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TnBar Management Services Guide to Setting Up a New Practice
You can get this helpful guide in two formats. Either download it as a Microsoft Word document or view it on-line below.
Download Microsoft Word file
Checklist for opening a law office
• Decide what form your business will be (sole proprietorship, partnership, professional corporation (PC) or professional limited liability company (PLLC).
• Choose the areas of law in which you wish to practice.
• Choose a location for your office (downtown or suburbs)
• Will you set up a home office, rent office space, share office space, or locate in an executive suite?
• Other considerations include:
• Proximity to law library, access to conference rooms, small kitchen, office equipment and other resources you will need
• Proximity to major anticipated clients
• Proximity to courts and administrative hearing locations or jails
• Ease of access and parking for employees and clients
• Determine necessary office needs.
• Furniture
• Lawyer’s office (desk, chair, credenza, guest chairs, bookcase, lamp, file cabinet, chair mat, wastebasket)
• Reception area (receptionist desk and chair, guest chairs, coffee table, lamp, pictures, plants, magazines)
• Staff (desk with return, chair, lamp, chair mat, wastebasket, file cabinet)
• Office Equipment
• Telephone(s) with answering machine (or arrange for voice mail service)
• Postage scale and mail equipment
• Photocopy machine
• Fax machine
• Shredder
• Calculator
• Typewriter
• Dictation equipment (if necessary) including a portable tape recorder
• Coffee pot and cups
• Small refrigerator
• Garbage disposal, if possible
• Dishwasher, if possible
• Hardware and Software Needs
• Hardware
• Computers with adequate hard drive and resident memory capacity, preferably networked together with internal modems and CD Rom.
• Appropriate back up devices and software.
• Printers
• Scanner
• Laptop (if travel will be extensive or for use in court)
• Software
• Operating system
• Word Processing
• Legal-Specific:
• Firm accounting/time and billing
• Calendar
• Conflicts
• Case management
• Payroll (software or service)
• Practice area specific
• Spreadsheet
• Database
• Internet access
• E-mail
• Supplies (such as paper, envelopes, pens, pencils, stapler, 2-hole punch, 3-hole punch, scissors, date stamp, file folders, rubber bands, tape, 3-ring binders, staple remover, paper clips, writing pads, scratch pads, post-it-note pads and phone message pads)
• Stationery, business cards, announcements
• Personnel (receptionist, secretary, paralegal, bookkeeper)
• Library
• Specific to your practice
• Legal research services
• Books/CD Rom/On-line
• Forms
• Client interview/intake form
• Engagement letter form
• Non-engagement letter form
• Practice area specific checklists for standard procedures to be performed on every file opened in the practice area
• Time-keeping form
• Establish a relationship with a bank and open appropriate bank accounts.
• General account
• Trust account
• Payroll account (optional - can use general account)
• Client disbursement account (optional - can use general account)
• Get checks printed (general and trust).
• Arrange for a safety deposit box for wills and other client valuables.
• Prepare a budget.
• Obtain assistance from a CPA, if needed, to prepare budget statements that can be used in applying for loans or credit from a bank.
• A practice cash budget should be prepared.
• A personal living expense budget should be prepared.
• Obtain necessary insurance.
• Professional liability
• General liability
• Worker’s compensation
• Non-owned automobile insurance
• Office equipment, computer equipment and software coverage, for replacement value
• Business interruption insurance
• File replacement and valuable papers coverage
• Fire and theft insurance, for replacement value
• Umbrella coverage, if available
• Employee dishonesty coverage
• Health
• Life
• Personal
• Key man
• Disability
• Obtain a business license and necessary permits.
• Obtain a federal employer identification number.
• File federal quarterly income tax estimates for personal income taxes.
• Obtain city or county licenses or permits as required.
• Notify Board of Professional Responsibility of address.
• Notify Tennessee Bar Association of address.
• Join local bar association.
• Notify lawyer referral services of your availability.
• Notify possible sources of court-appointed work of your availability.
• Consider consulting with a CPA or accountant concerning:
• Payment of quarterly estimated taxes and other tax liabilities
• Preparation of payroll and quarterly payroll tax forms
• Treatment of client advances (asset or expense)
• Annual tax return
• Determine what type of marketing and advertising you will use (web page, yellow page ad, lawyer referral listing, brochures, business cards, sign for office, announcements).
• Establish necessary office systems.
• Accounting system
• Time and billing system
• Trust accounting system
• Docket/calendar/tickler system
• Conflict checking system
• Case management system
• Filing system
Contact TNBAR Management Services at 615-383-7421 or 800-899-6993 for assistance or answers to any questions.
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"The Setting Up Practice Guide" is underwritten by the American National Lawyers Insurance Reciprocal (ANLIR). ANLIR is a professional malpractice insurance provider marketed in Tennessee by the Insurance Planning and Service Company (IPSCO). For more information regarding the Tennessee Bar Insurance Plans, go to www.tbainsurance.com
If you need assistance with practice management issues, contact Suzanne Rose at TnBar Management Services at (615) 377-1029 or (800) 899-6993 or send us an email at srose@tnbar.org. We have information and ideas on how to improve your business.
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