Sometimes, home – based professionals must make big decisions about their home – based businesses. Sometimes, there is a need for quick thinking and swift, decisive action. Fortunately, I don’t have to make any decisions like that right now because when it comes to major decisions, I don’t like to rush things. Often, home – based professionals are aware that big decisions must be made well in advance of the time that they must make their choice. I am in the process of thinking through a major decision regarding my home – based law office.
The big decision that I must make is whether I will renew my law license for another two years or whether I will choose to place my license on “inactive” status. This is a huge decision, both from a financial perspective as well as from the perspective of my career. As a full time stay at home mom with little time available during normal business hours, a traditional private law practice is not something that I can devote enough of my time to. This fact, paired with the high cost of renewing the license, maintaining malpractice insurance, and attending continuing legal education seminars make switching to “inactive” status seem like a good idea.
Just when I was thinking of accepting the idea that “inactive” status may be my best bet, a part of me woke up inside. That little voice inside of me asked me how I could possibly even consider switching to “inactive” status when I had worked so hard to become licensed in the first place. Getting my law license was difficult, to say the least. Law school was the easy part, the bar exam was far more challenging. What’s more, I like practicing law. I like knowing that I can help people with things that they need.
How, then, can I reconcile my full time career as a stay at home mom with my desire to remain in active law practice? I do not have all of the details worked out yet but I do believe that I can use some of the latest innovations in law practice, the virtual law office and unbundled legal services, to give clients the assistance that they need at a price that they can afford and on a schedule that works for all of us. I look forward to educating myself about this possibility, and to sharing my findings with all of you.
Photo by southernfried on morguefile.com.