Legally Easy

Bar Exam & Post-bar

2009-07-02T05:22:00.002-05:00

Well, it's almost time for the harrowed bar exam. I took the dreaded test this time last year. It was nerve-racking and stressful, but I tell you, you will get through it! Good luck!

Valuable Resources

2009-05-21T06:34:00.002-05:00

There are some resources that are simply too valuable for you not to take advantage of in your law practice. The ABA's publications for the Law Practice Management section are just those. This month's issue of the LPM e-zine, Law Practice Today, contains some helpful information for all individuals.

I found two of the articles, Using Windows on Your Mac, and How Much Money Do You Need to Start a Law Firm, very pertinent to my own practice. I also enjoyed, A Formula for Shy Attorneys, which gives some helpful tips to encourage everyone to be more outgoing in your practice marketing/networking.

Keep your promises

2009-05-12T11:03:00.002-05:00

My friend, Eric Urbach, has a great post at his website titled, "You Have a Great Case!" His article discusses one of the biggest traps you'll face as a young attorney: The inclination to tell the client what they want to hear. Eric notes that these fateful words can be misleading, especially when you consider the complexity of many cases.

I'll affirm Eric's warnings, and note one other thing: never feel sorry for a client. I don't want to sound harsh, you should feel sorry so you can advocate, but never get so emotionally involved with a client or the client's case that you lose perspective. I had a client who fired me, then asked that I return back as the attorney. I took the client back because I felt sorry for the position the client was in. What I didn't realize was that by breaking my cardinal rule, I essentially enabled or encouraged the client to "walk all over me." This mistake didn't affect the outcome of the case (the client fired me a 2nd time), but it certainly affected our relationship.

Advice for Building a Profession Services Firm

2009-05-11T12:12:00.002-05:00

There's this great post that discusses some of the beneficial habits for building your firm. Anything that reminds you of customer service is something to grab hold of.

I especially like habit # 9: Don’t keep people waiting in your reception area. Imagine every minute they wait reduces their trust by 5%.

Citigroup v. Students

2009-05-11T06:38:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this story. Apparently Citigroup is lobbying for people to oppose the President's new proposal to lend government-backed student loans directly to students. This would eliminate the "middleman," and possibly create a new department/agency/"bloated government wasteful entity" to handle student loan lending.

On one hand, I like the concept of not having to work through institutions like SallieMae to get money for college, but I'm partially opposed to bigger government.

There's a few things about Citigroup's letter that offend me. I don't believe that privatization of student loans actually has any beneficial effect on students. I know in my lending experience, I rarely examined the lender, and regualarly went with my school's suggestion. Also, I don't think that counseling programs are beneficial in helping students establish good behaviors (i.e. the bankruptcy process), rather they're simply another way to inform borrowers about the responsibility of paying back the loans.

I can't tell how to vote or feel, because I don't know, but you should definitely be aware of this push.

Hosted vs. Unhosted Exchange

2009-05-02T15:09:00.004-05:00

I've noticed that the number 1 thing a lot solos and smaller law firms wonder is, "how can we share calendars among our attorneys and staff?" The simple answer is Microsoft Exchange. It's the standard, and the best.

However, most people gasp when they examine the price. Everyone is looking for "shortcuts" to capitalize on the Exchange platform, without the price. One program, ShareO, does the trick. It's not difficult to set up, and it works well. There are some glitches, but in general, can you beat the price tag? See a review here.

As Mr. Ross Kodner pointed out recently in a Solosez thread, Exchange comes with the system if you purchase MS Small Business Server software. This is a great advantage because you're getting all of the benefits of Exchange SBS, without compromising on the quality. We purchased a new server over 1 year ago in the office with SBS 2003 from Dell. It's a great product, great price, and it's wonderful to have synchronized calendars. Be advised though, there are some maintenance requirements that you must be aware of. It's not for the faint of heart to manage, but once it's up, you're doing great. Note: you can find some excellent (more affordable) server options by visiting the Dell Outlet. If you're not opposed to purchasing a computer someone else owned (and why would you with a Dell warranty), then this is a great option.

One final suggestion is hosted Exchange. This is often a simple alternative for a lot of firms who are concerned about the mechanics of their own Exchange system. I've opted (for a number of reason) to move my stuff to Sherweb. It's a great service, and at $9 per month, it's an unbeatable price. It took me less than 30 minutes to signup and setup my systems.

There are so many choices, but you can hardly go wrong with the one you make.

