Opening an office

• Check-List for Going Into Business: The U.S. Small Business Administration's checklist.
  
• Checklist for Setting Up a New Law Office: A highly detailed checklist developed by the Alabama Bar. 85.7 KB
  
• Florida Bar's Law Office Management Assistance Service New Law Practice/New Office Checklist: This comprehensive list guides you through multiple facets of opening an office: from banking to office supplies to arranging your space. 17.0 KB

• Getting Started: Opening Your Law Office: A comprehensive article published by the Law Society of British Columbia. 556 KB
  

• Limited Liability Legal Practice Registration Form: In order for a lawyer or a law firm to be recognized as a Limited Liability Organization under SCR 20:5.7, an annual registration form must be filed with the State Bar of Wisconsin. To help our users in this process, the form is now available for download on WisBar with complete instructions.
• Oklahoma State Bar Web Directory: A comprehensive list of resources, checklists and blogs.
• MyShingle.com Online Guide:  One of the most nationally known blogs on getting started.
• The ABA’s Young Lawyers Division Resource Guide: A great resource to help unlock your potential.

Form of legal organization

• Limited Liability Legal Practice Registration Form: In order for a lawyer or a law firm to be recognized as a Limited Liability Organization under SCR 20:5.7, an annual registration form must be filed with the State Bar of Wisconsin. To help our users in this process, the form is now available for download on WisBar with complete instructions.
• Starting Your Own Law Practice: This article discusses the legal issues to consider when choosing an entity for your practice.
  

Business Planning/Profitability

• A Business Plan and a Budget : The foundation of a successful and profitable practice.
• Don’t Just Plan – Implement: Steps to Successful Practice Group Plans
• Making Money: Your Practical Guide to Profit™: A great article by Author Ed Poll.
• Tips for Effective Law Firm Planning.
  

Insurance coverage

• Risk Management and Insurance Resources provided by the ABA Standing Committee on Professional Liability
• List of Available Professional Liability Insurance Carriers in Wisconsin: A great resource that lists carriers in every state.   

Office planning

• Formal Opinion E-00-02: Sharing Office Space with Unrelated Entities - State Bar of Wisconsin Ethics Committee: Professional ethics opinion E-00-02 considers lawyers sharing office space, support staff, and equipment with unrelated entities.
  
• Formal Opinion E-00-03: Electronic files; client's demand for electronically stored documents - State Bar of Wisconsin Ethics Committee: Professional Ethics Opinion E-00-3 considers whether lawyers must provide clients with disk copies of the clients' documents, including what files belong to clients, who owns the computer files, and who pays for retrieving the documents.
• Opening and Maintaining Client Files: A comprehensive article published by the Law Society of British Columbia. 606 KB