Creation of a law firm from scratch. How to start your own law firm from scratch

question how to start a law firm are usually asked by lawyers who are tired of working for hire. Although in order to open such a firm, it is not necessary to be a lawyer. This activity is not licensed and any person can register a company. The exception is defense services in criminal proceedings - this requires the status of a lawyer.

For the stable operation of a law firm, the manager must first of all be a successful businessman, and he may not be a lawyer. The manager must be able to attract clients and recruit qualified staff of lawyers.

Organizations providing legal services are entitled to apply the simplified taxation system (STS). Let me remind you that with such a taxation system there can be two rates:

6% if the object of taxation is income,

15% if the object of taxation is income reduced by the amount of expenses.

Most law firms in our country specialize in providing services for the registration, re-registration and liquidation of legal entities. This is explained not only by the fact that this is one of the most popular services, but also by the low thresholds for entering the market. This work does not require legal qualifications and, accordingly, personnel costs are minimal. For the work of such a company, two people are enough, even without higher education. But this type of activity is becoming less and less profitable due to fierce competition and dumping by large players like Registrar.

Narrow specialization provides some advantages, but also imposes serious limitations. More intelligent in my opinion legal business should be based on a wide range of services, where the registration of firms would be only one of the types of services. The most interesting area of ​​activity in terms of income is b2b (Business to Business) - servicing legal entities. Here the competition is already lower, especially in the field of small business. Big business prefers to use the services of foreign consulting companies.

Therefore, before you open a law firm, you need to have a plan for the future, decide on a strategy. If we focus on the growth and expansion of the list of legal services, then this already requires qualified lawyers. Many company registration firms have realized that they have reached the ceiling within the narrow specialization and are expanding the range of services. This is easier to implement than starting from scratch, immediately offering a wide range of legal services, which requires significant investments.

It is easier for a lawyer in this regard. He has the opportunity to start a legal business from scratch and without investments. As I did with partners, having built up a client base, while working for hire, and only then opened an official office and registered a company. But I started by providing services only for individuals and individual entrepreneurs. And only after the official opening began to focus on legal entities.

What expenses are required to get started? I will reveal the figures for my office, although this is far from an indicator.

The initial costs were as follows (prices in Moscow):

There was already a registered LLC, so there were no expenses under this item. And so the registration of an LLC will cost an average of 20-30 thousand rubles, of which 10,000 - 15,000 rubles is the legal address. If you register yourself, you can save about 10,000 rubles.

Furniture and office equipment - 50-60 thousand rubles.

Rent and repair - 60 thousand rubles.

Other expenses (telephone, Internet, software) - 30-40 thousand rubles.

In our case, there was no need to hire lawyers, since the specialists themselves. And so it should be expected that the minimum salary for a lawyer in Moscow is 30-40 thousand rubles (the level of qualification is a separate issue).

We also need a secretary, but for the first couple of months we did not bother. And then they hired a person who worked at home: received calls and kept an appointment. When they were in the office, sometimes they switched the phone to themselves and received calls themselves. It's technically easy to organize. You can, of course, rent a professional call center, but this is necessary when there is really a flurry of calls, otherwise a self-organized virtual secretary is not inferior in quality if everything is done correctly. The price of the issue is 7,000 rubles per month. Call-center services - 11,000 rubles at a time and 9,000 rubles monthly, i.е. it is still two to three times cheaper than hiring a secretary in the office and organizing a workplace.

It’s not even worth talking about an accountant - definitely outsourcing (an incoming accountant). We have a simplified taxation system and, accordingly, simple accounting. Services cost 2500-5000 rubles per quarter, depending on the amount of work.

In total, about 200 thousand rubles were spent at the start in the first month. We reached the break-even point in the second month, but this is due to the already existing customer base and current orders.

It should be borne in mind that we have applied a non-classical company organization scheme, which allows us to significantly reduce costs, which will be discussed below. Therefore, when calculating a regular business plan, these figures must be multiplied three times, and when the company reaches payback depends on the skill of the manager.

The scheme of work implemented by us is as follows. Initially, the orders were carried out completely by ourselves. Over time, the list of services was expanded due to the partner network. This is a criminal lawyer, realtor, auditor, registrar and others. The hardest thing is to find a conscientious specialist who provides quality customer service, otherwise your reputation may suffer. And you can always agree on a partnership, because this is a mutually beneficial cooperation.

Of course, this is one possible way to implement order fulfillment. I only describe my personal experience and my way of organizing an office.

This arrangement provides the following benefits:

Minimum costs (rent, salary, etc.);

High quality of services, control over which is not required, since each partner cares about his reputation;

Revenues are proportional to expenses, resistance to seasonal lull;

Mobility and flexibility in the choice of premises.