Feedburner

2009-04-27T14:56:00.001-05:00

You should quickly subscribe to our Feedburner feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/legallyeasy

Solo Practice University

2009-04-27T14:44:00.004-05:00

I have to hand it to Susan Cartier Liebel, she has created a valuable tool for solo practitioners with her Solo Practice University.

I signed up as a "test" before the price increase deadline, thinking, "I'll try it out for a week, then quit." Man, I'm hooked!

There's so many different things to experience on the site, that one week or month, couldn't get you through. While I find that some topics may be "for beginners," there's so much advice in every class, that it's not worth passing up. You're getting a valuable "education" from real-life lawyers (like the adjuncts we all loved in law school), who actually, versus theoretically, know what the real world is like. This is the education you thought you were getting when you went to law school.

Twitter Marketing

2009-04-27T14:35:00.003-05:00

Jay Fleischman posted this gem regarding Twitter on his Bankruptcy Practice Pro site. Jay is (in my opinion) the bankruptcy guru (see here for proof).

This post give an excellent analysis of using Twitter to your advantage. A lot of the older generation (and some young ones) are scoffing at Twitter and Facebook, because they seem childish or "stupid." If you're just starting out as a new attorney/solo, there's no better place to be. Twitter's a great way to get information quickly, and make sure you're staying ahead.

Workplace Visibility

2009-04-24T07:19:00.003-05:00

There's a new article in the ABA Journal that at more BigLaw firms, young associates are opting for more time in the office, "being seen", as opposed to flexible schedules and part-time schedules. The reason: layoffs.

This got me thinking about whether face time is really that important. Obviously if you're a "home-office lawyer," then face time isn't important. How about situations like mine, where you're in a small firm or office-sharing arrangement?

I know that for some folks, being seen is as important as the work you're doing. We have one attorney in the office who quite commonly goes into each office at the start of the day to chat. He's the proverbial "social butterfly," and often imparts much wisdom. Another attorney is rarely in the office because of his demanding criminal/family law practice.

Both of these attorneys are quite successful, and each receives a fair number of referrals from attorneys in the office based on their specialties. I believe that your success then isn't necessarily based on the office time you're putting in, but rather, it's based on the connections you're making while you're at or away from your office.

Duty to Protect Private Information

2009-04-14T06:30:00.005-05:00

Apparently the FTC sees identity theft as a major problem that needs to be rectified quickly. There's this interesting article on a new rule created by the FTC that requires creditors to have written policies stating how the creditor protects a client's private information. Lawyers get lumped into the rubric of "creditor" because most lawyers and law firms collect and keep lists or databases of private information. The rule requires that the creditor protect information and identify "red flags" that pose a threat to the private information.

This is serious stuff for attorneys. I don't think there are very many of us who could reasonably identify procedures we use to protect client information, let alone to articulate that into some meaningful written policy. It's a good thing to think about though as you're preparing or managing a practice. Just think about the multitude of ways that private information could be stolen.

For instance, how much do you know about your cleaning company's employees? Where are your files located? What type of information are you sending over the internet? How often do non-employees (family, friends, close colleagues, etc.) come past the formal reception "barrier"? What security measures do you have in place to protect your computers or wireless systems from potential attacks?

I don't disagree with the policy, it's a reasonable policy in light of the numerous concerns. Moreover, this gives law firms an opportunity to strengthen their protocols and eliminate or minimize severe risks.

Six Months of Productivity

2009-04-08T12:21:00.003-05:00

Next week there's going to be a new flock of Oklahoma attorneys. In celebration of that event, I've decided to show you my balance sheet beginning from October 1, 2008 to today. You'll see I haven't made great money, but I've been able to pay the mortgage, a car payment, utilities, and feed my 2 kids. If you'd like some advice on how I've done it, check out this post.

