In a discussion with Lawyers Weekly, Emily Purvis, principal at PURE Equine Law; Marija Caruana-Smith, principal of Altura Legal; and Peter Katsoolis, principal at Katsoolis + Co, discuss why they believe sole practitioners can provide legal assistance comparable to or even superior to that offered by larger law firms. They also discuss the strategies they have implemented to instil confidence in their capabilities and the lessons they have learnt from competing in the market dominated by larger firms.

The advantages of sole practitioners

Emily Purvis highlighted one of the key advantages that sole practitioners can provide is their ability to deliver highly personalised services to their clients.

As a sole practitioner, Purvis articulated her capacity to engage closely with her clients, enabling her to understand each other’s distinct needs and preferences.

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“Sole practitioners can offer a highly personalised service – in my practice, I work closely with clients, which means that I get to know what that particular client needs and can adjust accordingly,” Purvis said.

Purvis explained that many sole practitioners specialise in specific areas of law, which enables them to offer a profound depth of knowledge and expertise.

“Many sole practitioners also focus on niche areas where they have in-depth knowledge and experience, which can be advantageous for clients,” Purvis said.

Marija Caruana-Smith emphasised that one of the notable advantages sole practitioners offer is their ability to provide their clients a comprehensive and holistic experience.

Purvis outlined that unlike large law firms, which often follow a more fragmented approach to client service, sole practitioners tend to offer a seamless and cohesive experience.

“In a large firm, a client’s matter is usually managed by multiple lawyers who may not see the matter through from start to finish. Our experience is not necessarily confined to certain stages of a matter. Instead, we are often more agile and better placed to provide our clients with a real understanding, confidence and agency about how we will strive to achieve their desired outcome together across the entire process.

“As a sole practitioner, I offer this holistic experience, seeing things through from start to finish while maintaining a clear understanding of my clients’ needs and interests. They work directly with me, the lawyer they met at their first meeting, and they remain with me throughout their journey,” Caruana-Smith said.

Peter Katsoolis similarly expressed these views, noting that sole practitioners can frequently deliver services more promptly and respond effectively to their clients’ specific needs and preferences.

“A sole practitioner can offer a level of care, concern and, importantly, continuity over a matter that might not be as readily available when multiple lawyers of varying levels of experience are responsible for its conduct.

“The buck starts and stops with me. I am wholly responsible for the best outcome every step of the way,” Katsoolis said.

Overcoming client perspective

Despite the evident advantages associated with sole practitioners, numerous clients continue to maintain the perception that larger firms possess superior resources and deliver more favourable outcomes.

Caruana-Smith revealed that some of her clients have asked her, “Is there any point in this, as the other side has a BigLaw firm on their side?”

To address this perception, Caruana-Smith explained how she reassures her clients that the efficacy of legal representation is not exclusively contingent upon the firm’s size but is primarily influenced by the individual lawyer’s dedication, comprehension of the client’s needs, and strategic methodology.

“I reassure them that the size of the firm doesn’t matter. It’s who works within it, how well those lawyers understand their clients’ matters, their interests and their end goals, and the approach they take to reach a successful outcome. I really listen to my clients to fully comprehend their issues, then work out what outcome would be in their best interest before strategising on what approach to take (how we can best get there),” Caruana-Smith said.

“I also provide real-life examples to my extra cautious clients of when I’ve been up against larger firms and achieved outcomes that reached or exceeded my client expectations to show that it is possible to succeed when teaming up with a sole practitioner.”

Katsoolis expressed how he believes that sole practitioners do not need to promote their status and standing in the legal profession against larger firms, as they are their “own library of resources”.

“The established sole practitioner is their own library of resources to a client and does not need to rely on years of ‘combined’ experience to advertise their status and reputation in the profession,” Katsoolis said.

Strategies for differentiation

To distinguish themselves in a market often dominated by larger firms, sole practitioners can implement various strategies and initiatives.

Purvis elaborated on how embracing her true self not only empowers her but also serves as a magnet for potential clients, allowing her to foster genuine and meaningful relationships.

“Being authentic and leaning in to my unique qualities. I care about people and genuinely want to build positive relationships with my clients.

“By showing up each day as my authentic self, I attract the clients that this resonates with,” Purvis said.

She additionally disclosed her approach to demonstrating her expertise to potential clients through her social media posts, in which she shares legal information and facilitates opportunities for clients to become better acquainted with her.

“I share a lot of legal information online via social media, and this also gives prospective clients the opportunity to get to know me first,” Purvis said.

Caruana-Smith indicated that an effective strategy she has implemented to transform the prevailing narrative and highlight the advantages that sole practitioners can offer is her active participation in industry events and local networking groups.

“The strategies I’m currently finding most effective all incorporate being out there, among the community, and talking with them, person to person. For example, I seek out opportunities to present at industry events and conferences,” Caruana-Smith said.

“These shared learning, growing, and developing experiences provide [an] opportunity to demonstrate my unique value proposition and the fact that sole practitioners are as equally capable as the larger firms of delivering successful legal outcomes.”

She added: “I’m also involved in several local networking groups, through which I share my knowledge of and successes in the legal profession and outline the many ways sole practitioners in the legal space can (and do) help. This strategy reaches a broader audience across multiple industries and leads to word-of-mouth referrals that soon turn into solid business relationships.”

Katsoolis underscored that what sets him apart from larger law firms is his unwavering responsiveness to clients and his consistent availability to assist them with their diverse needs.

“I am solely responsive to clients and treat each client uniquely. I am available on the end of a phone anywhere in the world, usually 24/7,” he said.

Katsoolis emphasised the crucial impact that word-of-mouth referrals have in attracting new clients.

“Word of mouth referrals based on respect and reputation, be they from other clients, colleagues, third-party service providers and the judiciary, are still crucial,” Katsoolis said.

Lessons learnt

The journey of competing with larger firms has imparted valuable lessons on adaptability and client relationships for these sole practitioners.

Caruana-Smith articulated that a significant insight she has acquired throughout her professional journey is the understanding that sole practitioners and larger law firms stand on equal footing in the legal arena.

“My key learning to date is that when it comes to capability to achieve outstanding results for our clients, we are equals in the playing field, no matter the size of our business. If a sole practitioner brings specialised knowledge, tenacity and dedication to the table, the BigLaw firms have no perceived advantage, in my view,” Caruana-Smith said.

“I’ve also been learning from the gaps I’ve perceived in larger firms, such as the multitude of lawyers working on one matter, and the issues this can cause. I’ve come to understand how a holistic, end-to-end service is of great importance to many clients – they want consistent communication, ongoing reliable support, and a trusted relationship with their lawyer. And they want to work with someone who is as invested in them as they are in you.”

One key takeaway that Katsoolis has obtained is the critical importance of cultivating and maintaining a solid reputation, emphasising that reputation constitutes their most valuable asset.

“At the end of the day – and, indeed, night – a lawyer’s reputation is all you’ve got. You have to keep getting results but also maintain the respect of the court. A good name and reputation, like expertise, takes time and is hard-earned,” Katsoolis said.

Purvis further said: “There are clients out there for everyone – the right fit (whether that be a sole practitioner or a larger firm) for each client will depend on their needs and what they are looking for.”