This post is the first in our series by our Flex Lawyers called: “How I Became a Freelance Lawyer”. Each Flex Lawyer has a unique story and the posts will provide some insight into how one becomes a freelance lawyer. Our first post is by Erin Cowling:
I am often asked the question: “How did you become a freelance lawyer?”
I don’t know anyone who went to law school to become a freelance lawyer. Few even know what one is or what one does. In truth, I became a freelance lawyer without ever planning to be one.
I started my career as a corporate litigator at a large firm. After several years I left the firm and joined an estate litigation boutique. I quickly learned, however, that my personality was not suited for estate litigation. I wanted to start a new chapter in my legal career, but I didn’t know what or where to practice. I knew I had really enjoyed the research and writing aspect of being a litigator (writing legal research memos, case comments, client newsletters, legal articles), so when a lawyer I knew asked if I could assist her with a conference paper she was writing I agreed without hesitation. Then another lawyer asked for help with a client newsletter he had sitting on his desk. After hearing about the work I was doing, another lawyer asked if I could write a case comment for a blog post for her website.
At this point I decided to stop my job search and I started to focus on marketing my services. The next thing I knew, I had a full time job assisting other lawyers and law firms with their legal research and writing and legal content marketing. I love what I do: using the skills I learned in practice to help other lawyers and law firms on a variety of matters, from knowledge management projects to blog post writing to litigation support. And I haven’t looked back!