ABSOLUTE LEGAL SERVICES, LLC - PROFIT & LOSS SHEET (Oct 1, 2008 - April 8, 2009)

Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Hourly Fees 2,986.28
Legal Fee Income 17,898.87
Uncategorized Income 196.01

Total Income 21,063.16

Cost of Goods Sold
Subcontracted Legal Services 107.66
Total COGS 107.66

Gross Profit 20,955.50

Expense
Advertising -19.87
Automobile Expense 133.75
Bank Fees 254.40
Business License & Permits 100.00
Computer & Internet Expense 717.00
CLE 40.00
Dues & Subscriptions 50.00
Insurance
Professional Liability 275.95
Meals & Entertainment 146.20
Office Supplies 399.42
Postage & Delivery 119.28
Printing & Reproduction 15.00
Reconciliation Discrepancies 1,786.41 *Note: be more detailed on CC tracking
Rent 0.00 *Note: I save a lot b/c of my arrangement
Repairs & Maintenance 32.17
Research Services 240.00
Telephone Expenses 582.67
Travel Expense -29.70
Utilities 247.40

Total Expense 5,090.08

Net Ordinary Income 15,865.42

Other Income/Expense 84.95

Net Other Income -84.95

Net Income 15,780.47

Here's a few notes on the list. It's a little skewed because I just had (April 6) a significant contingent settlement that netted a large portion of the amount. I've noticed that a few of the numbers (ie "utilities") were misplaced and now are in their correct category (telephone). Also, you'll note that there's no student loan payments, poverty has it's advantages (said with jest and a smile). Those have to be considered in your solo decision.

For 6 months, I'm particularly satisfied. If I closed the practice today, I'd average about $2,600 as a monthly paycheck. Right now, that's only $31,000 per year. Sure, I could make a lot more working for someone else (maybe), but I'd have to sacrifice some things to do it.

The greatest thing I've seen is that you can do it, but you have to be smart. If you let yourself get carried away (I have on some things), you're going to burn.

Blog, Blog, Blog

2009-04-08T12:09:00.002-05:00

The ABA Journal has an interesting story regarding the profitability of law firm blogs. This story contains an interesting perspective on how to bring in clients, and improve your firm's marketability. Of course, if you've been reading experts like Jim Calloway, Susan Cartier-Liebel, and Carolyn Elefant, you already knew this, and you probably are updating two or three.

6 Months

2009-04-08T07:45:00.003-05:00

I've been practicing law, and in my own firm, for 6 months now. Of course, anyone who tells you that solo practice is the best decision right out of school is probably bluffing. Its been a good decision for me, although it's certainly a lot more comforting to know you'll have a paycheck each week, like clockwork, I'd hesitate changing what I'm doing. You can't beat deciding that an afternoon spent at the zoo, a movie, or the park with your family takes precedent over any type of law work.

For me the solo choice was a no-brainer (see here). It's quite easy to pick your "poison" when you're only given one choice.

Thus far, the greatest thing about solo practice is being able to manage and do the things I want to do. I'm getting ready to enroll in Solo Practice University, to help me develop ideas and build my practice. I'm also involved in religious and public legal networking forums to help develop relationships.

As always, if you're interested in getting advice, tips, etc. regarding my first 6 months or my progress to solo practice, drop me a line. You can also follow me on twitter: @absolute_legal. I post regular legal and nonsensical stuff.

As the February examinees are sworn in, I wish you all good luck. I hope you find much satisfaction in the practice of law.

Domain Name No Brainer

2009-02-28T04:02:00.003-06:00

I like The Blog of Author Tim Ferris. If you're not familiar with Tim, you should read his book, The Four-hour Work Week. I wrote a short piece about the practicalities of Tim's methods in the legal practice awhile ago.

Well, in this post, Tim introduces us to James Siminoff, a professional domain name buyer. James gives some excellent advice regarding purchasing domain names on the cheap.

This is a great post because it gives newbies and idea of what to do and how to do it. Susan Cartier-Liebel encourages new solos to buy their domains early to prevent domain squatters. James' advice finally gives you some understanding on how to effectively negotiate the purchase.

If you'd like a "small law firm" to handle your negotiations, let me know and we'll work out an arrangement.

I'm Solo by Choice (or Force)

2009-02-27T06:59:00.002-06:00

I get quite a fair number of questions from new or soon-to-be attorneys about starting their own practice. Most of these new entrepreneurs are concerned about the state of the economy, and the potential exposure to a future catastrophe, if they join a firm. Being a relatively new attorney myself, I think these lawyers find comfort in the idea that someone else is doing it, and he's surviving. I don't know whether very many of them are truly seriously considering the solo option, most are "just considering it if something else doesn't come along."

Well, my first response to that is, "what will you do if something doesn't come along?" I think a lot of people are hoping to have something nailed down, but in reality, there's still far too many people who graduate, pass the bar, and remain unemployed. I don't know about you, but I didn't go to law school and incur a large debt just to find a job waiting tables at the local Texas Roadhouse restaurant. I knew I needed money, or some kind of career immediately, so I branched out on my own. I started Absolute Legal Services, LLC, and couldn't be happier. While I'm not bringing in the large (and stable) paychecks an associate does, I have the freedom and security that I was looking for.

