I’m a solo practitioner. I never thought I would be, though. In fact, I’m no where near the job I went to law school for. But here I am, four years after graduation, running a law firm from my living room.

It’s been interesting. I left my “legal job” nine months ago. I say legal so slyly because the job was in the legal field, I worked with other attorneys, but my position wasn’t an attorney position. After trying for years to move into an attorney position, one thing was very clear: the only way I was ever going to work at a firm was if I owned it.

So, I stepped out on nothing. The reason I use nothing as an explanation is because the legal field has no floor for young solo practitioners. We are looked at as step children or country cousins. When you’re out and you meet other lawyers, they proudly share that they work for Big Name, Bigger Name, and Biggest Name and Associates. When you say you’re solo, they hide their frown, find a way to politely leave you, and go and schmooze with some other big law ladder climber.

The legal field is built on the corporate structure. Even though lawyers initially received their legal education through apprenticeships in the olden days, lawyers today learn the lawyering process by working at firms. Oh, what about law school? Well, spotting issues on an exam and defending a murder suspect are nowhere near close in the learning process.

I wasn’t sure how long I would stay a solo practitioner. It has been a whirlwind. The days have been long and the nights have been longer. And as I look around my living room, there are pleadings everywhere. But it has also been fun. Building a practice has a certain adventurous element to it that makes the next day worth litigating for.

I’ve learned a lot in these nine months; I bet way more than I ever learned in law school. And I guess I’ll share what I’m learning with anyone else who is thinking of hanging their shingle. Stay tuned. It doesn’t get easier, but I get better at it.