23 November 2016
Great article by Carolyn Elefant for Above the Law suggesting that Trump and the rise of the alt.right will create space for solo lawyers do to what they do best, “defend threatened individuals on a pro bono basis. “
Here’s the introduction
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.
Full article
http://abovethelaw.com/2016/11/solos-stand-tall-against-alt-right-alt-legal-sits-it-out/