The main advantage of this approach is that it sets best ratio price/quality of service.

The classic version of the work of a law firm involves renting a solid premises and a staff of lawyers with assistants. In this option, I see serious disadvantages:

Significant rental costs (especially relevant in Moscow);

More stringent conditions in the choice of premises;

Constant high salary costs, regardless of seasonality;

Other costs also increase significantly (organization and maintenance of workplaces, more complex accounting,

Finding staff is more difficult than finding a partner, because employee this a dark horse, and a private specialist or firm has an established reputation. In addition, it is more difficult to change an employee than a partner;

Less stability in work due to staff turnover;

The quality of services is worse, in-house lawyers do not care about reputation;

The time and effort spent on monitoring performance and working with staff.

We will come to this option with time anyway. But in order to maintain the level of quality at such costs, it will be necessary to significantly increase prices, which means entering into tougher competition. Either it is necessary great amount orders, which will allow to maintain the level of price / quality due to a decrease in marginality.

Legal services relevant today for individuals, and for individual entrepreneurs, and for large companies. The legislative framework is constantly changing, and current regulations often raise many questions. Help is needed when registering and supporting a business, protecting interests in court, filing bankruptcy, etc. Someone needs advice to conclude big deal, and someone does not know . With a competent strategy and promotion tactics, you can open a law firm and build a highly profitable and fast-paying business.

Choice of direction

To open a law firm from scratch, you need to decide on the format and list of services provided at the initial stage. Several current trends can be identified.

Resolution of legal disputes

This industry is in demand among owners of large and small businesses. Today, state structures periodically intervene in the affairs of enterprises with inspections, identifying various offenses and imposing large fines. The work of professional lawyers helps to defend the point of view and protect the business, preventing the payment of large penalties.

Registration Services

In order to open an individual entrepreneur or LLC, a long collection of documents, the choice of an OKVED code, and registration are required. Not every beginner or even an experienced entrepreneur understands the intricacies and pitfalls of this procedure, while others simply do not have time to collect a package of documentation.

Collector services

Similar areas of law firms, opened from scratch, are focused on communication with debt defaulters. At the same time, their activities are based not on intimidation, rudeness, or the use of force (with which most Russians associate the word “collector”), but on establishing contacts with such people, finding out the reasons for non-payment, and legal assistance in debt restructuring.

Registration of intellectual property

During technological and information development it can be difficult to prove the authorship of a certain invention, text information, name or trademark. Intellectual property registration services are in relatively low demand, but such a source of finance is stable and brings high income to those who wish to open a business.

Opening a law firm from scratch - organizational issues

A well-designed business plan when opening a law firm from scratch will provide an opportunity to develop a strategic line aimed at efficient operation, which in a short time will begin to make a profit.

Business registration

To open a law firm from scratch, the founder of a business does not need to have a special education; anyone can organize it. For further work, you need to register in state structures and decide on the form of taxation. The optimal form is LLC, although some lawyers work as individual entrepreneurs.

Advice A: No license or special permits are required to open a private law firm from scratch. But this criterion does not apply to the activities of lawyers and notaries who are required to acquire a status and issue a license.

Personnel policy

With a small budget, many firms that open from scratch start a business with a partner without hiring other employees. They provide a narrow range of services, earning a reputation and expanding their customer base. After development, you can think about hiring employees. As a rule, 3-4 lawyers work in such small firms. You can hire a student for the role of assistant and courier, and financial statements do it yourself or outsource it.

Medium law firm staff:

1. highly qualified lawyer;
2. consultant;
3. specialist in work with individuals;
4. specialist in work with legal entities;
5. assistant;
6. Courier;
7. secretary-referent;
8. accountant.

Room selection

The office is the face of your business. Non-compliance with cleanliness, unsuccessful interior, remote location can deprive you of customers. The office should indicate the seriousness and professionalism of the company, opened from scratch. To do this, rent a room in the central part of the city, in business district, close to banks and leading agencies.

The design of the office should speak of the competence of employees, respectability and integrity. To do this, carry out repairs by choosing a strict design and business style design. Modern comfortable office furniture, new office equipment is an indispensable attribute. Also take care of a small room in which clients will be waiting for a meeting. Cabinets should have a solid partition to ensure good soundproofing.

Formation of the client base

Having opened a law firm from scratch, you need to take care of finding clients at the start. To do this, it is recommended to conduct a marketing campaign, distribute your business cards to potential customers - contact various companies and entrepreneurs, leave Business Cards in the waiting rooms of the chamber of commerce and industry, tax, various kinds of business associations. When closing deals, ask customers to recommend the firm to their colleagues or friends.

