Nick Goldman has been many things over the course of his life—veteran, realtor, paralegal, and now solo attorney. His past experiences have not only taught Nick valuable lessons but have all seemingly come together to prepare him for life as a solo.
After graduating as valedictorian of his law school class, Nick decided to embark on a solo career and focus his practice in an area that combines his passion, past experience, and community needs: landlord-tenant law. “I wanted to combine my love of real estate and my love of the law.” Previously, Nick had volunteered at the Housing Rights Committee in San Francisco, experiencing first-hand how important an issue housing is in San Francisco.
Nick’s experiences have granted him access to a steady stream of referrals from former clients and connections, and his past work with landowners and tenants provides him with a balanced perspective in a contentious area of the law.
Although he looks every part the seasoned attorney, going out on his own was just as daunting for Nick as for anyone else. “I knew that I wanted to set up my own solo practice, but I was unsure of how to do it. On the larger scale, my concern was whether the idea was feasible at all. Was the idea of going solo a folly or could it really be done? How could I make it happen on my own?”
For Nick, CLPI provided a stable platform to transition from law school to actually using the law on a day-to-day basis. The guidance of BASF and the support of JDC helped Nick become “bona fide” as he calls it. “Being solo does not mean that one has to go it alone. I now know that it is entirely possible for an attorney to get out of school and hang out their shingle. And that there are many seasoned attorneys who are willing to help with that process. “
And far from being alone, Nick has utilized a multitude of resources within the CLPI program to jumpstart his first year. “First came the boot camp, during which we met and spoke with solo practitioners from different backgrounds and specialties who all carried the same message: that going solo is not only possible but very rewarding on many different levels. I’ve found this to be the case in my own practice.”
As he completes his first year of solo practice, Nick hopes to build a trusted name among his clients and develop a practice that is both sustainable and community oriented.
“Looking forward, I see myself as a trusted advisor to a select group of repeat clients. With the procedures and re-sources that I have learned in CLPI, I know that this goal can be reached.”
Learn more about the Community Law Practice Incubator here
