carry the name of your state.

Legal assistance offices should not be confused with legal aid societies, which are private, charitable organizations providing free legal services in a few metropolitan areas where donations are sufficient to support them.

Getting into the Public Defender's Office- Ahead of Time

Legal assistance offices also should not be confused with the free legal aid clinics operated by some law schools, where law students gain practical experience serving the poor or pursuing special legal projects. The latter normally have few, if any, opportunities for paralegal internships.

Both the public defender and the legal assistance offices are supported by a combination of federal and state tax money. Professionals in either of these settings will tell you that their work tends to be underfunded, understaffed, and fast-moving, and that they can use all the intelligent, well-trained help they can get. In fact, recent funding cuts have actually redounded to paralegals' advantage. Many of these offices are now turning to paralegals (rather than attorneys) for a greater share of the workload.

Students who intern in these offices will find
 

• Coworkers who are dedicated to making the legal system work for everyone
• Unpretentious realism rather than prestige
• Proficiency in a second language a plus
• A more relaxed appearance and conduct in the office than in many private law offices
• Furnishings, equipment, and systems that might not be as innovative as they are elsewhere
• Competence is still an absolute "must"
• Active involvement with clients
• Opportunities to be very resourceful
• Opportunities to think and work quickly

Is There a Law Office "Personality"?

Every law office seems to have a character of its own. It is shaped by the expectations of its clientele, the management style of those in charge, the resources it has available, and its location. For example, law firms serving large institutions-such as banks and corporations-often convey the image of power and prestige their clients seek. This image will be apparent in employees' more formal conduct, attire, and physical surroundings. Offices serving every day, middle-class clients tend to create a professional but comfortable environment and may also be more cost conscious. Firms having an authoritarian management style will have a strict hierarchy to follow for getting things done. And offices in large metropolitan areas may maintain a faster pace and more sophisticated appearance than those in rural areas.

Students need to think about these differences so they can plan an internship that is comfortable for them as individuals. To better understand the personality of any office, students should answer the following questions:
 

• What kind of clients does this office serve, and what expectations do those clients have of a law office and its staff?
• What image does this office try to convey?
• What management style prevails in this office?
• Is cost-consciousness a high priority?
• Is this office in the city, the suburbs, or a rural area?

Take advantage of every chance to elaborate on your own experience and training when that becomes relevant. Remembering the main points in your achievement resume, offer some detailed examples of past experience that will be helpful in this new setting.