Legal Definitions - sole practitioner

A sole practitioner is a lawyer who operates their own law practice independently, without sharing ownership or management responsibilities with partners, and without employing other lawyers as associates. They are the sole owner and often the only attorney providing legal services within their firm.

• Example 1: Sarah, an attorney, decides to open her own law office in a suburban community. She focuses on estate planning and probate law, drafting wills, trusts, and assisting families with the legal process after a loved one passes away. Sarah manages all client consultations, legal document preparation, and administrative tasks herself. She does not have any partners sharing the business, nor does she employ other lawyers to work under her. In this scenario, Sarah is a sole practitioner because she is the single owner and attorney responsible for her entire legal practice.

• Example 2: David, a seasoned lawyer, leaves a large corporate firm to start his own specialized practice focusing exclusively on environmental compliance for small businesses. He rents a modest office space and handles all client cases, research, and court appearances personally. While he might hire a paralegal or an administrative assistant to help with support tasks, he does not have any fellow attorneys as partners in the business or as associates working for him. David is a sole practitioner because he is the only lawyer running and owning his specialized firm.

• Example 3: After several years of working for a public defender's office, Maria decides she wants to establish her own criminal defense practice. She sets up her own office, finds her own clients, and handles all aspects of their defense, from initial consultations to courtroom representation. Maria makes all the business decisions, manages her caseload, and is the only attorney providing legal services in her firm. She is a sole practitioner because she operates her legal practice independently, without partners or other attorneys as associates.