NCLA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAWYER ACCESS, INC.

Transcription

1 NCLA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAWYER ACCESS, INC. LAW PRACTICE ACADEMY APPLICATION FOR JULY 2015 INAUGURAL CLASS JANUARY 2016 NEW ADMITTEE CLASS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAWYER ACCESS, INC. OFFICES: 202 Providence Mine Rd., Ste. 107, Nevada City, Ca MAIL TO: 578 Sutton Way. PMB 140, Grass Valley, Ca norcallawyer.org (530)

2 TICACADE What is a Law Practice Incubator? How Can A Law Practice Incubator Help Me Start My Practice? An incubator is a post-graduate program to support and assist law school graduates in starting their own solo, small firm, or non-profit practices. Incubator participants receive the infrastructure and basic training needed to get their practices up and running, and serve the local community s legal needs at an affordable cost. A law practice incubator provides a work environment where incubator attorneys can gain experience in the practice of law and knowledge about how to manage a law practice. In an incubator, newer attorneys provide legal services while being mentored, supervised, and taught by experienced attorneys. Most incubators require pro bono service and emphasize creating a practice around service to low and moderate income people. Ideally, upon completion of the program, incubator graduates will be able to launch a sustainable law practice, providing affordable services in communities where there is a need for their services. Incubators meet two important goals: they provide a structured education in the practice of law and law practice management, and they provide legal services at affordable rates for underserved communities. Incubators benefit newer attorneys by allowing them to gain experience while practicing law under the supervision and mentorship of senior attorneys. Incubators also benefit clients who obtain legal services in the incubator setting, especially in those situations where the incubator structure is built around providing affordable services to low and moderate income people. Incubators can be good environments to introduce or expand the use of technology, alternative fee arrangements, and newer models of practice that will benefit the efficient delivery of legal service to a larger client base. Published by the California Commission on Access to Justice Hon. Ronald B. Robie Chair Associate Justice Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District Joanne E. Caruso Vice Chair Vice President and Director, Global Litigation Kelli M. Evans Senior Director, Administration of Justice Office of Legal Services State Bar of California 2

3 NCLA LAW PRACTICE ACADEMY Application Information The following items are required to apply for the NCLA Law Practice Academy. If you are awaiting bar results, these items should be prepared in the meantime. Do not wait until after bar results to begin the process! Application Résumé Business Plan Interview (if selected) APPLICATION The Application itself begins on page 7. RÉSUMÉ Is your résumé up to date? Create a résumé to accompany your application. Tips on preparing a good résumé can be found at: BUSINESS PLAN Have you made a business plan yet? The goal of NCLA s Law Practice Academy is to prepare you to open and operate a sustainable solo or small firm law practice in a rural area. A detailed business plan is vital to the success of a new practice. When planning your professional career, it is important to consider the items on page 9. Among other things, candidates should consider whether/how the practice will serve modest means clients, desired practice area(s), a basic operational budget and financial goals, cost and location of office space, marketing, and overall viability. ENTREPRENEUR TESTING Starting a new solo practice is not for everyone! You must consider if being a solo practitioner is really for you. To assess your aptitude for entrepreneurship, take the self-assessment quiz which can be found at: In addition, you should start reading from the list on page 5 to help you decide if opening a new solo practice is the best choice for you. INTERVIEW If your application is selected for consideration, you will be contacted by the Academy Director. You should anticipate being asked detailed questions about the following: 3

4 Business plan Professional goals Quality of life issues Commitment to the ethical practice of law Interest in living and practicing in non-urban areas Willingness to explore ways to changes the way legal services are delivered. Interest in adopting new technology to market your practice and connect with clients in distant areas. BENEFITS? Most law school graduates are equipped with a wide body of legal knowledge, but usually lack both the practical experience to effectively represent clients and the business experience to successfully open and operate their own firm and open their own offices. NCLA s Law Practice Academy and Lawyer Referral Service bridges this knowledge gap by offering practical training and supervision our attorneys work on low income and private cases while they build their own practices. Students will begin training by participating in an intensive 8 week Boot Camp. During this time, you will put in place the processes and systems necessary to create and efficient, ethical, and sustainable law office practice. You will also receive basic training in client interview technique and representing low-income clients in areas of law common to rural counties. This process provides participants with the confidence and skills to progressively take on more complex cases as they reach their potential as skilled practitioners. Within a few weeks, we expect you to be representing clients in court under NCLA s team of experienced mentors. By the middle of the one year course, you can expect to represent modest means clients and begin receiving income through our Lawyer Referral Service Modest Means Panel. Intensive boot camp to help you start your practice Branding and marketing tools and resources Substantive law training Procedural law training Weekly case review Mentoring Supervision Free MCLE First year of Lawyer Referral Service/Modest Means panel dues waived Office space (incl. printers, internet access, and Lexis/Nexis) Access to malpractice insurance Free year of CLIO for case management Access to Continuing Education of the Bar s OnLAW Opportunities to appear in court on pro bono and other cases 4

