Thinking About Going Solo? LEJ Can Help You Build the Practice You Actually Want

By  Ryann Peyton, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Attorney Professional Excellence (APEX)

What if starting or growing a law practice didn’t mean figuring everything out on your own?

For lawyers and LLPs who are considering solo practice, building a small firm, or rethinking how they serve clients, Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice (LEJ) offers a different approach to practicing law by combining practical business training, community, mentorship, and a focus on serving clients who are often priced out of traditional legal services.

LEJ is a Colorado Supreme Court-supported legal incubator operated by the Colorado Office of Attorney Professional Excellence (APEX). Since 2018, the program has helped lawyers and LLPs develop sustainable solo and small-firm practices designed to serve low- and moderate-income Coloradans.

LEJ takes the guess-work out of starting a law firm so that you can build a practice that allows you to do well, while doing good for the community.

Build a Practice on Your Terms

LEJ is designed for lawyers and LLPs who want to think differently about what a law practice can look like. Participants explore everything from business planning and technology to marketing, pricing, client relationships, and the day-to-day realities of running a firm.

That might mean building a traditional solo practice. It might mean developing a small firm with a particular niche. Or it might mean experimenting with predictable pricing, limited-scope representation, unbundled services, or other approaches that make legal help more accessible to clients.

The goal isn’t to prescribe one model. It’s to help you build a practice that works for you and for the clients you want to serve.

You Don’t Have to Build it Alone

One of the biggest challenges of starting a practice is that traditional legal education doesn’t teach you how to run a business.

LEJ provides a community of lawyers and LLPs who are navigating many of those same questions, along with experienced faculty, mentors, and practical programming. Participants have the opportunity to learn from one another, test ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and develop the knowledge and confidence needed to operate a sustainable practice.

The program is also intentionally focused on the realities of serving clients with limited resources. LEJ participants have developed practices using sliding-scale fees, unbundled services, alternative pricing models, technology, and other approaches to expand access to legal services while creating viable businesses.

Is LEJ Right for You?

You might be a good fit if you:

• Are considering launching a solo or small-firm practice.
• Already have a practice but want to make it more sustainable or strategically grow it.
• Want greater autonomy over how you practice law.
• Are interested in serving low- and moderate-income clients.
• Want to explore innovative approaches to pricing, technology, or client service.
• Are looking for a community of legal professionals who are also building something different.

You don’t need to arrive with a five-year business plan. You do need curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to think entrepreneurially about your career and your practice.

Applications for the 2027 LEJ cohort are due October 31, 2026.

If you have ever thought, “There has to be a better way to practice law,” this may be the opportunity to explore what that better way could look like.

Learn more about Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice and apply for the 2027 cohort at https://coloradoattorneyexcellence.org/legal-entrepreneurs-for-justice/