What it means to build a different practice
Right now, as this hits your inbox, I’m on a family vacation.
No laptop. No emergencies. No guilt.
This isn’t some fluke or “must be nice” moment. It’s what happens when you build a different kind of law practice. One that supports your life instead of consuming it.
And no, I didn’t win the firm lottery or discover some secret time-management app that does my job for me. I just decided I wanted something different. Then I built it, piece by piece.
Here’s what different looks like for me right now:
I start my workday around 10:30. My mornings are for movement, time with my kids, and space to think. I work about 25 hours a week, spread over four days. Fridays? They’re reserved for passion projects—or nothing at all. Deep work happens in focused blocks. Calls and admin tasks get their place, too. Everything runs inside boundaries that I set on purpose.
It’s structured. It’s intentional. It’s mine.
I still remember the moment I realized I had built something different. I was at my kid’s school for an end-of-the-year activity one afternoon. Not checking email. Not on a call. Just me, my kiddo, and a quiet kind of clarity that said: this is why I avoided the traditional path.
From day one, I unsubscribed from billable hours, 60+ hour workweeks, and the rigid box of what it means to “be a lawyer.” The world didn’t end. My practice didn’t fail. In fact, it was better than I could have imagined—more profitable, more aligned, more sustainable.
Here’s where I see many solo attorneys get stuck: They say they want something different, but they won’t let go of the parts that are burning them out.
Like the billable hour. I get why it feels safer. It’s familiar. It promises control. But let’s be honest: it also caps your income, creates misaligned incentives, and makes every day feel like a race against the clock.
It’s attorney-centered, not client-centered.
Switching to flat fees isn’t just about pricing. It’s about taking ownership of the value you provide. It’s about designing services that work for you and your clients. But that starts with a shift:
You’re not just a lawyer. You’re running a business that provides legal services.
And businesses get to decide how they operate.
That’s what building a different practice really means.
It’s not about working less just to work less. It’s about designing a practice that fits you. Your values. Your rhythms. Your life.
Different might mean fewer clients who pay higher fees.
Or three-day weekends every week.
Or time blocked off for yoga, creative writing, or showing up for those that matter most.
The point is…you get to choose.
And the best part? When you build a practice differently, you start to realize just how much is possible beyond the old rules.
So tell me—what does your version of a different practice look like?
Comment and let me know. I’d love to hear it.
P.S. If reading this stirred something—curiosity, resistance, hope—I want you to pay attention to that. That’s where change starts. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Just take the next right step toward a practice that feels like yours. And if you’re not sure what that step is? Leave a comment. I’ll help you find it.