I am throwing this out there for everyone's opinion.  About three months ago I started my own law practice (I have some health problems making working for someone very stressful).  Financially, we can make it on my husband's income but it leaves us with about $180 cushion.  So far I have been officing from home.  My problems with the home office are #1 I don't have high speed internet.  This does make my job harder.  I could possibly get a high speed for $29 a month but will need to install a satellite for $300.  This is not definite would need the company to come out and check.  #2 My cell phone does not work out here.  My cell phone is my business phone number and I just put it on call forward to my home # when I am working at home.  I have T-mobile and sometimes it freezes up and I never know whether I am getting calls or not! #3 Since I office out of my home I limit who I can have as clients as people I know and trust.  I am wondering if I am missing out on clients because I only take those who I feel comfortable with in my home.  I do meet my court appts at the court house or at their home. 

I have thought about renting a small office space in town (about 5 miles from here).  I would then have access to high speed, a different phone, and a meeting place.  Availability is pretty limited and I have not really looked into it too closely.  I like working from home because if I am not feeling well I have access to my own bathroom, bed to lie down on, etc.. The drawbacks of course are having a monthly rent payment, another phone bill and another internet bill. 

So any advice, suggestions, etc. would be welcomed. 

 Thanks everyone!

As opposed to renting a whole office space, maybe you could see about renting a room in an office.  I have a friend from high school who just finished law school.  She didn't want to join a practice, but needed somewhere to get started.  So she's renting an office room in the back of another law practice.  The rent, in her case, covers the use of that space, access to a bathroom, phone, and internet.  I don't know how much she pays, but she says it's been the best way for her to get started.  In a couple of years she'll have enough clients to move out on her own.

Is there a place you could meet clients that's also close by?  Even just a public space could work, like a local library which often has small rooms for study groups that don't require reservations.

Good luck!

Lillett, judging from what you wrote, it sounds as if your business may be geared toward staying small.  I guess you have to analyze how you want to progress with your business...  Is hiring other lawyers, seeking out many clients, making a professional impression your goal?  That would mean renting office space.  Or will you continue to be the only employee and be selective with your clients?  If so, I don't see why you couldn't keep it an at-home business.  I work at home, running our service-oriented commercial business.  We could have rented an office, but being the frugal people we are, we didn't.  There was no need to spend on the overhead.  So I guess what I'm saying is, spend in your business wisely and where it makes sense.

We live out away from town and got lucky with high-speed internet (for years we suffered with dial-up).  We did some work for a small local communications company who had a tower in the nearest town.  They set up a small dish in our tree line that's pointed at the tower; now we have great high-speed I'net for under $50.  You might want to call around, get pricing.  Since a portion of our I'net is used for our business, I bill the business for that portion.  Same with our fax line.  Cell phones are in the business name and are a business expense.  If your cell phone doesn't work that great, ask nearby friends or neighbors, see who they use & if they're happy.  You may have to live with it for the rest of your contract, then switch.  DON'T tell your current cell phone provider if/when you switch.  You should be able to ask the new provider to move your number.  I've done that with two of our employee cell phones in order to keep the phone numbers.

Best of luck to you!

Great advice here already.  The only other thing I would say is like someone else mentioned, there might be other rental options that will give you an easier start than renting the whole office on your own.  Here, there are a couple of places that are executive office rentals.  They come with receptionist (paid for by the building owner as part of the rent), office equipment (including internet and phone connections), maintenance, etc plus depending on your contract the receptionist can even do some admin work for you.  Anyway, you have an office and there are other individuals that have their own businesses in other offices.  And when you aren't there, the receptionist can take care of any clients and make sure they are not ignored.  This situation is working really great for a friend of mine that is an independent investment broker because he has an office and someone answering the phone and making sure that any clients are dealt with even when he is out at meetings or not working.  Could be a good option if there is something similar in your area.  Then you could do some work from home on days when you are not feeling well.

One thing I did for private practice is rent a room by the hour at a friend's community type center, the Thoreau Center- I have supervised other therapists for registration at my house, and done home mortgages out of my home, meeting sometimes at a friend's office or their home.  Sometimes at my house.  I would get a better phone and I would get the better internet.  It is much cheaper to stay home based.  There is lots of office/public space that you could maybe use for cheap as need be.  I would not sign an lease and get lots of added expenses unless you are going to spend lots more time there. Let us know what you decide.

I vote for upping the 'net and phone to higher/faster quality, and yes, definitely bill some of that through your business (maybe all if applicable). I went for years with chronic pain that made it impossible for me to work in an office but I found that I could do some work out of my home during my up hours and then just lay down and nap when it was needed, lol. Also, you could experiment with having a home office and renting a space in town if you can find a place that won't require a long lease..that would let you see if the boost in income from the office out of the home was a good investment. just my 2 cents. peace.

Have you looked into adding T-Mobile Hotspot to your service?

http://www.t-mobile.com/promotions/hotspotathomelearnmore.aspx?WT.mc_n=HotSpotatHm_svcmainWT.mc_t=OnsiteAd

Its a wireless router that amplifies your signal and allows you WiFi (high-speed) internet access and better service at home, since you have the wireless router with signal amplifier.  Its a bit more expensive (I think around $30 a month for the WiFi access for a computer/laptop and the HotSpot service + $29.99 one time to buy the router), but it should be less than renting office space with the additional utilities there (don't forget electricity, central air or heat & a/c, water/sewer if it has a bathroom, office furniture, etc.) 

I work at a small law office 5 lawyers, 4 are thier own companies, there are the two original lawyers, and two that rent with offices, share legal secretaries etc.  we have a couple that pay to use our address. They live on the island and need mainland addresses.  we take messages etc for them. price depends on the level of service needed.  since not that expensive.  some of our lawyers do the same thing for addresses. for documents etc.

Thank you everyone for your valuable input.  This is what I have decided for the time being.  I am going to remain at home but if I need to meet with clients there is a place in town that I believe I could "rent" to meet with people for a minimal fee.  I am planning on upgrading the internet and leaving the phone situation as it is right now.  I just don't feel like having that monthly rent hanging over my head.  If I don't feel well I always have my own bed/bath/etc. to go to.  Your advice really helped me sound this out. 

 Sounds like a good solution for now- you can always ramp up, not so easy going back down.  See how your business and health is on a quarterly basis.  Are you doing family law at home?