Residency - Solo Practice Incubator Seminar (3079)

Only offered in the spring, the Solo Practice Residency Program offers a small group of students in their final year of law school an opportunity for intensive practical training in the field so that they can open their own law practices after passing the bar. Students work 3-5 days each week (8-13 credits) in the offices of a legal nonprofit or solo practitioner offering services in areas of great need: criminal expungement, elder law, family law, housing law, immigration law, occupational licensing law, or small business law. Students learn intake, means-testing, client selection, client communications, unbundled services, use of technology, efficient workflow, law office management, development and use of forms, billing, and other skills related to the specific practice area of the placement. In addition to the placement, students attend a 2-credit weekly seminar focusing on development of professional judgment, business skills, and preparation for launching a solo practice. Students must apply and be accepted into the Solo Practice Residency before being matched with a placement and are welcome to propose their own placements subject to the instructor's approval. Due to the intensity of the workload and the long-term nature of the commitment, applicants should be in their final year of law school and demonstrate an interest in starting a solo practice after graduation.