Leveling Up Your Practice

Running your own law firm brings freedom—but also constant pressure. As your practice grows, so can the emotional, cognitive, and physical toll. This MCLE-certified session goes beyond basic self-care to explore the root causes of burnout in solo and small firm ownership—including decision fatigue, isolation, vicarious trauma, and blurred personal/professional boundaries.

Attendees will learn to recognize signs of impaired competence before they escalate, and gain actionable tools for protecting their mental health while remaining ethical and effective. We’ll discuss systems and strategies to create sustainable workloads, set boundaries with clients, avoid compassion fatigue, and re-align with the “why” that brought you into solo practice in the first place.

As your law firm grows, so does your exposure to cyber threats—and your ethical obligations to safeguard client data. Solo and small firm attorneys often wear multiple hats, but cybersecurity can’t be an afterthought. This session breaks down what you must know (and do) to meet your legal, professional, and ethical duties regarding data security.

We’ll cover how to build a security-conscious culture—even with a small team—and what California law, the Rules of Professional Conduct, and emerging best practices require of solo practitioners. Whether you’re storing files in the cloud, managing remote staff, or handling sensitive client communications, this session will give you a clear plan to protect your practice from digital disasters.

AI tools are rapidly transforming legal work—but where do you draw the ethical line between leveraging technology and practicing law responsibly? This forward-looking panel will explore how solo and small firm attorneys can ethically and effectively use AI-powered tools for legal research, drafting pleadings, contracts, and more – without risking client confidentiality, unauthorized practice issues, or malpractice exposure.

AI tools are rapidly transforming legal work—but where do you draw the ethical line between leveraging technology and practicing law responsibly? This forward-looking panel will explore how solo and small firm attorneys can ethically and effectively use AI-powered tools for legal research, drafting pleadings, contracts, and more – without risking client confidentiality, unauthorized practice issues, or malpractice exposure.

If your practice can’t run without you, you don’t have a business—you have a bottleneck. As solo attorneys grow, they often find themselves drowning in recurring tasks, inefficient workflows, and ad hoc processes. This session is your blueprint for breaking that cycle. We’ll teach you how to design and implement smart, sustainable systems for intake, calendaring, case management, billing, and communication—so your practice can run smoothly whether you’re in the office, in court, or on vacation.

Growth is exciting—but it’s also risky. As your solo or small firm scales, you may unknowingly expose yourself to malpractice claims, compliance gaps, financial vulnerabilities, or staff management issues. This session is your safety net: a strategic look at the most common (and costly) growth-related risks—and how to avoid them. We’ll dive into the business, ethical, and legal pitfalls solo attorneys often face when hiring, expanding into new areas, adopting new tech, or increasing caseloads. You’ll walk away with a proactive risk-mitigation framework you can apply immediately to protect your clients, your license, and your long-term vision.

You didn’t go to law school to become a marketer—but in today’s landscape, digital visibility is critical to sustainable firm growth. This hands-on session is designed specifically for solo and small firm attorneys who want to understand digital marketing without wasting time or money on tactics that don’t work. You’ll learn how to create a focused online presence that attracts your ideal clients—without becoming a content factory or paying thousands to a marketing agency. From Google to LinkedIn to your website, we’ll cover the key elements that drive real results.

Hiring your first (or next) employee is a big step—and often a make-or-break moment in a solo or small firm’s growth. This panel delivers practical, actionable insight into building a recruitment and onboarding process that sets your team—and your business—up for long-term success. Panelists will share how they’ve found and retained top talent, what hiring mistakes they’ve learned from, and how they onboard new hires in a way that drives productivity, reduces turnover, and supports a strong firm culture. Whether you’re hiring an associate, paralegal, or virtual assistant, this conversation is designed to help you scale smartly, ethically, and profitably.

As a solo or small firm practitioner, managing your practice’s growth means more than just handling client cases—it often involves building a reliable and efficient support system. This includes hiring employees, contractors, or utilizing other extenders to take on critical tasks that free up your time, increase productivity, and allow you to focus on the most impactful aspects of your practice. This session will explore how to strategically grow your team—whether through full-time employees, independent contractors, or virtual assistants—without losing sight of productivity, efficiency, and compliance. We’ll cover best practices for hiring, managing, and delegating work to these extenders, ensuring that each member of your support system contributes to both the profitability and quality of your practice. The panel will also discuss legal and ethical considerations, including compliance with California’s labor laws and how to maintain clear communication and expectations.