Also, the following methods are effective for promoting a business:

• distribution of advertising brochures;
• promotion on the network, creating your own website, groups in in social networks;
• ordering souvenirs with the company logo.

It will be possible to form a wide client base only with the provision of quality services. As a rule, satisfied customers independently refer their acquaintances to the firm, and better than advertising than word of mouth does not yet exist.

Financial plan

To create a law firm from scratch, you need to make a good impression and organize a decent business atmosphere immediately after opening. Therefore, experts do not recommend saving on office decoration and furniture purchase.

Consider the initial costs that are needed in order to open a law firm from scratch:

• business registration, paperwork - 25-30 thousand rubles;
• purchase of furniture and repair and construction work - 200-220 thousand rubles;
• purchase of office equipment and means of communication - 120-180 thousand;
• concept development and corporate identity- 20-25 thousand.

Costs to be paid monthly:

• office rent - 80-100 thousand rubles;
• Internet, communication services - 10 thousand rubles;
• conducting marketing activities- 10-15 thousand rubles;
• payroll fund - 250-300 thousand rubles.

To open a law firm from scratch, you need to have extra money for strategic planning And further development. You also need to allocate a reserve for unforeseen expenses.

If the legal business does not arouse your interest and you want to work on radically new projects, try it.

Advice: making up financial plan, to the amount received, which is needed for opening, add 20% for unforeseen expenses - they will definitely arise in the process of work.

Features of the legal business

When answering the question, experts name the scope of legal services. To open your company from scratch, prepare to work on your reputation in the early years. But then, as in other types of business, it will work for you. First, you will have to take on any (even the most difficult) cases and prove the competence of your company. In the legal market, credibility is valued, sometimes this factor is of decisive importance.

The main resource of any company is qualified personnel, so you should not save on wages, you need to try to keep the team of professionals in their field.

There is quite tough competition in the domestic legal market, so when choosing a format and direction of activity, carefully study the services provided in the city and try to choose unfilled niches. Do not save on advertising, get ready to fight for each client and prove your professional level.

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The market of legal services, despite the high competition, is quite promising. By developing a competent development strategy, choosing services that are in demand in the region where the company operates, and hiring qualified employees, it is possible to recoup the initial investment in a year and reach the break-even point.

In contact with

Many people sometimes think how to open a law firm.

Providing legal assistance to citizens and legal entities is a noble and at the same time profitable business. If you have the appropriate level of education, experience and abilities of the head, creating a decent law firm will not be difficult.

Ad. Before you start reading: mylawsuit.ru plans to open a law office on its base. Accordingly, why don't we join forces and come up with something? Attendance is about 500 people per day. You can arrange remote legal advice without investment. Write with suggestions to e-mail mylawsuit@ya.ru.

An important criterion for the "natural selection" of the future head of the company is an ardent love for law and an understanding of the laws of its application. After all necessary condition development of a law firm is the possibility of devoting all the time and effort to the development of clients and the prestige of the company, as well as the development of the company.

Before opening your own business, you should make sure of your own competence and readiness to provide legal assistance. This is easy to do when working in a foreign company. Having worked in an already established structure, you will be able to determine how much you like, and most importantly - it turns out - to work as a lawyer, in addition, you will gain valuable experience and skills practical activities. Working as a lawyer of the firm will also help you learn the details of building a business, for example, setting up a document flow in a company, algorithms for working with clients, etc.

So, experience and knowledge gained, you are determined to discover own business in legal field. Don't be afraid of a large number of competitors, as the demand for quality legal services is always high. In addition, there are a number of niches, some of which are practically unoccupied and are in need of highly specialized specialists (tax law, medical law, intellectual rights, public-private partnership, etc.), and the other part of which, due to the enormous demand, is also welcome will take on a new role in the market (registration and liquidation of legal entities, protection of consumer rights, etc.).

If you are a highly specialized specialist in a sought-after branch of law or are going to attract one, this will be an indisputable advantage of the company. After all, in addition to general affairs, your company will be able to solve complex single tasks, the successful solution of which will lead to new customers and will favorably affect the company's image.

When forming a team at the initial stage, remember your alma mater mates, since trusting relationships between colleagues in the legal environment are extremely important. Perhaps you will become co-founders of the company. At the start of the work, two or three highly efficient lawyers will be enough. If you need to find and hire assistants, pay attention to senior students of law schools or their graduates: as a rule, they are responsible for the work assigned, approach solving problems with enthusiasm, and are not picky about the amount of earnings.

