What kind of practice suits you best? The big city offers a built in client base, but it also comes with built in competition and higher overhead costs.

You owe it to yourself to at least consider the option of a rural practice. You might be surprised that many rural attorneys enjoy better quality of life, a greater sense of community connectedness, and make more money than their city counterparts.

The 2012 Oregon State Bar Economics of Law Practice Survey revealed that one quarter of all attorneys statewide planned to retire, cut back, or leave the practice of law by 2017. For the Oregon coast region, the number was 45% – almost half.

We are midway through this five year period and the exodus is well under way. In December 2014 and January 2015, the Oregon State Bar processed a record number of voluntary resignations.

Rural areas in Oregon have traditionally been under-lawyered. This is becoming more true, especially on the coast, as the attorneys who reported they would leave the profession make good on their promise. All of this is good news if you are setting up a solo or small firm, especially if you consider putting up a shingle in rural Oregon.