I wrote about my suggestions previously, I still endorse those, and add one more: in this endeavor, you're captain, cook and chief toilet scrubber, get used to it. If you can't/don't want to type your own letters and lick your own envelopes, this probably isn't a good fit. Also, always remember, you can be pretty picky with your cases/clients at the beginning of the month, but by the end of the month, you're willing to do just about anything that pays some money. However, never forget that you have an ethical responsibility to be competent at every case (this doesn't mean you know what you're doing when you start), and if you can't, you'd better get help.

I'm heading into my 6th month of active practice. Time flies! Take every advantage that you can to create your own personal happiness.

Oklahoma Legislation

2009-02-24T07:19:00.001-06:00

Oklahoma's legislature has approved a measure advocating a cap on contingent attorney's fees. I wrote an article about the measure a few days ago, you can check it out here.

The Collapse of Big Law

2009-02-04T03:44:00.004-06:00

Sorry for the delay in posts. Things have been gathering steam in my own law practice, and like any good marketer, I'm chugging away writing for the firm's blog.

While my practice seems to slowly be building, others in the profession are not so lucky, especially those in big firms. It seems my daily feed from the ABA Journal is almost continually filled with stories about big law layoffs, like this one. The tragic thing is that some of those individuals have limited or no experience being a lawyer, and now face the challenges of finding work with the other 5,000 souls doing the same thing.

I have a friend who works for a corporation in a position he thought would lead to an advancement and an eventual career practice. He recently discovered that his aspirations are being cut short as the company is freezing all hiring and promotions. He's now stuck in a position he hates, and a job that gives him almost zero practical legal experience. His solution is to try and negotiate new employment, without the benefit of any real-world lawyer experience.

My friend's experience matches those of a lot of young attorneys who are seeking changes in their careers, or are faced with the shocking reality of the job market. I have a constant flow of young lawyers or law students who seek advice from me regarding their futures.

I think these individuals are looking to me as their exemplar to gauge how well they can make this leap into solo practice. I have 2 children, a mortgage, car payments, and all of the other expenses you can see piling up on somebody, so to these folks, it's a pretty good measure of their ability to succeed.

In light of that, I'll offer a generic feed of advice to all those who are stalking around, seeking to know how a 32 year-old, father of two, manages to survive.

First, never (well almost never) would I have made this leap without the support structure I have in place. I opened my practice in the same office, with the same people, I'd clerked for and worked with during law school. Therefore, I knew when I graduated from law school I'd have a series of mentors and other attorneys who would support me, advise me, and generally enable me to quickly acquire the knowledge and skills I'd need to be successful.

Moreover, I also had an arrangement during law school where I began working case files, with the understanding that upon passing the bar exam, I'd share in a portion of the proceeds from those files. During my last semester of school, I worked those files into positions where they would settle or be close to settling during my first few months of practice. This would enable me to build clients of my own, while having a steady stream of income for the months of starvation.

Second, I made myself extremely valuable to the attorney I sub-lease from. I used my knowledge of computers to negotiate a fair reduction in rent, which has enabled me to put money into other tasks. I act as the office on-site computer technician in turn for the rent reduction. Obviously, once my practice picks up, and I have a steady stream of income, I'll drop this arrangement. For now though, this is a considerable savings each month.

Third, I use every opportunity I can to learn specific practice areas (i.e. bankruptcy, wills & estates, consumer law) that I think will be the next "gold mine." I use my ample amounts of free time reading articles, talking to other attorneys, and volunteering my time in "special projects." I believe that if I acquire enough experience (any amount is better than none), I'll have an increased amount of business from referrals and other sources. This marketing/education method is beginning to pay off in a short few months as more of my contacts are trusting me with clients in these specialized areas.

Fourth, I listen to everyone, and try to ask a lot of questions. I can't stress enough that I knew next to nothing about the actual practice of law, and what I did learn during my time as an intern was particularized to one area, litigation/personal injury. What I realized quickly was that it's very difficult to survive in a litigation-only practice, unless you're an experienced attorney.

