This independent law guide helps you create a better law firm culture and stay sane in the process

Many lawyers choose to leave the long hours and stress that often comes with Big Law life, but then fall into some of the same patterns of overwork. Think of the following tips as your independent law guide for staying sane.

Going independent solves a lot of problems—but it creates new ones if you don’t set strong intentions at the outset.

The good news? You have more control now that you call the shots in your own law firm. The challenge is actually using 

Set boundaries and practice protecting them

Without a physical boundary between work and personal time, the lines blur fast. If you find yourself responding to late-night emails, skipping lunch and wondering when you last fit in a good workout, those are clear signs that you have boundary creep. 

As a small law firm owner, sneaking in just one more call or spending 20 more minutes on a project might feel like an investment in your business. Think about it, though: Did you go solo just to log the same amount of hours and feel the same level of burnout you did in Big Law?

Exactly. So, it’s time to think about boundaries as an important investment in your sanity and a reality-based approach to work-life balance. These boundaries support better work while you are on the clock and better sense of overall satisfaction when you clock out.

Here’s what actually works:

  • Define your work hours and stick to them. Pick specific start and stop times for each day of your work week, and designate regular no-work days. Set a timer for end-of-day and stick to it.
  • Create a physical shutdown ritual. When your work day ends, signify it with intention. For example: Close your laptop, file paperwork in your desk and set your phone in another room. You might even change clothes: Take off your jacket or tie or switch to sneakers from dress flats. These rituals help signal to your brain that work can wait until tomorrow or next week.

It might take some practice to develop these habits, but each small change can help your brain and body make a better shift into, and out of, work mode. 

Create physical separation with a coworking space

A dedicated coworking space becomes your ally in creating a better work-life balance routine as an independent lawyer. When you leave the office, work stays behind. When you arrive home, you have a welcoming off-hours space that doesn’t include a desk full of paperwork or an office computer with emails beckoning. 

If you follow a hybrid work routine, with some days coworking and others in your home office, make sure to create physical and psychological barriers between your home office and personal spaces. 

Work Design Magazine highlights the importance of creating that separation:

“Coworking spaces also play a critical role in helping employees draw clear lines between work and personal time.

Working from home can make it harder to disconnect after hours, but coworking spaces help enforce boundaries by providing a clear separation between workspace and personal space.”

The separation feels small until you experience it—then you realize how much it matters.

Say no more than you say yes

Solo practitioners feel pressure to take every case, every client and every opportunity. 

Consider where it makes sense to invest your time and energy. Your practice will grow in a more sustainable and fulfilling way when you pause before accepting each client or opportunity.

Define the clients and cases that energize you and build your practice around those. 

For inspiration, read this Forbes article in which business leaders share their views on when and how to turn down a potential client with tact. Among them, consultant Kate Dixon said: 

“It’s hard—but ultimately smart—to turn away clients who aren’t the right fit. If the client could get more from working with someone else, it serves both them and you to refer them to another service provider (or a book, training or other resources). The client will remember your help and that you didn’t waste their time or money!” 

Another point to consider: When you have a strong referral network that includes lawyers in other practice areas, it makes saying no much easier. A no from you could mean an opportunity for a valued contact and a better overall fit for everyone. 

Finally, build community

Isolation kills lawyers. You sit alone with difficult problems, tight deadlines and the weight of your clients’ problems. You have no one to vent to, no one to troubleshoot with and no one to remind you that you’re not the only one struggling.

Finding community, such as spending work hours in a coworking space, helps solve this common problem. When surrounded by peers who understand the pressures you feel as a law business owner, you have both psychological and practical support available to you. 

Staying sane as an independent lawyer means building a practice that fits your life; not a life that fits your practice. 

You left Big law to find more balance and freedom. Now, it’s up to you to use that freedom wisely.

LawBank offers two central Denver lawyer communities with coworking space, private offices and the amenities you need to build your independent law practice or small law firm. Schedule a tour today.