Case Loads

A law student, and prospective solo practitioner, recently asked me a great question about handling cases. The question was, "how many cases do you think you can handle at any one time as a solo with no staff before you can't handle it?"

I'd never really considered the question, because I've never had that problem. Like any good attorney, my answer was as vague as possible. I simply said that "it depends on various factor, but probably no more than 100."

We continued discussing the various factors, problems, and scenarios. I've though more about the question and some of the intricacies, and continue to believe that 100 is the magic number.

Here's my thoughts, and I'd like yours:

First, many cases are not so intense as to require a significant amount of time. Sure, you'll have heavy periods, but like anything, you're going to have a significant number of slow periods. If you're good at time management, and you improve your organizational skills, you'll likely be able to handle this many cases alone.

Second, if you're focusing on one or two practice areas, chances are, you'll see a lot of the same issues. Therefore, it's easy to convert/modify pleadings, letters, etc., from another case to your current one. This will save some time and other hassles.

There are some drawbacks too with handling everything yourself.

As chief and worker, you're responsible for everything that happens in the law office. You're responsible for the letters that go out, and answering the telephone, sometimes at the same time. Every task you have to perform takes time, and takes away from the tasks on other cases. You must be able to do everything quickly and efficiently.

Having a large number of cases also results in a large amount of excess work. In order to settle each claim, you have to work the file. This extra work can add extra stress and longer work days. I've spent several late nights/early mornings worrying about the cases and the tasks that need to get done.

It's really easy to think that you can handle everything alone without support and staff. The truth is, most of the things you can do alone. However, like any business, if you want to grow and serve your clients best, you need to add support staff.

You can add staff in a number of ways. For instance, you can hire an intern (check IRS restrictions/labor laws on this) to help draft documents and work with you. This is a great opportunity for the intern, and can add some extra value to your business.

You may also hire a "virtual assistant" who can draft routine correspondence and help reduce or eliminate some of the mundane tasks that take extra time. Remember, every minute you can save yourself from having to draft a letter to someone on the case, is a minute you can devote to other paying tasks.

There are a variety of things you can do without incurring a large amount of overhead or extra monthly costs. The important this is to be creative.