6 Tips to Become a Successful Solo

1. Get your Billing Under Control Create a Payment Plan List Here’s a chart to help you keep track of who is on a payment plan. This is the “master payment plan list” that we keep in excel. Client Name Contract Down Payment Monthly Payment Due Amount Payment Date Juan Cruz $5,000.00 $2500.00 $500.00 1st Amanda Rivera $7,500.00 $3500.00 $600.00 15th

We use an excel sheet for this. We also have two different sheets based on due dates, so one list has just everyone due on the 1st and one has everyone due on the 15th. Accept Credit Cards

Payment Gateway Transaction Monthly Fee E-Check Start Up Fee Cost MyCase 3% $0.00   Law Pay(standard) 1.95% $15.00  $150.00 Law Pay (Fixed) 3.5% $5.00  $150.00 Square 2.75% $0.00  .8% ($5 cap)  PayPal 3.4% + 30¢ $0   TSYS (Pursue) 2.5% + 20¢ $9.95   TSYS (Grow) 1.99% + 20¢ $19.95   TSYS (Accelerate) 1.7% + 20¢ $49.95   Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ $0.00  .8% ($5 cap)  For more information about Bank of America Merchant Services, click here: https://merch.bankofamerica.com/.

Automatic Debit Have your clients sign up to be debited automatically each month for their bill. Here’s what we use: Credit Card Authorization Form

2. Raise Your Fees Are there any cases that you feel like you “don’t get paid enough to do”? If so, write those here:

Look at a list of your fees. Do your fees reflect all of the work involved in the case, or do they merely cover the legal fees? Be honest. What prices would reflect all of the hand-holding involved in the case?

3. Wrangle Your Phones

Prepare a script on how to answer your phones. Be sure to include scripts for the different possible phone scenarios:

Sample Phone Script: Good morning/ good afternoon, thank you for calling LAW FIRM. How can I help you today? (they answer they want to talk to the lawyer)

I’m sorry, what was your name? (They give their name)

Thank you so much, NAME. NAME, are you a current client of our law firm? IF NO:

I would love to schedule you an appointment to meet the lawyer. How we work here is by consultation, which is a 1 hour in-office meeting with the lawyer. During that hour you will be able to ask her any questions you may have and she will analyze your legal case and provide a case plan for you. It is $150.00 for the consultation. Can I schedule that for you, NAME?

Great! In order to finalize your consultation, I will just need to take the $150 payment.

Thank you so much, NAME. We look forward to seeing you on DATE and TIME. I will send you a text message confirming along with the address.

IF YES:

Is there anything I can help you with today, NAME?

(If it’s just a quick case status, check the case status in MyCase. If they have more specific questions, schedule them for a 15 minute phone meeting with the lawyer.)

4. Get your Financial Life In Order Bookkeeper Check out bench.co to see if it’s the right fit for you. If not, research 1-2 other bookkeepers and schedule a consultation. CPA Research 3 CPA’s in your area and list them here. Make a commitment to yourself to call them within the next 30 days to set up a consultation.

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______Business Manager Put out an ad and see what kind of resumes you get. You don’t have to hire, just see if you can find someone that may be the right fit for you and your firm.

5. Streamline Your Sign-Up Process Start with your e-files:

 Create a “file setup” per case type that has everything you need to do the case

 Within the file setup, create sub-files to keep things organized

o 1. Sign Up Documents

o 2. Bills and Receipts

o 3. Client Communication

o 4. Forms

o 5. Supporting Documents

o 6. Submission Materials

o 7. Submission

o 8. USCIS Receipts and Communications (I would like to include some of the screen shots from this article, or something like this… http://www.amigalawyers.com/posts/2017/5/25/how-to-organize-your-immigration-firm-e-files)

Create a list of your main case types here so you can begin to put together your file setups:

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

6. ______Make Sign Up More than a Transaction. Here’s a checklist of how to make your sign-ups more successful:

 Provide a detailed quote sheet for the consultation that includes a list of documents

 Prepare contracts per case type in the file-setup so they are quick to get ready in the sign up

 Start on the case in that first meeting!

 Prepare questionnaires per case type that you fill out with the client in the initial meeting  Prepare detailed declaration questionnaires per case type to do with the client in the initial meeting

 If there is anything missing such as documentation and/or information, prepare a written list for the client to take home

 After the sign up, send the client a branded sign-up gift

Brainstorm some “welcome to the firm” gift ideas:

6. Create Policy and Processes Manuals Some processes to include:

- How to handle the mail

- How to file an E-28 online

- How to schedule a consultation

- How to prepare a receipt

- How to run monthly bills

- How to prepare a fedex mailing

- How to send a fax

- How to present a case to the attorney for review

- How to handle client documents

- How to open a file

- How to close a file

- How to prepare a contract There are so much more, but take some time to get started writing out step-by-step how to do each of these tasks. We have our training manual online: Amiga Training Manual We also have our policy manual here: Amiga Policy Manual These resources will help get you started so that you can customize them for your law firm!