Solos are mistreated by the Bar
The following is a comment from a very successful consultant, Alan Weiss, one who has had experience with both large corporations and individual executives and consultants: "Small businesses employ far more people than major corporations, and they create many more net, new jobs than do Fortune 1000 companies. They are the real engine of the economy. ... They are poorly treated at the moment by the banks and the government."
Sole practitioners and small firms comprise between 65% and 80% of the profession, depending on whose statistics you believe. One would think that the Bar would be advocating for these members and focusing their educational efforts to help this group of lawyers improve the economics of their practices. Somehow, as suggested by Weiss above, this body of lawyers is "poorly treated ... "
If a dispute over fees every arises in the future (as it did in the Pete Wilson, California Governor era), don't be surprised if the Bar fails to garner support from this group.
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Ed - you are so right. And, when it comes to legal marketing, legal industry conventions, legal trends for 2010, legal technology ... everything is directed at the AmLaw 200 (or so). Mid-sized, small and solos are rarely considered. Yes, it is easier to sell to one firm with 1000 attorneys, than to 100 firms with 10 attorney ... I get that. However, there are more of "them" than there are of "us."
And selling to the large firm may be short-sighted. When the large firm has economic challenges (or folds), the vendor/consultant tends to lose a very large part of his/her revenue. Much better to lose a smaller client whose impact on you is less. My motto: No client/customer should be more than 10% of your revenue. I wouldn't reject the revenue, but would hustle to get more business to change the percentages.
Thanks for your comment, Heather. I'll write more on this subject. I see no one taking on the Bar for their myopic perspective.