Comments on: What is a Rural Lawyer?

By: Opportunity in the Night Sky « Rural Lawyer

Opportunity in the Night Sky « Rural Lawyer — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:58:53 +0000

[...] last I ruminated on the definition of “rural lawyer” (see: What is a Rural Lawyer) I talked about practicing beyond suburbia’s sprawl as an adaptive specialist. Which, as far [...]

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:17:47 +0000

If you are “riding circuit” (if only virtually) over a 100 miles of Texas countryside, I’d agree that you are a rural lawyer. Welcome to the club.

By: San Antonio Bankruptcy Attorney Alex Wathen

San Antonio Bankruptcy Attorney Alex Wathen — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:14:43 +0000

While I maintain brick and mortar offices, I am in many ways also a virtual lawyer. I can take my work on the road anywhere as the bankruptcy courts have e-filing. I am used to communicating with clients by phone and email. Many of my clients prefer telephone appointments. We all know Texas is huge and in many places sparsely populated. Because of my technology intensive distance friendly law practice, I routinely get clients from as far away as 100 miles, some across the country.
I guess that makes me a rural lawyer.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:43:16 +0000

Welcome to Rural Lawyer and thanks for your comment.

Regarding rural lawyers and boutique lawyers, you have a valid observation that trying to be all things to all people at all times yields poor results for all concerned. I firmly believe that finding a niche is a good thing. However, when one is the only lawyer in town, one needs to be flexible and adaptive when necessary. I believe the defining element of being a rural lawyer is being involved in one’s rural community. When being in a rural location is done more for the “cute” factor then anything else and there is little intent to serve the rural community then you get a “boutique” practice. That is “boutique” translated as “a pricey store located in a quaint location” rather than “a practice focusing on a niche”, the legal equivalent of the “darling little B & B nestled in the sleepy pines of small New England town ____” – the one you know darn well the locals would never/could never use and that caters to an exclusive New York clientele.

By: Melissa Sugar

Melissa Sugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:40:33 +0000

Interesting and informative article. I found my way here via-a-via Susan Cartier Liebel. I have enrolled @ SPU and am extremely happy after my long wait for its launch. I have been reading the hot topic of debate on
whether solos should find a niche or not. I am a career prosecutor of 20 years turned (mainly criminal defense) as I hung out my shingle 2 years ago. I guess you could say I did not find my niche-it found me. When I opened my doors I was floored with criminal defense clients, whom I suppose knew of me or heard about me from my years of winning jury trials as the chief assistant DA. I have spread my wings into civil rights violations, but again this niche found me. I do occasional family law and injury law. My question is this: I do not have the time nor the money to become an expert in a completely foreign (to me) area of the paractice of law, oil and gas for example. I am quite happy doing just criminal defense work and I a fortunate enough to have built a successful practice doing just that, however; In the beginning and even now during drought months am I to turn away clients that come to me in areas in which I am qualified enough to handle but are not of my true expertise?

One more comment. I wanted to comment on your article about “rural attorneys” or ” Boutique lawyers in small towns” I have noticed in the rural Parishes where I practice (Parish because I am in Louisiana) that the small firms in rural parishes that offer a little bit of everything, have not realy excelled @ any particuliar area of law, but those with their “niche: do exceptionally well.

Thanks
Melissa Sugar
http://www.sugarlawfirm4u.com