President's Page • February 2024

Helpful Resources for Solos Who Do It All

“There’s two buttons I never like hittin’, and that’s panic and snooze.” —Ted Lasso

I was a solo attorney for years before I had an associate attorney. Being a solo attorney means you do everything. I did payroll. I did billing. I cleaned the office. I made runs to Costco for water and toilet paper. I handled the QuickBooks. I did small repairs to the office. And in between all of this, I practiced law. I hit the panic button often, and procrastination was my friend.

No one told me how to run a business. I had to figure it out on my own. If only I had known then what I know now. The State Bar of Texas has approximately 18,000 solo practitioners, and the bar has a plethora of programs to help solos so they don’t panic or procrastinate.

As a solo attorney, if you are asking yourself, “What has the State Bar of Texas done for me lately?” I can honestly say “a lot.” The State Bar provides services to help members in their practices, including:

• Law Practice Management Program
  The Law Practice Management Program (texasbarpractice.com) provides how-to brochures, tips, and video resources that can help you start a practice, deal with day-to-day practice management issues, or close a practice.

• General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm Section
  For more than 40 years, the General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm Section has devoted its energy to the interests of solo and small firm lawyers. Join the section or learn more at gpsolo.com.

• TexasBarCLE
  TexasBarCLE offers more CLE options than any other Texas provider. Scholarships are available for lawyers who need financial assistance, and there is always at least one free 0.5- hour class online. Also, the TexasBarCLE Online Library offers free access to more than 2,500 ethics-related articles.

• Ethics Helpline
  Texas-licensed attorneys may call 800-532-3947 with ethics questions related to professional conduct rules, ethics opinions, and some caselaw. The helpline is staffed by ethics attorneys from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT on weekdays. More ethics resources can be found at texasbar.com/ethics.

• Legal Research
  The State Bar offers its members free access to Fastcase, a leading legal research service that puts a comprehensive national law library and powerful searching, sorting, and data visualization tools at your fingertips. Access Fastcase through your My Bar Page at texasbar.com.

• Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program
  The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program (tlaphelps.org) confidentially helps lawyers, judges, and law students who are concerned for themselves or a colleague with regard to well- being, mental health, or substance use issues affecting the practice of law. TLAP provides support and referrals, peer assistance programs, and much more. TLAP can be reached 24 hours a day by calling or texting 800-343-TLAP (8527).

• Texas Bar Journal
  Each issue of the Texas Bar Journal includes a “Solo/Small Firm” page focusing on topics important to solo and small firm practitioners. Thanks to an alliance with William S. Hein and Co., Texas lawyers have free access to a complete archive of the Texas Bar Journal from 1938 to the present. Read the Texas Bar Journal online and access its archives at texasbar.com/tbj.

Being a solo attorney can feel isolating at times, especially when you don’t know where to turn for help. Hopefully, these programs will help you thrive in your practice, and I encourage you to take advantage of them instead of panicking or procrastinating.

CINDY TISDALE
President, 2023-2024
State Bar of Texas