Solo practice is the destination for many law school graduates whether because of where they choose to practice, their entrepreneurial spirit, or the field they practice in. While school prepares them for the legal concepts, learning the business is a whole other challenge. That’s what Going It Alone aims to help with—a book by Wendy Oughtred, Law’88.

Two years after setting up her own practice in 1993, the first edition of Going It Alone came out. This year, amid her criminal law practice in Burlington, Ontario, she updated and revised the guide, adding sections on dealing with the stress of the job and new, more stringent legal considerations.

Topics like setting up your office and employer’s obligations are covered as well as technology needs and marketing ideas. Going It Alone gets into the details of networking such as where to volunteer and how to renew old friendships, plus advocating that lawyers form a peer relationship so they have someone to turn to for advice or who can cover for them when needed.

Office considerations like location, equipment, shared spaces, layout, and leasing vs. buying are discussed alongside finding and negotiating the space, renovating, and even cleaning and aesthetic finishes.

Designed specifically for Canadians, this book gets into the details of financial matters like start-up costs, expenses and billings, choosing a bank and getting to know your account manager, and lines of credit and profit margins.

Whichever of the three tradition business structures a solo practitioner chooses (sole proprietorship, partnership or incorporation), they will benefit from Oughtred’s exploration of the additional variables related to the home office, associate practice, or even buying an existing practice.

It even covers retiring, making this a full life-cycle guide to solo practice.

Going It Alone is available from Thompson Reuters.