Comment from the editor: at the initial stage there is one way little by little and without large investments attract law firm clients: You can create a group on social networks and give people free legal advice on simple matters, thereby gaining clientele and reputation. Be sure to ask the people you helped to leave feedback on the advice provided as a thank you - this will also play in your favor. There are a significant number of such VKontakte groups, but they are still not enough to answer everyone. Thus, you can easily lure people from other communities. You can also buy ready-made applications for consultation on the Internet - they are inexpensive. But there is a risk of becoming the firm described in

Now consider the estimated costs of starting a law firm.

First of all - registration legal entity or individual entrepreneur. Accordingly, this includes the costs of paying the state fee, notary services, finding a legal address and other registration costs. We have described this procedure in more detail.

Then you need to place the office of the company somewhere. However, you should not think that you cannot work without an office, and that the office should be located only in the central part of the city. Because the fee for renting an office in the center, as a rule, is 2-5 times higher - extra expenses at the opening stage. The main array of clients - individuals - will live in residential areas remote from the center, and to corporative clients it will not be difficult to get to any area. In addition, the city center means traffic jams and lack of parking spaces, which will also negatively affect the overall impression of cooperation.

Currently, more and more companies are completely refusing to rent offices, working at home or in a coworking center x, and arranging meetings on neutral territory.

The next category of expenses threatens you only if you choose office accommodation. This is office equipment stationery. In addition, if the rental does not include furniture, you will need to purchase the required number of tables, tables, cabinets and safes.

Even at the opening stage, you can be puzzled by advertising: making business cards, advertising in print and online media, developing a website, etc.

Let's summarize in the form of an estimate:

• Fee for processing documents related to a legal address (from 15 thousand rubles);
• Renting a small office space (from 15 thousand rubles);
• Order an advertising campaign for the promotion of the company (from 10 thousand rubles);
• Purchase of office equipment (telephone, laptop, fax and MFP), all this will require (from 65 thousand rubles);
• Fixed costs are: payment utilities, communication and Internet services (about 5 thousand rubles).

As you can see, the costs of launching the work of a law firm are not critically high, and with high-quality services, they will quickly pay off thanks to word of mouth. If you feel capable of devoting 24 hours a day to law and solving other people's legal problems - go for it!

You have firmly decided that you will create your own legal business, theoretically and morally prepared for possible difficulties on early stages, prepared start-up capital ... But if you are opening your own business for the first time, then you are still not immune from making banal mistakes that most novice entrepreneurs go through.

Do not stuff bumps on personal experience. Use our tips on how to start a legal business from scratch and what mistakes to avoid.

At the heart of all these mistakes is one problem - a lawyer who is just starting his business is ready to attract “at least some” clients at any cost and take on every case.

So, what not to do in the early stages, if you do not want to kill the nascent business:

1. Immediately rent an office
   

   Office space is, of course, solid and business-like. But this is a significant additional cost. At the first stage, when you do not yet have an established customer base, such expenses are simply not appropriate. You don’t want to work to pay the rent of the office, or even in the red? Moreover, the lack of an office can even be turned into competitive advantage, offering clients the departure of a specialist to a place convenient for them.

2. Invest in marketing without developing a strategy
   

   It’s good if, before registering an individual entrepreneur or organization, you carefully thought out a business development strategy for at least a year in advance. Then you only need to stick to the plan, directing all resources to its implementation. But if you are still looking for the right organizational form, business models, specializations - in a word, you have not yet planned what and how you will do and what goal you will reach in a year - do not invest in marketing. With a probability of 90% it will be a waste of money. At the first stages, it is necessary to rationally use free and low-cost methods of attracting customers.

3. Engage in a large number of services and work with all
   

   Would you trust your health to a cardiologist who works part-time as a dentist three days a week and substitutes for a surgeon during operations on weekends? Would you send your child to be trained by a tutor who teaches geography, algebra, chemistry, French, and singing?
   Not? What is in doubt in these examples? The fact that you can not be an expert in everything at the same time! And a lawyer is, in fact, the same generalized concept as “doctor” or “teacher”. The client needs an expert in the problematic area for him, and not a “generalist”. In addition, spraying on all categories of clients and areas of law will in any case affect the quality of your services negatively.

It is important to understand that at the heart of all these errors is one problem - a lawyer who is just starting his business is ready to attract “at least some” clients at any cost and take on every task. In fact, from the first days, you should strive not for clients to choose you, but for you to be able to freely choose only good clients for yourself.

How to start legal business from scratch : step by step plan

Below we offer you step by step plan building a legal business.

