Selling Your Practice, Closing, and Retirement

The New York State Bar Association Planning Ahead Guide is provided to all attorneys as a courtesy of the Law Practice Management Department and outlines the steps a lawyer must take to protect his or her clients in the event of a sudden inability to continue in practice.  The Planning Ahead Guide includes important information about selling or closing your firm.

The Committee on Lawyers in Transition provides free webcast programs to all members on transitioning or retiring.  Programs are available online at www.nysba.org/LIT.   Members are also encouraged to visit the Senior Lawyers Section homepage for additional helpful information at www.nysba.org/SLS.  The LPM Department also offers CLE programs on selling your practice.


Departing a Law Firm

The following checklist and sample forms should be used for guidance only and are not intended to be an all inclusive list of what needs to be done. Every attorney and every firm needs to tailor the departure practice aids to meet their own specific situation.

Checklist for Departing Attorneys 
Email Communications for Departing Attorneys

Letter From Firm and Departing Attorney

Authorization for Transfers of Client Files


Senior Lawyers Section Well-Being Webinar Series Online On Demand Archives

Palliative Care, Hospice and Relevant Laws
David C. Leven, JD | Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Consultant, End of Life Choices New York

A Future by Chance or a Future by Design
Larry Ganim, Founder and President of Ganim Financial and GFS Wealth Management Advisors, Inc.

The Little Known Living Benefits of a Life Insurance Policy
Henry Montag, CFP, CLTC, Managing Director of The TOLI Center East


Relevant Previously Recorded Programs:

Buying and Selling a Law Practice
Selling a law practice is not an easy thing to do. However, with thoughtful planning, buying or selling a law practice can be a viable option for retiring attorneys and growing firms.
2.0 MCLE Credits; 1.0 Law Practice Management, 1.0 Ethics

Clients/Attorneys Planning Retirement Must Understand (2018)
Understanding your social security retirement benefits and the elections you can make, understanding the basics and planning for your IRAs and other retirement plans.
6.0 Credits in Professional Practice

Planning with Your Clients Retirement & Life Insurance (2018)
Presents issues that may arise with respect to the treatment of retirement, annuity, and life insurance benefits for purpose of taxes, transfers on death, domestic relations, medicaid eligibility, and creditor’s rights.
6.5 Credits in Professional Practice

Qualified Retirement Plan (2017)
Comprehensive overview of various retirement plans including defined benefit plans, qualified pre-retirement survivor benefits, post-retirement survivor benefits, and whether or not the order can provide for a shared/separate interest benefit.
6.0 MCLE Credits; 6.0 Professional Practice

Planning Ahead and Preparing for Retirement (2015)
Learn how to protect your clients, your family and your peace of mind.
7.5 Total Credits: 3.0 Professional Practice, 4.5 Ethics

Succession Planning and Client Transition
A nationally recognized Certified Management Consultant and a panel of Managing Partners of law firms will also discuss practical strategies and advice on planning ahead.
1.5 MCLE Credits in Law Practice Management

Selling Your Law Practice | A Program for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners
Geared toward solo and small firm practitioners, this program will provide an overview of planning for retirement and selling your law practice.  
1.5 MCLE Credits in Areas of Professional Practice

Retirement 101 – Selling Your Law Practice | A Program for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners
Geared toward solo and small firm practitioners, this program will provide an overview of planning for retirement and selling your law practice. Panelists will share tips and best practices.
1.5 MCLE Credits in Law Practice Management

Merging and Acquiring Law Firms for Firms of All Sizes
A Primer for Mergers and Acquisitions of Law Firms
1.5 MCLE Credits in Law Practice Management

Buying or Selling a Law Practice
Winding up a Law Firm, Buyers and Sellers, Valuing a Law Firm, Going Solo: Starting Up or Buying In.
2.0 Credits in Law Practice Management

Strategies for Progressing Equity Partners, Classes of Partners and Part-time Partners in this Difficult Economic Environment
This program provides an overview of strategies for progressing equity partners, classes of partners and part-time partners in this difficult economic environment.
1.50 MCLE Credits in| Areas of Professional Practice

Partner Compensation (2014)
Chaired by a nationally recognized law firm management consultant and featuring managing partners of law firms as panelists, this program provides a comprehensive overview of partner compensation systems and examples of compensation systems.
1.50 MCLE Credits in| Areas of Professional Practice

Partner Compensation Systems: Strategies for Admitting New Equity Partners, Classes of Partners and the Feasibility of Part-time Partners in This Difficult Environment (2012)
Chaired by a nationally recognized law firm management consultant and featuring managing partners of law firms as panelists, this program provides a comprehensive overview of partner compensation systems and examples of compensation systems.

1.50 MCLE Credits in| Areas of Professional Practice

Growing Your Firm Part One
“Bringing on Lateral Partners | Partnership Agreements 101”
1.50 MCLE Credits in| Areas of Professional Practice

Growing Your Firm Part Two
Growing Your Practice or Corporate Legal Department: Virtual Law Firms and Of Counsel Arrangements
1.50 MCLE Credits in| Areas of Professional Practice