The ability to consult with other recent law graduates who are experiencing similar challenges and to share expertise by co-counseling on cases, are some of the biggest perks Daniel Izquierdo, a second-year LawBridge resident, sees in FIU’s LawBridge program.
LawBridge participant Dan Izquierdo
FIU’s legal residency, LawBridge, was established in January of 2012 to give inexperienced lawyers the necessary tools to launch their solo practice. The program combines elements from a medical school residency and a business school entrepreneurial incubator in a two-year program, designed for recent graduates who have already passed the Florida Bar Examination. Today, LawBridge’s 10 participants benefit from the program’s career guidance, mentorship and continuing legal education, with the help and leadership of FIU’s College of Law faculty.
“The first few years of a lawyer’s career are crucial. As part of the LawBridge program, we have guest lecturers every couple of weeks to help and guide our recent law graduates in making their law practice financially self-sufficient,” said Tony Santos, director of LawBridge at FIU. “The idea is that by the time they complete the LawBridge program, they are making healthy incomes. We usually see them be cashflow positive within three months.”
Most recently, two-year resident attorney Dan Sarfati, who specializes in corporate law, caught the attention of a larger firm and was offered a position with South Florida-based Morales Law Group.
“Without Tony’s guidance and the Law Bridge curriculum, I firmly believe that I wouldn’t be as professional, competent, and confident,” Sarfati said. “The priceless tools this program has provided me were instrumental in my success as a beginning sole practitioner, and I will carry these tools with me as I grow as an attorney.”
In fact, Izquierdo credits the LawBridge program with helping him implement tactics that have helped him establish his practice and create a predictable and steady growth trajectory.
“It is tough to be a solo practitioner right out of law school, but LawBridge provides us with the mechanics of running a practice,” said Izquierdo. “From LawBridge, I learned that it is important to inform friends and potential clients about the opening of my firm; to continually market my firm; and to stay in touch with referral sources, colleagues and other contacts to foster long-lasting relationships that will help me grow my business.”
To learn more about LawBridge, visit here or call 305-965-9845.
