Law Practice Mgmnt (LAW-795LP-001)
Gowen, Spekter
Meets: 04:00 PM - 05:50 PM (T) - Warren - Room N103
Enrolled: 20 / Limit: 20
Notices
There are no notices at this time.
Description
Law Practice Management
This course is co-taught this semester by Michael Spekter and Chris Gowen. Both Professors started and managed small law firms. Professor Spekter has been practicing Federal Employment Discrimination Law for over 20 years and is a highly successful solo practitioner in Washington DC. Professor Gowen started a small firm three years ago that has continued to grow and recently doubled in size.
This course has been designed to assist second and third year law students in developing the skills they need to start or manage a law firm on their own. The class is both substantive and practical, but will be unlike any other course that you have taken in law school. This course focuses solely on the actual practical skills and tools you need to either start a law firm on your own or to manage one you are joining.
Most if not all of you are painfully aware that the job market for lawyers has suffered tremendously in recent years. We have all heard about the oversupply of lawyers, and when it comes to lawyers looking to serve high paying clients that is certainly the case. However, that ignores a tremendous demand for affordable legal services for poor and middle class Americans. With resources like cloud technology, virtual offices and Google plus, a graduating law student or group of students can start a firm with minimal overhead and provide high quality, yet affordable service to people and make a decent living.
Today many students are unwillingly spending their first year out of law school volunteering at law firms or interning while struggling to find a way to finance their debts.
This Course will provide you with an alternative, we will teach how to choose areas of law that you can begin practicing early on in your career and grow from that point. The course focuses on the business of practicing law, your team will be required to create a business plan including a comprehensive budget and marketing plan.
Whether you plan to start you own law firm or join an existing firm understanding the business side of the practice of law is essential for young lawyers to determine their value and to understand the amount of work needed to reach certain financial bench marks.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
First Class Readings
Not available at this time.