Many citizens have repeatedly found themselves in situations where ignorance of the intricacies of the law has caused major troubles associated with the loss of property or infringement of non-property rights. Therefore, today few people rely on their own knowledge and strength in this area. When it comes to protecting interests from unlawful encroachment, people are looking for lawyers who are able to competently solve the problem for adequate payment. This is the main base for such a business as providing legal services.

How to start making money on legal services

Many lawyers who have a specialized education and work experience in their specialty periodically light up the idea of ​​​​creating their own legal business. Stop three main points: the lack of start-up capital, fear of competition, disbelief in their own strength. But is it really that scary?

Judging by the reviews of successful representatives of the legal business, no. The main thing is to start competently and work tirelessly for the reputation of the company.

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Who can start a legal business

In fact, today anyone can create their own legal business from scratch in the format of a legal services company. To organize such activities, you do not need to have a legal education yourself. It is enough to be a good organizer and administrator, to have business connections in this field of activity and have starting capital at least 200 thousand rubles. By the way, a novice entrepreneur can qualify for.

With this format of work, the founder of the company engages hired lawyers and pays them an agreed percentage of the amounts that clients pay as payment for services rendered. Under such contractual conditions, several specialized lawyers can work in a company.

One lawyer can organize a legal services agency on his own. To do this, you do not need to be a lawyer or obtain a special license, it will be sufficient:

• register an individual entrepreneur or LLC with the corresponding code for the type of main activity according to OKVED (69.10 - “Activities in the field of law”);
• rent an office;
• spend advertising campaign;
• solve tasks in a quality manner.

A lawyer's office can only be organized by a specialist who has a certificate for the right to engage in advocacy. If a novice entrepreneur has such a certificate, then only a room for an office and advertising in local media will be required.

If you plan to work as an individual entrepreneur, it will come in handy. The sequence of actions of a businessman when legalizing a business.

Would you like to create a limited liability company? Then read.

Start-up costs

You can start in the legal business with the most minimum investment: about 50 thousand rubles - the first installment for renting the premises. But such a start is suitable for lawyers who can independently provide services and are willing to go through a transitional stage while the young company develops own clients and reach positive profit margins. This period can last from three months to six months.

Those entrepreneurs who want to enter the market and immediately declare themselves loudly should plan for a larger launch. It must include:

• conclusion of a contract with one or more reputable lawyers who already cooperate with clients;
• a large-scale PR campaign in the local business community and in the press;
• own site.

The implementation of these activities will require at least 300 thousand rubles. Separately, the costs of the office (purchase or rent, repairs and furniture) should be taken into account. If you are missing own funds to open your own business, you can take.

Necessary material and technical base for legal business

When planning how to start a legal business, don't forget about a lawyer's office. There are no regulatory requirements for the premises in which legal services are provided, but practice has shown that both the lawyers themselves and clients are important both in the office environment and its functional content. Basic requirements from practice:

• business comfort, calm colors and lighting;
• the presence in the interior of details that will help customers remove emotional stress;
• high-quality and multifunctional office equipment, as well as privacy tools (safes, eavesdropping protection, etc.).

The equipment of one such office costs from 200 thousand rubles. If the company has several such offices plus a reception room, then the cost of arrangement will cost at least 500 thousand rubles.

If lawyers work full-time in a law firm, then right decision laptops will be provided to employees. This step will increase the speed of the lawyer's response to the problems that the client has.

Promotion of legal services in the market

Today, the question of how to develop a legal business is one of the main issues on the agenda in the legal business community. There are several problems: unfair advertising, the lack of reliable mechanisms for controlling the activities of a lawyer, which causes distrust on the part of clients, the difficulty of transitioning legal services to a digital format.

Those entrepreneurs who can effectively solve these problems automatically arouse the trust and interest of customers. With such lawyers, it is possible to quickly and competently solve all emerging problems, and, accordingly, these are the main directions of the policy for promoting legal services on the market.

Reliable guarantees for clients is a stumbling block that can only be overcome in a comprehensive manner: at the first stage, the tasks should be formulated as clearly as possible and inform the client in detail about the likely results of solving the problem, as well as provide liability a lawyer for poor performance of the assigned tasks, and at the second stage, conscientiously comply with the initial agreements.

Establishing communication with a client in a digital format is a promising direction in the development of legal services as a business. Today, a large number of young entrepreneurs work on the market in all areas of activity, who do not want to spend their time traveling to the office of a law firm, but are willing to work in online consultation mode with an agreed payment. For a law firm that will develop this direction, a large-scale market will open, extending far beyond the city where the office is registered.

Legal services can be not only an independent business, but also one of the activities of an outsourcing firm. Read, and what is interesting about this format.

Good opportunities for earning are opened by real estate activities. Consider an example. Opening such a company does not require large investments.