You may be a recent law school graduate seeking to start a new legal practice, or you could be a seasoned personal injury lawyer who wants to strike out on your own. Setting up a personal injury law firm in Chicago can be daunting. It takes hard work and dedication, but it may be the most worthwhile and rewarding step you take in your legal career.
If you are ready to set up a personal injury law firm in Chicago, these are the top five things you will need:
Attorney License
You must be licensed to practice law in Illinois. You can obtain a Certificate of Admission and Good Standing through the Illinois Supreme Court. However, bar admission is the first step to opening your personal injury law firm.
You also want to have experience in personal injury law. If you are right out of law school, you may want to consider working for a personal injury law firm to learn the ropes before venturing out on your own.
References and Reputation
There are many personal injury law firms in Chicago, IL. You need to stand out to attract clients. Therefore, it helps to have a solid reputation as a personal injury lawyer. It also helps to have a network for referrals, including other attorneys, doctors, insurance adjusters, health care providers, and past clients. You may also want to consider investing in an SEO expert to market your new law firm.
Office Space and Equipment
It takes space and equipment to operate a personal injury law firm. Your attorney-client relationship requires you to provide your clients with confidentiality and privilege. Therefore, you need a private place to meet with clients and a secure area to store files.
You also need equipment. A computer system is a must when opening a law firm. If you do not invest in a solid infrastructure, it can negatively impact your law practice.
Financial Stability
Opening a personal injury law firm is exciting. However, it may take months or up to a year before you make substantial profits. The settlement timeline for most personal injury cases is at least six to 12 months.
Therefore, you need financial reserves to pay overhead costs for at least that time period. Take time to create a realistic budget for your law firm. Underestimating overhead expenses can result in closing your law firm before it gets off the ground.
You also need personal financial resources. Most of your profits will initially be returned to the law firm to grow your legal practice. Therefore, you need a way to pay your personal bills.
Experienced Support Staff
Your clients expect you to handle their personal injury cases. However, a lawyer without an excellent support staff can get in over their heads very quickly. You need support staff that includes paralegals and legal secretaries.
However, you may also benefit from hiring an in-house investigator and office manager when you can afford to add them to your staff. An investigator is a tremendous asset to a personal injury law firm because they can conduct thorough investigations to gather evidence supporting claims. An office manager handles administrative duties so you can focus on providing exceptional legal services to the firm’s clients.
Other Things You Need to Start a Successful Personal Injury Law Firm in Chicago, Illinois
In addition to the above five essential items, you need other things to set up a successful law firm, including:
- A business plan
- A network of professional connections
- A comprehensive marketing strategy to acquire clients
- A commitment to strong ethical practices and continuing legal education
- A desire to help accident victims and their families seek justice and compensation for injuries
- Patience and common sense to deal with the issues that arise when you own a personal injury law firm
Experienced personal injury lawyers help victims recover fair compensation through settlements and jury verdicts. Illinois personal injury laws provide a way for injured parties to seek economic and non-economic damages from those who caused their injuries.