How I Niched My Practice with John Tucker
Lawyers specializing in a particular niche can often find greater success and profitability for their firm. However, many law schools don’t cover specialized topics, leaving it up to lawyers to self-educate on what they’re passionate about.
One way to determine your niche is to start with your interests. For example, medical malpractice might be an area worth exploring if you were interested in becoming a doctor but didn’t pursue it. Alternatively, if you find the Constitution and history fascinating, specializing in Second Amendment law could be a good fit for you. Ultimately, finding a niche that aligns with your interests can lead to a more fulfilling career and a more successful one.
In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve interviews John Tucker, Managing Partner at Tucker Disability Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. John initially wanted to become a doctor, but some high school classes deterred him, and he pursued a law career after teachers’ encouragement. Six months into his legal career, he received a disability insurance case referral, and it sparked his interest in disability law. Despite having no prior exposure to the subject in law school, John self-educated himself on disability law, which led to starting a successful practice that enabled him to travel, coach others on finding their law niche, and develop his team members.
John shares several secrets to his success. They include:
- The law niche you choose should be something you have a great deal of interest in. John’s interest in medicine didn’t lead to him becoming a physician. Still, his fascination took him into disability law, where some medical knowledge helps him serve his disability clients more effectively.
- His personality doesn’t lend itself to networking events, but John quickly found that by networking with other attorneys–personal injury attorneys in particular–they don’t want disability claims. They were happy to send their disability clients his way. But he had to first make those connections to position himself as an expert in that space.
- Pursuing your hobbies and interests outside of work is crucial to avoiding burnout. When he first began practicing law, John was the guy who worked all the time and didn’t have any hobbies outside of work. A significant life change caused him to rethink that, and he started getting involved in his community, traveling more, and enjoying life beyond work. He now makes it a point to take time off because when he returns, he’s refreshed and brimming with new ideas.
If you want to learn more about niching your practice, check out https://atticusadvantage.com/episode022
Steve Riley
Certified Practice Advisor & Attorney
Steve Riley has coached attorneys for more than 20 years. His one-on-one coaching focuses on a limited number of top producing attorneys committed to taking their practices to new levels of excellence, profit, and personal success. He also presents at group coaching workshops around the country for individual law firms, state bar associations, and other legal organizations.