Approximately 80 percent of America’s lawyers practice solo or in small firms in communities throughout our nation.  Their work touches many people at some of the most significant points in their lives — buying a home, writing a will, settling an estate — and they are the legal profession to a majority of Americans.

As president of the American Bar Association I am making a commitment to solo and small firm practitioners, the fastest-growing segment of lawyers in our country, to ensure that the ABA provides more and better service to them as they build their practices and serve their clients. 

For many years our ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section has supported solo and small firm lawyers.  [In August], at our Association’s annual meeting in Chicago, we took the advice of hundreds of solo and small firm lawyers to make the ABA an even more valuable resource to America’s “Main Street lawyer.” 

We have created a new portal for solo and small-firm lawyers to enter the ABA, and we have thrown open the doors to our more than two dozen substantive law sections, recognizing that these colleagues practice in many areas of the law and work on behalf of a diverse group of clients. Now constituted as a Division of the ABA, this new entity will help guide its members into appropriate substantive law sections and provide practitioners the best resources and expertise that the ABA has to offer.

What does the ABA offer a solo or small-firm lawyer?  Lots of things. Advice on building and managing their law practice.  Access to a wealth of publications and electronic information to keep their skills sharp and knowledge up to date.  The best CLE programs in the country.

Opportunities to network with other lawyers and legal experts throughout the country. And a wide range of benefits, including health insurance, travel services and discounts.

Our recent change also ensures that solo and small firm lawyers will be better represented within the ABA.  The Division now elects three delegates to the ABA House of Delegates, our policy-making body, and these delegates will bring the perspective of solo and small firm practitioners to issues that affect the legal profession and their place in it, giving solo and small firm lawyers a voice and a vote.

I am very pleased to offer this tremendous benefit to solo and small firm lawyers nationwide, and I am excited about what the future holds for this growing group of practitioners and colleagues.

If you are a “Main Street lawyer” please visit our Web site, www.abanet.org/genpractice, to see for yourself all that the ABA offers.

Michael S. Greco, of Boston, is the 2005-6 president of the American Bar Association.

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