His blog has won multiple awards and his Twitter feed has been called a “must-read” for Canadian lawyers.

We're all taught to think of growth as a good thing – as long as it's your business and not your waistline under discussion. In fact it's counterintuitive to do anything to inhibit growth. But Carolynne Burkholder-James talks to two lawyers who say 'tis better to plan and control growth, than to simply sit back and watch it happen.

If population is the main source of power, then there's no question big firms have it all over the solo practitioner. But it's also true that small firms can leverage technology to make up for their lack of people power, and level the playing field, says James Careless.

Going it alone can be the challenge of a lifetime – in every way that the word “challenge” can be understood. Whereas in a bigger firm there will likely always be a sounding board to discuss issues that arise, the solo practitioner has to deal with them single-handedly. Or maybe not – there are peer supports out there. James Careless explores some of the options.

Law firm files are taken captive by malicious software and held for ransom. It was a good storyline for an episode of The Good Wife this season, and more common in real life than you might think – even for small or sole proprietor firms in Canada. James Careless talks about the problem, and some of the solutions.

Technology and the changing nature of the workplace itself mean there are a lot of office options for today’s sole or small practitioner, from the home-based office to space shared with other professionals, to a virtual office that can be accessed from wherever you happen to be. Finding the one that fits your needs is what’s important, writes Carolynne Burkholder-James.

We all know a level playing field makes peer-to-peer competition smoother, but did you know that some modern technologies can be great levellers for those who start off in unequal positions? Here are some tech tools that can help put David closer to the same footing as Goliath.

When we hear the word “outsourcing,” most of us think “off-shoring” – sending commodity work out of the country to a place where it can be done more cheaply. But that’s just part of the story. Outsourcing at its heart is about getting the right person to do the job, and as such can be an effective tool for small and solo practitioners.

Does your law practice slip into low gear in the summer? James Careless has some ideas for using your down time to streamline your practice and save yourself some money in the bargain by reducing waste and adopting new technologies, among others.

Whether you’re a new call in a small firm, or a seasoned practitioner who’s just hung out a shingle, there are things you should know about taxes that you might not have learned in school or in a larger firm. James Careless offers up some tips for giving the tax man everything he wants the first time.