Discover how NYC attorney Christopher Mason diversified his practice from employment law to personal injury law to achieve stability and growth.
Solo law practice can be both rewarding and challenging. For many attorneys, the struggle lies in maintaining a steady flow of clients, especially when their primary practice area faces challenges. In this article, we’ll explore the journey of NYC Attorney Christopher Mason, an employment lawyer who successfully expanded into personal injury law, providing valuable insights into the benefits of diversification for solo attorneys.
This article is part of a series featured in Law Firm Suites’ Community Counsel magazine about solo attorneys creating profits and a safety net by adding a second practice area.
The Motivation to Diversify: A Response to Market Changes
When Christopher Mason began exploring personal injury law, he was primarily practicing employment law. Like many solo lawyers, he experienced the ups and downs of his chosen field. Employment law, he explained, often comes with a unique set of challenges—cases can be difficult to win, and client acquisition requires extensive marketing efforts. As a result, he found himself searching for alternative areas of practice that could offer more stable opportunities.
“I was doing okay in employment law, but I noticed that a lot of cases weren’t turning out positive. And getting new cases wasn’t easy—it was very marketing-driven. I realized I needed to expand my practice if I wanted to continue growing.”
This realization became even more apparent when COVID-19 hit, bringing his employment law work to a standstill. The EEOC offices closed, filings were suspended, and cases slowed to a halt. In response, Christopher Mason started to explore personal injury law more seriously, leveraging his prior defense experience and his network of colleagues in the field.
How NYC Attorney Christopher Mason Leveraged Existing Networks for Personal Injury Referrals
One of the key factors that helped NYC Attorney Christopher Mason transition into personal injury law was the strength of his professional network. As a solo attorney, building a referral network is crucial for sustained growth. By maintaining relationships with colleagues from his early career, he was able to get his foot in the door.
“I had built relationships with personal injury attorneys over the years. At first, I would refer cases to them, but eventually, I started taking on smaller cases myself. They’d send me cases, and it just grew from there.”
Personal injury law proved to be different from employment law in terms of client acquisition. While employment law cases often require heavy marketing efforts, personal injury cases, especially smaller ones, came more naturally through referrals. Over time, these referrals snowballed, leading to what he described as “second-level referrals,” where former clients began referring new cases his way.
This snowball effect was the result of cultivating strong relationships with both colleagues and clients. By consistently delivering results, Christopher Mason positioned himself as a go-to attorney for personal injury cases, expanding his network in a way that employment law hadn’t allowed.
Learning from Experienced Mentors: Building Trial Experience
A significant challenge Christopher Mason faced in his journey was gaining trial experience in personal injury cases. While he had experience taking cases to the brink of trial, he hadn’t had many opportunities to actually conduct trials. To address this gap, he sought out mentorship from a seasoned personal injury trial lawyer he met at his coworking office.
“I approached a colleague who is another member at Law Firm Suites where I have my office, who had been doing personal injury work for over 25 years. He gave me guidance on trial preparation, recommended courses, and even loaned me books. While I still haven’t done a full trial myself, I feel more prepared and confident because I know I have someone to turn to for advice.”
This mentorship helped him refine his skills and improve his ability to handle cases, especially as they moved closer to trial. He also emphasized the importance of constantly learning, whether through formal courses, reading, or seeking advice from more experienced lawyers.
The Importance of Diversifying for Solo Lawyers
For solo lawyers, diversification can be a key strategy to ensure long-term stability. As Christopher Mason’s experience shows, even if your primary practice area slows down or becomes less lucrative, having a secondary area of expertise can provide an additional stream of clients and income.
By staying adaptable and building on existing networks, solo lawyers can weather fluctuations in their main practice areas. In this case, personal injury law became a natural complement to Christopher Mason’s employment law practice, allowing him to balance his workload and reduce the pressure of client acquisition.
Conclusion
Christopher Mason’s journey from employment law to personal injury serves as a valuable lesson for solo practitioners. Diversifying your practice can not only provide a safety net during challenging times but also open doors to new opportunities. By leveraging professional networks and seeking out mentorship, solo lawyers can expand into new areas and achieve greater success in their practices.
If you’re a solo lawyer struggling with your current practice area, consider diversifying. As Christopher Mason’s experience shows, it could be the key to sustaining and growing your legal career.
Get In Touch with NYC Attorney Christopher Mason
Have a question about a personal injury case or the challenges of expanding your practice into a second area? Get in touch with NYC Attorney Christopher Mason:
Christopher Mason
Tel: (212) 498-9691
Web: masonlawpllc.com
Connect with Christopher Mason on LinkedIn