Therefore, I needed to find other niches where I could make money, while the "bread and butter" litigation cases waited to turn. In turn, I also found that these niche areas also were particularized and often followed quirky rules, procedures, and other things, I didn't learn about in school. Question-asking was very important, and listening to the responses was even more important. By asking and listening, you show your counselor that you're willing and able to take the advice. More importantly, you show him/her that you're humble enough to recognize difficult areas, and you're seeking their expertise and good sense. You've built a mentor-mentee relationship, and a guaranteed source of future referrals.

Fifth, read everything about running a business, marketing, law practice, finances, etc. Blogs, ezines, books, emails, everything you can get your hands on. There are some brilliant people who have done/are doing exactly what you're contemplating. Sometimes, just reading their advice can give you encouragement to continue. Most of the time, you'll find where you can reevaluate your business model and make changes, both personally and professionally. By the end of those days you're alone in your office, you should be sick of reading. Now is the time to develop that knowledge. If you can't, then ask yourself, "what else am I going to do." If there's something else (not surfing the internet for deals on eBay or playing solitaire), do it. Most of the time there isn't, so read.

Finally, (or finally on my list now), you must have someone who will support you in the lean times. I have a wife who recognizes and appreciates my goals and desires, and is willing to sacrifice some of her wants in order to help me succeed in this endeavor. We have spent countless hours discussing options, goals, plans, etc., with the hope of understanding the future. You must have a spouse, relative, significant other, special teddy bear, or whatever, who is willing to support you in this struggle. You should not have any loft ideals that solo practice is easy, because it isn't. There's a lot of days worrying about the phone, clients, your bills, your family's financial safety, and whether you were an idiot for trying. I can't say that it gets any easy, it hasn't. What I do advocate though is that by knowing there's another person fighting with you for success, you're going to tackle (literally) whatever problems you face.

So, if you're one of the countless number of students, new admits, or recent fires seeking work, consider the solo/small firm option. You're always more than welcome email me with questions or comments regarding solo practice.

Startup Predictor

2008-12-14T05:54:00.002-06:00

The website, YouNoodle has created a pretty cool predictor to estimate the value of your startup. The cool thing about this is that you can get the prediction for your startup's value in 3 years. Although the test is geared toward traditional startup ventures (ie: those types of businesses that can take/split profits with non-lawyers), the predictor gives a nice glimpse into your firm's success.

I took the test for my firm's site, and failed miserably (although it values my firm at $141,000 after 3 years, so I don't think that's too bad), as far as my potential for the million dollar firm.

Your Alma Mater

2008-12-12T22:08:00.003-06:00

Not feeling like you got the best education during law school? Check out this post by Scott Moss, which ranks the top 10 law schools. The catch, Scott uses crimes and punishments to create the list. The spoiler, Harvard (said with sarcastic arogance) ranks numero uno.

Our firm's site

2008-12-12T15:36:00.000-06:00

Check out the blog on our law firm's site.

Hanging the Shingle

2008-11-12T04:53:00.004-06:00

I participated in the swearing-in ceremony for the Western District of Oklahoma on Thursday. This was a great experience, and a great opportunity to reconnect with folks I hadn't seen since graduation. What struck me the most out of this whole event was the number of my classmates who have "hung their shingle."

As this report, this report, and this report in law.com show, associate layoffs are certainly going to be a trend in this new economy. One of my colleagues faced a similar situation with his "Big Law" job, when he discovered that his firm was "imploding." Suddenly his seemingly strong and stable job turned into mush. He's now struggling, 3 months after becoming an attorney, to begin operation.

Other folks I'd graduated with told similar stories of having to fend for themselves without any guidance. This isn't a trend that will quickly disappear. Big firms, and even some smaller firms, are seeing that they cannot handle these $130,000-plus salaries, and still support their big law models. There is a strong argument from these reports that even the small firms must evaluate their own business models in order to stay competitive - that's another post all together.

What everyone should be concerned about is the sudden influx of attorneys into solo practice who know nothing about the actual practice, and business, of law. If you're one of them, here's some suggestions:

1. Purchase Jay Foonberg and Carolyn Elefant's books.
2. Sign up for Solo Practice University.
3. Talk to your Bar's law practice/solo and small firm section leader.
4. Don't mock the solos (we know you did), because, now you're one of them. Amazing how quickly situations change, isn't it?

Plaintiff's Victory

2008-11-05T05:30:00.003-06:00

Finally (now you know my bias), a victory for Plaintiffs in Oklahoma. Check out Woods v. Unity Health Center, Inc., 2008 OK 97.

