Legal Commentary

Solo lawyers Carolyn Elefant and Lisa Solomon have created SoloCorps, a website with 50 videos that chronicle the "the stories, experiences, and wisdom of solo and small firm lawyers." It currently features attorneys from Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Pennsylvania; more are scheduled. Attorneys are also  invited to upload their own videos.

The project grew on the fly this summer, when Elefant and Solomon were traveling together to speak at midwest bar conferences. They turned to friends at the American Bar Association's "Legal Rebels" project, and borrowed a Kodak camcorder and wireless lavalier microphone. Florida's Rocket Matter sponsored the project.

It's no secret that the profession is in a "state of upheaval, with conventional law jobs being lost each day and BigLaw on the demise," Elefant wrote on her blog,  MyShingle.com. "Yet out of this turmoil, the solo experience edures and inspires. We want to capture the rich range of experiences of solos and small firm lawyers across the country." 

Elefant's Washington, D.C. firm focuses on energy practice and policy. New York-based Solomon provides legal research and writing services for attorneys, and runs The Billable Hour, which sells gifts and cards for legal professionals.

-- Heather Schultz, LTN assistant editor.