Solo practice historically absorbed lawyers barred from major firms by background

Evidence

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the large law firm is the solo practitioner, who epitomizes the ideal of the independent professional and thus occupies an honored place in the mythology of the legal profession. Certainly, the prospect of being one’s own boss and choosing one’s own clients attracts some attorneys to solo practice. Social or other barriers may prevent a lawyer from pursuing other sorts of law practices. An early study described “the individual practitioner of law [as] a self-made man who came up the hard way from poor, immigrant surroundings” by attending the local law school, usually at night.7! When neither his social background nor the quality of his legal education recommended him to major law firms, he became a solo practitioner. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1053

Categorization

• XREF: Links to earlier chapters on lawyer stratification and to ch47 on accreditation standards closing part-time schools, which would have hit exactly these solo practitioners. — connects to: The nineteenth-century lawyer was a nonspecialized solo practitioner. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1035; Corporate in-house and firm capture of work is shrinking solo practice — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1055; Solo practice became the exception rather than the rule among American lawyers. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 683 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Legal profession growth substantially reflects opening to formerly excluded groups #qualifies (0.78) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1195