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March 7, 2023

8 must-have books for lawyers

Books possess the potential to educate us about life and the world, and they have the capacity to revolutionize our actions. For attorneys, enhancing your abilities, learning new things, and remaining engaged are significant components of creating a thriving legal career. Literature can have a vital role in advancing your professional growth. When you’re in search of something fresh to peruse, we urge you to contemplate reading a book that will offer you a novel viewpoint on law practice or business. Below are some recommendations from Jusnote.

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

Books are perfect for gaining knowledge, inspiration, motivation, and confidence in your career. There’re many law-related books, yet you would barely read all of them. We compiled a comprehensive list of top-rated books, including some classic must-reads for lawyers, to help you succeed in your personal and business life. Enjoy your reading!

1. The Game-Changing Attorney by Michael Mogill

Today, law companies of any size compete for valuable legal cases and clients’ trust. For example, with 1,3 million attorneys in the United States, law firms can no longer lean on old approaches to draw in new clients. Along with professionalism, attorneys should become more client-oriented. Michael Mogill, a marketing expert, presents a brand-new way to engage clients and grow a personal brand online. The author explains how to create visually attractive content that appeals to potential clients. 

From The Game Changing Attorney, you’ll understand how to become a great marketer, tell your brand story, and stand out among competitors.

2. How to Start and Build a Law Practice by Jay G Foonberg (5th edition)

It is a classic must-have for both experienced and new lawyers. The book has helped hundreds of thousands of law specialists to establish profitable legal businesses.

Jay G Foonberg, a practicing lawyer with many years of experience, shares what helped him thrive in his legal career. The author gives us competent advice and practical tips based on real-life expertise on how to find clients, set the proper fees, open and operate a law office, optimize resources, and much more.

3. The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller

This book doesn’t directly relate to lawyers. Yet, it is a general productivity book that teaches us how to focus on what matters most in our personal and professional life.

You’ll learn where to direct your energy and mind to manage your finances, how to spend enough time with your family, keep in good shape, and take care of your mental health.

This book is about balancing and prioritizing your time, cutting off distractions, such as endless messages, emails, phone calls, meetings, etc., staying productive, growing your business, and reaching your work and personal goals. 

4. Solo by Choice by Carolyn Elefant

Going solo is about breaking old approaches, accepting responsibility, and making the most of new opportunities. In its third edition, the book supports lawyers who decided to work independently despite all the pandemic-related bottlenecks.

Whether you want to start a law firm or open a private practice, Solo by Choice will help you understand if a solo business is actually a case for you. Besides, you’ll learn how to combat your fears and doubts, choose technology for your practice, build relationships with clients, set agreements, maximize marketing efforts, and so on.

5. The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

You can’t successfully grow your law firm if you don’t consider its business side. Professional skills, knowledge, and experience are primary but not enough to build a profitable business in the legal market.

The E-Myth Attorney provides valuable and practical recommendations, principles, and real-life approaches to becoming a successful entrepreneur, no matter your niche. In Michael Gerber’s book, you’ll learn how to start your firm from scratch step by step, consistently improving your performance.

6. Attorney and Law Firm Guide to the Business of Law: Planning and Operating for Survival and Growth by Edward Poll (3rd Edition)

This is one of the ABA’s bestsellers addressing questions of operating a successful law firm. The book, written by Edward Poll, a business consultant with vast experience in management and law, includes relevant information to start your legal business and simplify your daily organizational duties.

The new edition also includes additional sections regarding online marketing, social media, and technology.

7. Alternative Fees for Litigators and Their Clients by Patrick Lamb

With growing client demand for alternative payment methods, your law firm should be prepared for widespread changes in the billing system, letting clients decide how they want to be charged. Patrick Lamb, a trial lawyer, shares valuable lessons on implementing alternative fee arrangements after years of experiments with alternative fees in his law firm.

8. The Marble and the Sculptor: From Law School to Law Practice by Keith Robert Lee

If you’re a law graduate and think starting a legal practice, you might be asking yourself questions like:

→ how to find a well-paid, prospective job
→ where to find a mentor to help me grow professionally
→ is a legal career the right choice for me
→ how to create a book of business, and so on…

If any of these questions sound familiar, this book is the right finding for you. Keith Robert Lee wrote this book from the perspective of a young lawyer. It covers everything from choosing law-related classes to the most successful writing techniques.

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Olena Ivanenko

Author, Content Creator at Jusnote