Strategies for Expanding into a New Practice Area

2019-02-21T23:25:23+00:00By |1 Comment

20140112 Strategies For Expanding Into a New Practice AreaMany areas of law practice tend to cycle up and down over time. Savvy attorneys keep enough capital reserves to get them through the predictable lean times. The business volatility in recent years has some worried lawyers seeking to build up a practice in a different area of expertise.  I wrote about ways to get experience that you don’t already have, but perhaps you dabble now and then in another area. Here are some tips on building up your visibility and expertise in a practice area you aren’t known for.

1. Choose an additional practice area that complements your existing practice.

Your credibility will be higher if there is some overlap between your new practice area and what you already have a reputation for. When real estate, securities or other transactional practices wane, some transactional lawyers step over into litigation involving similar subject matter expertise. To begin making such a transition, offer to consult on cases with trial lawyers you know. Many commercial litigators take on such a wide variety of cases that they don’t have your depth of expertise or awareness of the numerous laws that may impact the case they just took on. […] «Strategies for Expanding into a New Practice Area»