Opening a New Practice in 2027? Your Six-Month Law Firm Startup Checklist
Sep 4, 2026 · 13 min · 8 segments
This episode of Attorney at Work Today is brought to you by Answering Legal. Adapted from an article by…
Sep 4, 2026 · 13 min · 8 segments
This episode of Attorney at Work Today is brought to you by Answering Legal. Adapted from an article by…
While not comprehensive, this six-month law firm startup checklist outlines key marketing steps to take, month by month, so you can start strong.
So where do we start? In the first month, make sure you understand the various policies that apply to your situation, from your firm's partnership agreement to your state's rules of professional conduct.
Know the rules, then play by them.
Negative headlines, state bar actions, and litigation are no way to start your new enterprise.
Next, write your positioning statement.
Think of this exercise as drafting the constitution of your law firm, or perhaps your declaration of independence, if your parting will be a contentious one.
What kind of law firm are you building? Doing this early will ensure all of your marketing, from the firm name to the logo to the website, has a solid strategy behind it.
Harvard Business School has a helpful model for crafting your positioning statement.
One, define your audience.
Who are you going to serve and why do they need you? Two, understand your competition.
What are other firms in this space doing well? Where do they fall short? Why does the market need your firm? Three, share your differentiators and a reason to believe.
What makes you different? Actually different.
A lower price doesn't count.
Explain this plainly and prove it.
If you have a superior way of doing the work, map out your process.
If you are, in fact, the region's leading practitioner in your very specific niche, build a list of matters, testimonials, and accolades that support that claim.
With this homework done, put it all together.
We help X do Y by Z, where X is your target audience, Y is your customer need, and Z is your key differentiator.
For example, this could look like, we help parents protect their families and legacies on a schedule that works for them.
We help retail and restaurant companies expand into Tennessee, applying an unrivaled track record that spans more than 500 successful openings.
We provide innovators an expedited way to protect their ideas through our fast-track patent process.
You don't need a lengthy brand guide to establish the foundation of your new firm, but you do need a clear north star.
While not comprehensive, this six-month law firm startup checklist outlines key marketing steps to take, month by month, so you can start strong.
So where do we start? In the first month, make sure you understand the various policies that apply to your situation, from your firm's partnership agreement to your state's rules of professional conduct.
Know the rules, then play by them.
Negative headlines, state bar actions, and litigation are no way to start your new enterprise.
Next, write your positioning statement.
Think of this exercise as drafting the constitution of your law firm, or perhaps your declaration of independence, if your parting will be a contentious one.
What kind of law firm are you building? Doing this early will ensure all of your marketing, from the firm name to the logo to the website, has a solid strategy behind it.
Harvard Business School has a helpful model for crafting your positioning statement.
One, define your audience.
Who are you going to serve and why do they need you? Two, understand your competition.
What are other firms in this space doing well? Where do they fall short? Why does the market need your firm? Three, share your differentiators and a reason to believe.
What makes you different? Actually different.
A lower price doesn't count.
Explain this plainly and prove it.
If you have a superior way of doing the work, map out your process.
If you are, in fact, the region's leading practitioner in your very specific niche, build a list of matters, testimonials, and accolades that support that claim.
With this homework done, put it all together.
We help X do Y by Z, where X is your target audience, Y is your customer need, and Z is your key differentiator.
For example, this could look like, we help parents protect their families and legacies on a schedule that works for them.
We help retail and restaurant companies expand into Tennessee, applying an unrivaled track record that spans more than 500 successful openings.
We provide innovators an expedited way to protect their ideas through our fast-track patent process.
You don't need a lengthy brand guide to establish the foundation of your new firm, but you do need a clear north star.
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