When I started practicing law over 26 years ago, I was a purely Business Law litigator. About three years into my career I became tired of litigating on poorly drafted materials, so I began adding “the boring desk work” to my area of practice and have not looked back since.
The benefit of having a lawyer who handles both sides of Business is law is I am stronger in both areas. When in Court, I know what documents should have been produced in a sale purchase, but are missing, when drafting closing documents on a sale purchase, I know what Courts will look for in enforcing it.
While both litigating and handling transactions makes a Business Lawyer stronger, the same is not true for those practicing “door law” in the GTA in 2018. “Door law” means whatever the client needs, you will do. That is dangerous: criminal law, family law, real estate and of course, business law and all very niche areas. Lawyers in the GTA pick an area and focus on it: if you’re not focused, you’re going to miss something.
As a new lawyer starting out in 2018, it can be intimidating to turn away work, however, it’s important to focus on an area of law and if you do, your practice will grow.
As a client, you need to be sure the law firm you’re retaining can meet your needs and has experience doing the type of work you’re asking them to do. The added benefit to the client is that a firm that does one type of work will generally charge less as they’ve done this before and are not charging you to learn how to do something.
As I’ve said many times before: I’m Inga B. Andriessen and I’m a Business Lawyer. That’s it. That’s all. Well, except in my “real life” when I’m a scuba diver, skier, hiker, mountain biker, triathlete, runner, kayaker …. I’m running out of space here.
Inga B. Andriessen JD