5 Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where will the incubator be housed? The base of operations for the first 6 months of the course will be the suite of offices in Nevada City, California. After that, we anticipate most of our students will continue to be mentored as they receive clients referred through NCLA s Modest Means program. 2. What is the duration of the program? The program is structured to last twelve months. A new class will enter the Academy every six months. 3. Do I need malpractice insurance? Yes. Participants will join the Lawyer Referral Service, and the state bar requires that LRS participants carry 100/300 coverage, which is available for $50 per month. If you do not have insurance on admission, information and an opportunity to obtain low cost insurance will be provided during the first week of Boot Camp. 4. Do I need to form my own firm? Yes. You must either form your own solo firm or create/join one with other attorneys. Participants are not employees of Northern California Lawyer Access or of the law school(s) involved. In consulting with NCLA staff or other incubator participants, you will be expected to maintain client confidentiality consistent with our participants status as separate firms. Information on business formation, licensing, and other issues will be provided during Boot Camp. 5. What are the expectations of me as a participant? You will be required to comply with the ethical obligations as a lawyer and will be expected to contribute a minimum 50 hours pro bono service during the first six months of your association with the incubator. You will also be required to pay $300 each month for tuition. However, once you have been accepted onto the Modest Means LRS panel, you may apply any fees earned through that service against your monthly tuition. Mandatory attendance while be required during the 8 week Boot Camp. Classes will be held Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. In addition, you will be assigned Clinic hours each week so that you can put into practice the skills you learn about interviewing and representing lowincome clients who come to us through our pro bono and low-income referral service. As you progress through the program, you will likely spend more time in your own office. Nevertheless, you will continue to be assigned clinic hours and will be required to attend, in person or by conference call, our mandatory case review sessions on Wednesdays. 5

6 6. What resources will be made available to me? As a participant in the incubator, you will have access to shared office space at our Nevada City headquarters, along with meeting and conference rooms. As an incubator attorney, you will have access to LexisNexis and OnLAW, free MCLE, a one year subscription to Clio our cloud based case management system, free web design and web hosting through McGeorge School of Law, reduced pricing on Professional Liability insurance, extensive substantive law training, access to experienced mentors, and the ability to begin earning fees through our LRS Modest Means panel after satisfactorily completion of the first 6 months of the program. For more information and a video of recent incubators from around the country, go to : cubator_video.html 6

7 NCLA LAW PRACTICE ACADEMY APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION Basic Information: Name: Home Address: City, State, Zip: Home Phone: Cell Phone: address: Year of JD degree: Law School Attended: Date of admission to California Bar and California Bar number(s): Other bar admissions and dates (if applicable): When are you available to enter the Law Practice Academy and begin your practice? The following documents must be submitted with this application: 1. A current résumé. 2. A statement of one to two pages indicating why you want to be a solo or small-firm practitioner. (If applicable, discuss how a former work experience in the legal profession [either through an externship, internship, clinic program, or work experience prior to law school] influenced your decision to start your own practice.) 3. A statement of no more than one to two pages indicating why you should be selected to participate in the Academy Program. 7

8 4. A statement explaining how and the extent to which you expect to serve underrepresented, low- and moderate-income members of the community (including providing pro bono and low bono representation) and how, if at all, you anticipate using alternative delivery methods in your provision of legal services (e.g., unbundling, sliding-scale fee structures, etc.). 5. A business plan Please initial each statement below indicating your agreement: I understand that eligibility to enter or continue in the Academy requires that I continue to be a member of the California Bar in good standing. I agree to notify the Academy director immediately of any change in my status or of any action by the California State Bar Office of Disciplinary taken against me. I agree to carry at all times while I am part of the Academy, malpractice insurance in an amount of at least $100,000/$300,000, and to pay for any tail if the policy is a claimsreported policy. If I am selected as a participant in the Academy, I agree to abide by and remain compliant with all the rules governing the program. All statements in this application and accompanying attachments are true to the best of my knowledge and reflect realistic projections based on information reasonably available to me. I understand that any material misstatements herein may subject me to termination from the program should I be selected. I expect to provide a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono work during my participation in the Academy. I understand that I am creating my own law firm, that I am not an employee of NCLA or of any participating schools or partners, and that I have not been promised and am not guaranteed any payments. I understand that I will be responsible for developing my own clientele and that NCLA and the participating schools or partners cannot guarantee business. I further understand that in interacting with the Academy staff or others who are not members of my firm, I will be expected to maintain client confidences consistent with my status as the principal of my own firm. Printed Name: Signature: Dated: 8

9 Resources Business Plan A business plan is vital to the success of a new solo practice. Have you made a business plan? You should consider the following (and more) when you are writing the business plan for your new solo practice: What is my monthly budget? What is an effective marketing plan? How will people know that I m out there? Why will they choose me? Research cost and location of office space. What areas of practice am I interested in? Whom will I serve? (Example: Moderate to low income clients) What is the viability of my new solo practice? Examples of actual business plans can be found at: Suggested Reading List The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don t Work and What to Do About It, Michael E. Gerber The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service, Ken Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles and Harvey Mackay Getting to Yes, Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, Bruce Patton Getting Past No, William Ury The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, Stephen R. Covey Swim With the Sharks Without Getting Eaten Alive, Harvey B. Mackay Solo by Choice, Carolyn Elefant The Four Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich, Timothy Ferriss The Fire Starter Sessions : A Soulful + Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Own Terms, Danielle LaPorte The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future, Chris Guillebeau Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions, Guy Kawasaki Finding Your Way in a Wild New World: Reclaim Your True Nature to Create the Life You Want Paperback, Martha Beck 9