I have posted on here before and recieved some excellent advice. Espcially, about monetizing the 10 to 15 calls I recieve a day for landlord tenant cases. Monetizing those phone/zoom calls is one of the reasons why my practice is growing. I have been practicing law since 2011 and I opened my own shop in 2024.
I am at the point where I am making great money, but I feel that I can make even more if I had more time to bill and work. Right now I am the billing department, litigation depart, intake department, and customer service department. I work of counsel for a criminal defense firm, work my own cases, work criminal appointed cases in my county, I am the eviction counsel for a few smaller landlords in my area, and have about 4-5 paid meetings a month. I am reaching the same bottleneck in gross income each month. My expenses are very low at this point: 1) office rent; 2) cell phone; 3) internet; and 4) malpractice insurance. Student Loans are my only real fear at this point. I own my car and my wife's job pays for my insurance. I do not even pay for Westlaw/Lexis or management software. I just go to the law library next to my office and use Lexis as needed. I had management software at first, but I had so few cases that it was not worth it. It is more worth it now, but I have just made it work with excel.
My question for other solo's and smalls firms out there is when do you know when it is time to grow and hire some support staff? Should I just pocket the cash I have for now and work my ass off on a shoe string? That way I know that I can sustain this level of business. What have others off loaded on support staff, and noticed an increase in the quality of life, money, etc? My biggest fear is things are going great now and the phone is ringing off the hook, but that could change tomorrow. I could be stuck with somone I have to pay for each month and generate the work needed to pay for someone to sit around. Should I start with a 1L -2L intern? There is a law school near my office and I have some connections with the school through an old secretary. What does everyone pay their support staff, interns, etc?
My old boss used to say that if you are not growing and getting better you are dying. Thank you for any advice you can give me.