Marketing and Marketability at its best

2008-11-05T04:47:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to Barack Obama! What an accomplishment, and what a statement of resounding approval. Obama takes the presidency with over 52% of the popular vote, and with a landslide in the electoral college. So, what made Obama the clear-cut victor? Simply stated, his thematic message, "Change We Can Believe In."

Regardless of you opinion of whether he actually promoted policies that would lead to change, President-elect Obama created something extraordinarily special, and meaningful for many people. The essence of Obama's campaign was his theme.

Obama did two really great things to build on that theme, and tie everything together. First, he used the message in every campaign stump. This is something that John McCain failed to grasp, and failed to do well. Obama made sure to notify Americans that he promoted change, and that constant notification gave many people encouragement.

Second, Barack Obama used other media methods to promote his message. Obama's website was a textbook in web-publishing, and the multiple tools only enhanced its appeal. While John McCain appreciated many of the methods, his acceptance and use of these tools dwindled significantly when compared to Obama's. I was especially impressed with Obama's use of television and his website to promote his tax plan. I innocently typed in the specific URL, and immediately a non-descript tax calculator showed up. What a great combination of visual and tactile marketing to encourage and rally tech-savy youth.

Additionally, the Obama campaign masterfully used technology to encourage and retain young voters. Monday's "Get Out the Vote" campaign on Facebook was just one of the many tools used.

So, how does this help you. Think long-and-hard about the methods you're using to promote your business. Are you still stuck among the 2,500 other lawyers advertising in the YellowPages? How does your website look? Is it interactive? Is it tied to your firm's thematic message? Does your firm even have a thematic message? How are you promoting yourself to the younger generations?

Get up and running quickly

2008-10-07T05:32:00.007-05:00

How long does it take to get yourself an online presence? 1 week. I know, because I did it.
How much did it cost me? About $250. How, you ask? Because I found innovative ways to manipulate the system, while saving some costs. Here's the secrets:

Find a cheap hosting service, and pay for the long-haul. I recommend this site for "heavy hitters," and those people seeking full-service web hosting. DISCLAIMER: I'll get a "kick-back" from them, if you tell the site you're referred by me (jbtokc). I'd still recommend their services if you decide not to line my pockets. I also recommend this site for the "faint of heart." Either site does the trick, and provides a method for developing your own content/style sheets. Note: I reviewed MS Office Live here.
Minimize your initial web-design costs by using web templates, or pre-fab sites. You can use sites like this one to get an idea or design. Note: you will probably need to know some HTML coding (I do) to make these work for you. However, you can still make it work by taking the site to your designer and asking him/her to make your changes. Save even more by writing your website copy, and sending it to your designer to cut-and-paste. Part of the cost of web-design is having to develop the code, and write the content. You've done both, and saved the developer some time. If you need a developer, I'll recommend a guy if you'll email.

You're done. I added some features, like SSL encryption, that will serve some of my specific purposes.

Now, there will be naysayers who will critique my method, especially using templates. I can see the headline/post now, "I would not recommend using someone else's content. Find your own style and spend the money to develop it." Well, sometimes you're stuck with what you've got. I have a web/design budget of $350. When that's gone, it's gone. If I'm seeking the services of someone else, it's going to cost me at least $2000. Budget BLOWN!

With my work-around, I'm within budget (I spent $400 with the SSL upgrade), and I have a web-presence I can be proud of. What's more, I'm online in 1 week, as compared to a colleague who has been paying for his site designing for 3 months, and still isn't online. I'd hate to pay his design bill.

Finally, my method allows for expansion. I can save money now for a future rebuild, or I can pay my web-guy to design a site on my monthly budget, and have the rebuild ready in a year or so.

Side notes:
I agree with Susan Cartier-Liebel in her constant (see here and here) admonition to buy your domain names. It's important for your firm and practice, if you're going to develop the right brand. Remember, despite your aversion to the process, you're just like every two-bit car salesman, auto repair shop, and pizza joint. You need people to remember you, and want to use your services. Build your brand now, and use it effectively in the future. You're small, but you've got the tools to be big.

Second, do not spend time learning HTML in order to "save money" in your web-design. Also, never learn to use advanced coding programs like Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive. TOO LATE. If you wanted to be a web-designer you should have changed career paths long ago. Cut your losses, and pay someone. Just increase your design budget and move on. These programs have enormous learning curves, and often their "easy" method isn't so easy. I spent 3 hours on one page, fixing code because the drag-and-drop feature didn't place it right.