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[cameron]

I think the idea was more to get a general opinion on what people might think about his firm and things related to that not on the actual technicalities.

[Truean]

I dunno.

[Truean]

I don't know if that'd work guys. Bad idea like I said.

[G-Flex]

You do not ask your target demographic how to start a business.

I most certainly do; I just did; I'm going to continue doing it.

I'm a little surprised at this. Do you realize what marketing surveys are? There is an entire industry built around exactly this.

I think we're talking about different things, then. There's obviously a difference between asking the intended demographic what they'd want out of a business, and asking them how to actually go about starting/operating the business and providing it to them.

[Zangi]

Hah.. I know one who is the same.
Here is an idea: Set-up a 2nd company as a charity/not-for-profit...  Just charge enough for operating / filing costs or none at all if needed...
You just gotta learn to take what you figure as clients in actual need and deserving of it.

Er.... Yeah.... I don't provide free legal help unless I really know the person and am personally moved on a level I couldn't bear to charge the person. Very rare. I've done it maybe 7 times in 4 years. School bully cases, old people being evicted into the street, etc.

Essentially that means I'd have to work twice as hard and have one set of customers pay for the other. Essentially you'd need to have the rich clients to subsidize the poor ones. Not a winning model....

I don't work for free. Would you?

Eh, only when I feel like it. 
Never was meant to be a 'winning' model.  Scratch the idea then.

c.) Would you be interested in having your taxes done at your attorney's office? How about a bookkeeping service? Please note that all such documents are subject to attorney client privilege (security) and further it is possible that with all your documents readily available a lawyer/accountant could advise you on getting more tax deductions/credits easier. (work transportation mileage, charitable donations). Business oriented clients often have two major concerns legal and tax, deal with them in one office?

You or someone who works there would be a Certified Public Accountant(CPA)? 
Technically, CPA are supposed to also have the same-ish agreement of not flapping the jaws about the finances of the clients.

Sounds like a good idea otherwise.  Jah knows some businesses have a mess of their books and could use some help getting that stuff straight....  (Bookkeeping consultants who help these businesses correctly do the books...)

[Astramancer]

a.) Have you ever used a lawyer (you don't need to go into specifics or anything, clearly)? If so, how did you hear about him or her? Advertising? Phone book? Word of mouth? Met that person as a member of a club you were involved in? Saw them in the courthouse? Given a name by a family member? Other?

I have used a lawyer to file bankruptcy.  I heard about them on the radio, along with a few others.  I called around and found the cheapest one that was the most accessible.  (it ended up being literally across the street from my work, I could see the office from my desk).  I had considered contacting a lawyer about some of the ... questionable practices of some of the debt collectors (I am familiar with FDCPA already, the practices were questionable and not just annoying).  However, it came to BK before I really started looking for an atty to consult with (and not sure how I would even go about finding a cheap lawyer to do that with)

b.) If you have used a lawyer in the past, how did you decide which lawyer to use?

See (a)

c.) Would you be interested in having your taxes done at your attorney's office? How about a bookkeeping service? Please note that all such documents are subject to attorney client privilege (security) and further it is possible that with all your documents readily available a lawyer/accountant could advise you on getting more tax deductions/credits easier. (work transportation mileage, charitable donations). Business oriented clients often have two major concerns legal and tax, deal with them in one office?

My taxes are simple enough that I could do them by hand (though I prefer e-filing and H&R Block has all my previous years info for ease of use), however, I can see the benefit of having an attorney affiliated with a CPA.  I suspect a non-trivial amount of small business owners would like that (especially since they'd only have to give the financial documents once, and you could fileshare from there)

[Dakk]

I say it'd be better if you just stayed with your master lawyer for a while rather then  going out by yourself. Working on his office will allow you to not only leech off his experience but also reputation. I have some friends who were considering it but changed their minds after they started working with experienced lawyers/judges/prosecutors. You are absolutely right about one thing though, lawschool teaches you tons of theory but if you really want to be a lawyer you gotta work with one, thats  college requires you to have a number of hours of actual practice before you get your degree (dunno if your country's lawschool is like that though).

That way you'll have a much smoother ride and be able to stablish yourself before going out to fend for yourself against other lawyers

The area were I live at has some pretty proeminent lawyer offices so I have alot of options, plus my uncle is thinking of opening a law firm after he retires, along with a bunch of experienced lawyers. Don't start by yourself, join up with others till you're stablished enough to take bigger risks. Remember that an important factor on how successful you'll be at first is whose name you're connected with, working with an experienced (rather successful) lawyer is already a decent boost to your name.

[Truean]

Bad idea guys I'm not gonna.

[Graebeard]

If you do partner up be sure to do the LLP / LLC thing correctly.  Can't remember how many partnership liability horror story cases I read in BA, but it was enough to strike the fear of god into me.

[Tyrs]

There's a cafe in Chicago that has their firm set up in a cafe. While almost certainly not what you have in mind, sometimes its helpful to know that there are stranger ideas that your own out there, and doing fine as well!

From a customer's point of view though, I would have loved to spend a thousand dollars less than I did when I had to go to court...

http://www.chicagoslegalcafe.com/