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Paperback, 288 pages; 2003. ISBN 0940675528. List Price: $29.95 Trade/Library Orders

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The Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering describes how practicing lawyers, law firm administrators, or recent law school graduates can take advantage of the fast-growing opportunities in temporary legal work. Separate chapters on rate-setting, state and local ethical opinions, malpractice liability and coverage, and sample freelance agreements.

This book includes

• The myths and realities of contract lawyering
• How to set fair and reasonable rates for service
• Marketing strategies for contract lawyers
• Special advice for new admittees
• What lawyers and law firms need to know about placement agencies
• How contract lawyers can control firm costs and enhance profits
• How sole practitioners and small firms can benefit from temp services
• How to identify and find the right contract lawyer for the assignment
• How to monitor on- and off-site work
• Tips for working with recent graduates
• How to reduce the risk of malpractice
• How to handle confidentiality, conflicts of interest & disclosure to clients
• A survey of insurance coverage for contract legal work

Here’s what the critics say ...

“An excellent resource for a rapidly developing area of legal practice. It describes the history and context of contract (freelance) lawyering, discusses ethical, tax and malpractice concerns, and includes charts, graphs, worksheets and several useful appendices. It even offers summaries of relevant state, local and national ethics opinions. Anyone contemplating becoming or hiring a contract lawyer should read this book. We know of no other resource which addresses freelance lawyering in this level of detail.” – ABA’s Law Practice Management Magazine

"Jolted by the uncertainties of a volatile economy, contract (part-time) lawyering has made a transformative and permanent impact on the delivery of legal services. And whether you're an attorney just getting into contract work, or you're a hiring lawyer seeking those services, this is a reliable and straightforward primer on the subject. Arron and Guyol's Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering really does synthesize the most important questions (e.g., about billing, marketing, malpractice coverage, ethics, and conflicts of interest, etc.) and answers them all so you can decide whether contract lawyering is right for you." – New York Law Journal

“What we liked best about the book is that it dealt effectively with the questions about freelance lawyering that we wouldn't have thought to ask, and it proceeded to answer them all. We also liked the step-by-step guide for marketing yourself as a contract (freelance) lawyer. Best of all, the book has helpful sample forms and contracts, and it covers issues like malpractice insurance, independent contractor status, and all the ethical issues involved with freelancing.” – Washington State Trial News

“Arron and Guyol detail the benefits and risks in contract (freelance) work relationships in the greatest detail. Written in a tightly organized style, their book is organized by topic and interest area. You can focus on contracting as a process, as a contractor, or as a firm. (The authors) lead you step-by-step through several "how-to" situations that will help determine your suitability for and compatibility with contract (freelance) arrangements. Whether you're a recent graduate, a managing partner – or somewhere in-between – this book can definitely help.” – National Women Lawyers Journal

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About the Authors

Deborah Arron was a graduate of UCLA School of Law, and was a civil litigator in Seattle for 10 years. Currently, Deborah Guyol is a solo practitioner and contract lawyer in Portland OR. She is a graduate of the USC School of Law, where she was law review executive editor, and began her legal career as an associate with New York City’s Davis Polk & Wardwell.