Practice Pointers

Meet Practice Management Advisor Kaitlin Forster

February 25, 2022

Kaitlin E. Forster, the D.C. Bar’s new practice management advisor, grew up in Michigan and spent summers working at the local district court in her hometown before heading to law school at Wayne State University in Detroit. After graduating in 2010, she practiced at Miller Canfield and Mihelich & Kavanaugh, PLC in Michigan before running her own D.C. firm from 2012 to 2021. At the same time, Forster worked as a Legal Counsel for the Elderly attorney. Here she talks about her path from law school to the Practice Management Advisory Service and what she learned along the way.

What was your first year like after finishing law school?

I graduated from law school in the middle of the recession in Detroit. I had a position lined up at a large firm, but I quickly realized that the practice area wasn’t the right fit for me. I moved to Mihelich & Kavanaugh and was able to make court appearances almost immediately and have much more client interaction. Also, I was able to work in a variety of practice areas and get a sense of what work I liked and what I didn’t.

What has been the most rewarding work you have done since becoming a lawyer?

I enjoyed being a panel attorney for Legal Counsel for the Elderly and providing low-cost estate planning services for seniors in D.C. Clients would often say that they felt like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders when they finished their estate plans.

When you were running your small firm, what did you most enjoy?

I enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of running my own business. If I came up with a new marketing idea or service to offer, it was quick and easy to implement it and see immediate results.

Do you have any other entrepreneurial experience?

After a stressful couple of years practicing family law, I decided to take a break [in 2015] from the legal profession and start a food business [specializing in gourmet chips]. I had always loved cooking and developing new recipes, and I was very interested in entrepreneurship. I joined a local food incubator and was able to launch my concept in under a year.

Are there similarities between the chip business and a small firm?

While the margins in a law firm are much better than any food business, there are certainly similarities in marketing. Identifying my target customer was extremely important in growing my chip business, just as identifying my ideal client was crucial in growing my law practice. When you identify an ideal customer and gear your marketing and services specifically to them, you grow in a thoughtful and sustainable way. Running a startup of any kind teaches you to pivot when necessary and work with less overhead. Efficiency and organization are essential.

How have your experiences in law and entrepreneurship prepared you for being a practice management advisor?

Starting and running my own practice in the District put me up close with the issues facing our members. Starting a firm can be daunting, and I’m happy to share what worked for me. I also know it can be helpful to talk through your business plan with someone who’s been there before. 

What do you think lawyers need to know to be successful in launching and growing a firm in an urban market like D.C.?

Even though D.C. is a seemingly large market, the world of small firm lawyers is relatively little. It’s extremely important to get to know other lawyers when you are getting started. It will give you a sense of community and help you grow your practice.            

What is the biggest misconception that lawyers have about being a small firm lawyer?

Lawyers often don’t realize that [success] really depends on how well you can build and maintain relationships. The skill of creating and maintaining connections is not taught in law schools, but it ends up being the most important part of running a small firm. The better you are at maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, clients, judges, etc., the more successful your firm will be.

What do clients want from their lawyer that they often do not receive?

I think most clients appreciate empathy, but rarely get it from their lawyers. The more you can relate to your client and let them know it makes sense to you why they feel that way about their legal issue, the easier it will be to build trust.

The D.C. Bar Practice Management Advisory Service provides information and assistance on most aspects of starting and managing a law practice in the District of Columbia. The service is confidential and free to Bar members. Reach Kaitlin at [email protected] and 202-780-2764.