Legal incubators have emerged in response to many needs, including professional development and opportunity for new lawyers. These programs vary in form and structure. There is no set formula for success and no template to follow. The best programs will be self-sustaining, provide excellent and affordable legal services, and produce young lawyers who are skilled and committed to bridging the justice gap while establishing sustainable law practices. This session will explore case studies on various approaches taken and resources needed to launch a legal incubator.
40. Shameless plug
Join me TOMORROW for
End User Experience:
Hearing from New Lawyers Who Participated in an Incubator Program
10:00am in Zurich F
41. For more information
• Contact me at Anne-Marie.Rabago@Texasbar.com
• Visit us online at http://txoji.com
• Follow us on social media for news and program updates
Who is here at ACLEA for the first time? Second? 3x? How many of you have attends a talk about Incubators, here at ACLEA in the past?
Who are our United States folks? Canadians? Other international representatives?
Who are our Programming people? Publications? Technology? Marketing? Consultants? Vendors? In-house? Other?
Who here is a lawyer? How many of you went to LS (at least in some part) to help people?
The concept of positioning businesses together in shared office space with shared resources, training, and mentorship was created by an industrious New Yorker in 1959. According to the National Business Incubator Association, Joe Manusco was responsible for the very first incubator which counted among its initial tenants: a winery, a charity, and a chicken company. While trying to attract new businesses to the venture, Manusco referred to their complex as “the incubator,” in jest, because of all the chickens.
Today, incubators are found across numerous industries from technology to healthcare to energy to fashion, and now, the legal industry. In 2007, another industrious New Yorker started the first legal incubator at the City University of New York School of Law (CUNY).
These programs tend to share two main goals:
assist new solo and small firm attorneys with launching successful legal businesses; and
provide pro bono and affordable legal services to underserved populations within the community.
As of JUNE 15, 2018 this was the geographic landscape
This chart shows just 65 currently active programs across the US, but does not include approximately 6 programs that opened and have now closed or the 4 international programs located in Spain, Dominican Republic, Pakistan, and India for a total of 75 incubator programs
59 of the 107 entities are law schools…The recession sent people to law school (rather than the workforce). Meanwhile, law firms tightened their belts and jobs for new graduates hit record lows.
Incubators no longer have to do with NOT GETTING A JOB. I want to change this perception – 100%!
Access to justice, to lawyers, to legal services! ONLY 20% of LI & 40% MI Americans with Civil Legal Needs are able to find lawyers to help them.
Lawyers have an interest in bridging this justice gap as more and more states consider allowing “limited practice by nonlawyers and/or investment by nonlawyers.
How do I know?!?!?!
Still a lot of work to do:
We pick up where most legal aid leaves off (125% of the Federal Poverty Guideline) and span the modest-income space up to 400%.
Based on US Census Bureau data and a 2017 study published by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, we estimate there to be more than 12.7 million or 44.4% of the Texans in the modest-income space. Remember: That is not including the 5.3 million or 18.6% that qualify for legal aid (where in TX only about 100,000 are served each year).
And we are looking forward to turning this whole map yellow!
Proves theory: Ability to serve clients in rural areas REMOTELY!
152 Texas lawyers have applied join TOJI
These are the 38 Trailblazers…Disruptors…Mavericks…that fit bill.
They are all solos practitioners, but they are not alone…they have each other (and the support of the State Bar of Texas)
My favorite is #2 – “a group of warriors” because I think of these incubator lawyers as JUSTICE WARRIORS
61 million Gen Z (born 1997 or after) the oldest are 22 and headed our way
Diversity & Inclusion – Being invited to the dance, being asked to dance, and dancing like no one is watching!
Elimination of bias in the profession
5% foreign trained lawyers
11% US military veterans
As a prerequisite to joining the program, TOJI lawyers agree to focus a substantial portion of their practices on serving modest-income clients.
Structure and accountability
Flexibility & autonomy, but want to belong and feel part of something (maybe bigger than themselves)
Life long learning – access to free CLE
Group training – business planning, marketing, productivity, finance, and more
Personalized coaching - feedback and recognition
It starts with wanting to help people – make a difference…make an impact…change the world
The lawyers I have the privilege to work with do what they do for purpose (and, yes, passion)
“Work life balance” is not a thing, think WL “blend” or “integration” - they wish to achieve personal, professional and charitable goals on a continuous spectrum of life experiences.
Financial security doesn’t exist - psychological and emotional security – arguably more stable to bet on yourself
According to NALP, overall salaries for new lawyers did NOT increase from 2007 to 2016. 2017 was the first time that salaries rose for young lawyers. During this time the cost of education has outpaced inflation.
Extreme sports level student loan debt makes hanging a shingle HARD – lower barrier to entry (cost savings of $25,000 versus going it alone)
Not having experience or education in owning/operating a business makes it seem impossible
According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study, millennials are committed to personal learning and development, care about maintaining a work/life balance, and look for strong diversity.
Deloitte published a landmark survey of millennials in 2014 which painted a picture of the group as highly motivated with a social conscience. They value ethics, seek innovation, and desire opportunity.
In your materials, you will find a table that lays out options fo these five components AND links to resources that will help.
“[T]here is no need to reinvent the wheel for any of these steps! Many incubators have come before you and are happy to share their resources.”
Less time likely means investing more dollars upfront.
If 1 year or less, consider:
Hiring a director - fast or bringing on a contractor (or a few)
Launch with a small group of lawyers (2 or 3 to start)
Forego SPACE or virtual office or turnkey coworking space
Borrow curriculum or inventory what can be repurposed
If low on funds, more time is needed.
Consider investing that time to:
Identify volunteers
Carefully recruit and select a group of 8-10 member lawyers
Forego space OR seek out a donated or subsidized space
Create a structured program for delivering legal services (pro bono and/or affordable)
Launch & Scale
April 2017 1st Cohort (10 Lawyers)
September 2017 2nd Cohort (10 Lawyers = 20 total)
March 2018 3rd Cohort (10 Lawyers = 30 total)
2 lawyer attrition – 10%
TOJI 2.0
Added staff (1 FTE) – another lawyer
Reimagined space
6-month “Accelerator” followed by 12-month Incubator with
1) High touch & accountability
2) Just-in-time training & development
January 2019 4th Cohort ( 8 Lawyers = 38 total)
TOJI 2020
Beginning in January 2020, we will expand our reach by opening the TOJI program to innovative and entrepreneurial lawyers all across the State of Texas. In addition, we will market to 0-10 year licensure and entertain applications from those who are professionally transitioning – addressing two critiques of the program.
Accelerator Phase – Intense 6-months ending in a Pitch event to move into the Business Incubator Phase
Business Incubator Phase – Hyper-focus on Growth, best practices, and preparation to leave the nest before “senior-itis” sets in
Alumni Engagement –focus on turning the lawyers into the mentors they wish they had.
Through virtual delivery of experiential learning and collaboration, participating lawyers receive training, coaching, and resources to help move their businesses forward while making a difference in their communities.
In this panel discussion moderated by the Director of Chicago-Kent College of Law Solo and Small Practice Incubator, you’ll hear first-hand from participants from that program, as well as the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Justice Entrepreneur Project. They’ll be joining us to share their real-world perspectives on incubators and serving up access to justice while practicing law using innovative new models.
