More than three-quarters of Ontario lawyers work in small or solo practice, which brings with it a mountain of challenges in a competitive market.

A new course from Windsor Law provided legal professionals an immersive and practical curriculum on how to turn their ideas into viable business strategies and start their own law practices.

More than 30 legal professionals attended “The Business of Law: Start as You Plan to Continue” over two weekends in June, learning from several industry leaders who discussed the idea, the rules, the innovation, and the pitch — four different elements required for a law practice to succeed.

Program lead Francine Herlehy, assistant dean for student services at Windsor Law, said the guest lecturers shared the lessons of their experiences.

“A strong foundation will undoubtedly pave the way to success,” she said. “The Business of Law is a practical and essential course to prepare law students and legal professionals to successfully launch and grow their sole or small practice.”

Third-year law student Vince Di Vito said he looks forward to applying what he learned to his future practice.

“The Business of Law course has been the single greatest investment I have made in law school thus far,” said Di Vito.

Kadey B.J. Schultz, program chair and a partner at Schultz Frost LLP in Toronto, said the first offering of the course has proven its value.

“We hope to make this an annual opportunity for lawyers to develop concrete skills, confidence, and an action plan to succeed in and at the business of law,” she said. “I am incredibly proud of Windsor Law’s leadership and acknowledgment that in 2019, we must empower law students and recent grads purposefully with practical skills.”

The course equipped attendees with a toolkit, networking opportunities, and connections with industry leaders.

—Rachelle Prince