Why Go With a Solo Attorney?

If you are involved in an accident in New York, you have a lot of choices to make, from the type of medical treatment you are going to receive, to the type of personal injury firm you are going to choose to represent you if you choose to make a claim for your injuries. 

If you open search on the internet or open up the YellowPages, you are going to find many, many personal injury lawyers in New York.  Some are what we solo attorneys describe as BigLaw.  These are very large law firms with a lot of offices, a lot of support staff to pay, and a lot of advertising on the television and on the radio. A lot of money is necessary to pay for the real estate, support staff, electric bills, stationery, television and radio ads, and jingle writers. 

There is nothing wrong with these law firms.  They have attorneys who know substantive personal injury case law and go to court.  The firm will offer you a free consultation, will come to your hospital bed or place of work if you can't get to them, and will even show you a picture of a courthouse or scales of justice on their website for good measure.

So, with all of those great things that BigLaw has to offer, why go with a Solo Attorney? 

Well, a solo lawyer offers free consultations too.  In fact, if you look at every single personal injury lawyer ad out there, every single one of us offers that.  What you get at a free consultation with a solo lawyer is a free consultation WITH the solo lawyer.  In BigLaw, you may find yourself having your first meeting with a paralegal, an investigator, the mail clerk...who knows? 

Usually, a solo lawyer is more picky about the cases he or she takes since the solo does not have a bunch of associates working the files.  Since the solo takes fewer cases, the solo lawyer puts more work into YOUR case.  

The solo lawyer gives you more personalized service throughout the life of your case.  Usually my clients can get in touch with me by phone, email or text.  My turnaround time using text is minutes.  Phone, usually 24 hours.  Generally, with BigLaw, clients have to get through the receptionist, the secretary and then voicemail.  It could be days or weeks before they get to speak to the attorney assigned to the file. 

Am I overgeneralizing about BigLaw?  I don't think I am.  I worked at a few BigLaws before becoming a solo.  You know what type of law practice I like serving my clients in better?

But, it's not up to me.  If you like big conference tables, snazzy ads, catchy jingles, and really not knowing who is working on your file, I invite you to hire any of the BigLaws out there.

For the rest of you who hire solos, be rest assured that we are not alone in what we do.  Many lawyers choose solo careers every single day.  Over 3,000 of us belong to a group called SoloSez which is supported by the American Bar Association. 

For more information about why a solo lawyer may be right for you, feel free to contact me using the form on this website.