Solos Stand Tall Against Alt-Right; alt.legal Sits It Out.

When things get bad, that's when solos step up.

gavel justice RFFor the past few years, we’ve been brainwashed by academics, futurists and entrepreneurs that technology and not lawyers is the only answer to solve the enormous access to justice problems in the United States. And so each time that a new legal tech company emerges on the scene — whether it provides generally practical services like automated document preparation or a ratings platform or is based on an utterly ludicrous business model like Shpoonkle, a now defunct auction site where lawyers compete for projects based on how low they’re willing to go with their rates — it’s hailed as a savior for under-served clients.

As for solos — whom I’d always regarded as champions for the little guy — we’re now cast as inferior to DIY legal tech and legal technicians or out of touch Luddites on the verge of extinction or small-minded, self-interested protectionists intent on standing in the way of progress to protect their own turf. The solo business model is under fire as well, with some suggesting that solo practice is so inefficient that perhaps it’s no longer a viable business model and is better off replaced by national, tech-driven practices and branded networks funded by outside investment. As I approach my fourteenth anniversary of blogging about solo and small law at MyShingle, even I started to ponder whether we may be closing in on The [End] of Solo Lawyers.

But earlier this month, everything changed. Donald Trump won the election, and suddenly, our country is faced with the rise of the alt-right movement and potential threats to civil liberties and protected classes that we haven’t seen in decades. In response, thousands of lawyers — such as those who form the Facebook group Lawyers of the Left — have volunteered to defend threatened individuals on a pro bono basis. And many of the lawyers who’ve stepped up on Facebook or on various listserves where I participate have been — you guessed it — solos — who have offered free or cut rate legal services ranging from wills and name changes for the LGBT community, seminars and trainings on immigration law, defense in libel actions or preparation of amicus briefs on key topics, just to name a few.

Meanwhile, as alt-right gains traction, alt.legal is no where to be found. You’d think that with all those VC dollars and stated commitment to access to justice that we’d see alt.legal leaders like Avvo or Legal Zoom or Rocket Lawyer and all of the others offering free legal forms or services, or creating a legal protection fund or speaking out in defense of civil liberties. Instead, crickets.

Don’t misunderstand me — there’s a lot that legal tech and startup companies can and have done to improve quality and reduce the cost of legal services for all. Heck, if it weren’t for technology, efforts like Lawyers of the Left would never have materialized. But for all of alt.legal’s hype about promoting access to justice, at the end of the day, they’re all about access to venture capital; all bark, no spark. For that, we need solo.


Carolyn ElefantCarolyn Elefant has been blogging about solo and small firm practice at MyShingle.comsince 2002 and operated her firm, the Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant PLLC, even longer than that. She’s also authored a bunch of books on topics like starting a law practicesocial media, and 21st century lawyer representation agreements (affiliate links). If you’re really that interested in learning more about Carolyn, just Google her. The Internet never lies, right? You can contact Carolyn by email at elefant@myshingle.comor follow her on Twitter at @carolynelefant.

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