In early 2008, I left a great job as a senior associate at one of Wisconsin’s oldest, largest, and most prestigious firms to start my own practice across the Milwaukee River in an office share on Old World Third Street.  After a whole lot of work, it’s all coming together.  In the past two and a half years, I can’t begin to tell you how many lawyers I have spoken to who have told me that they too want to do this too.  But then they list a number of reasons why they aren’t ready yet and may never be ready.  I’m sure there are a number of lawyers out there who have the same thoughts, and maybe some of them are reading this blog (maybe even while they are supposed to be working billable hours).

So, rather than focus on new cases or a specific area of law, I am going to devote my month as guest blogger to issues associated with starting a law practice.  If my anecdotal evidence is correct, it is likely to have a wider appeal than anything that is substantively narrow.

This first week I will devote to the soul searching aspect of the decision.  The “why” aspect.