In today’s competitive legal market, building a strong personal brand and public presence is essential for solo practitioners looking to differentiate themselves from the larger law firms. Your brand is your reputation—it communicates your expertise, values, and the unique value you bring to clients. But how can solo attorneys compete with the deep resources and high visibility of big law firms while still building a recognizable and respected brand? This session will explore how solo practitioners can craft and strengthen their personal brand, leverage achievements, and increase visibility through strategic marketing, public speaking, content creation, and networking. We’ll also discuss the importance of positioning yourself as an expert in your niche and how to effectively use your achievements to build credibility, attract clients, and stand out in a crowded market.

As your solo practice grows, doing more isn’t enough—you need to do it smarter. This session brings together attorneys and business-minded professionals to unpack how operational KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) can help you measure what matters, reduce waste, increase productivity, and achieve real economies of scale—even with a small team or lean infrastructure. We’ll demystify the numbers every growing law firm should track and how to translate them into daily decision-making—so you can run your firm like a business without losing the personal touch that makes solo practice unique.

As a seasoned solo practitioner, you’ve likely learned the importance of expanding your firm’s reach and visibility, but how can you do so ethically while ensuring compliance with legal advertising rules? In this session, we’ll explore ethical marketing strategies tailored to the needs of solo attorneys and small firms looking to scale responsibly. Marketing your firm is an essential tool for growth, but the unique ethical standards in the legal profession can make it tricky to navigate. This session will guide you through the complexities of advertising while maintaining professionalism and compliance with California’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Whether you’re looking to improve your digital presence, increase client referrals, or engage your community, this session will provide actionable strategies for expanding your practice ethically.

As your solo or small firm grows, so does the need for smart financial management. Effective budgeting, managing cash flow, and making wise investment decisions are critical for sustainable growth. This session will provide you with the tools and strategies to take control of your firm’s finances, streamline budgeting, and ensure you are making the right investment choices for long-term success. Whether you’re preparing for business expansion, planning for retirement, or simply striving to optimize your firm’s financial operations, this session will guide you through practical approaches to managing the financial health of your law practice. Learn how to create a realistic budget, track expenses, and make strategic investments that will fuel growth while safeguarding your future.

As a solo practitioner, it’s not uncommon to find yourself managing a variety of cases across different areas of law. Whether you’re handling a family law matter, a contract dispute, or a personal injury case, the ability to take on diverse clients can be a valuable asset. However, managing multiple practice areas can raise complex ethical considerations, particularly when it comes to competence, conflict of interest, and client expectations. In this session, we will explore the nuances of handling cases in multiple areas of law, discussing when it’s appropriate to take on a case outside your primary area of expertise and when it’s best to refer a client to another attorney. We will dive deep into the ethical obligations under the California Rules of Professional Conduct, including the duty of competence, and the potential risks involved when working outside of your knowledge base.

As a solo practitioner, productivity and competency go hand-in-hand. Managing your time, tasks, and workflow effectively is essential to ensuring that you provide high-quality legal services while running an efficient, sustainable practice. Balancing the demands of legal work with administrative duties, client management, and personal well-being can be overwhelming, but the right self-management strategies can help you enhance both your productivity and professional competency.

As a solo practitioner or small firm attorney, marketing is crucial for business development and client acquisition, but it’s not enough to simply execute marketing campaigns — you need to know if they’re working. Understanding how to measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and using the data to inform your next steps is essential to growing your practice.

Mismanaging client funds—even unintentionally—is one of the fastest ways to face disciplinary action from the State Bar. This essential panel will walk experienced solo and small firm attorneys through the Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) requirements, proper IOLTA account management, and common trust accounting pitfalls.

Panelists will clarify what the State Bar now expects from practitioners, how to comply with annual CTAPP certification and recordkeeping obligations, and how to build sound financial practices that protect you, your clients, and your license. Whether you’re managing one trust account or several, this session is designed to give you both peace of mind and practical tools.