Online help center offers quick assistance in enhancing your career

Solo and small-firm practitioners face unique challenges every day. If you work from your home, how do you separate office and home life? How do you find networking opportunities, or a sounding board to discuss issues or just to vent about problems? And while marketing yourself or your firm is a must, how do you find the time to move it off the bottom of your "to do" list? How can a lawyer who practices in an environment without many of the resources that a large-firm lawyer takes for granted find help?

They're not alone. New associates face unexpected challenges at every turn. Women lawyers may find their rainmaking skills are undeveloped. And any lawyer might find they are in need of a mentor.

The ABA's Career Resource Center has a one-stop, 24/7 resource linking to practical articles for solos and others. Among the articles targeted to solos is an ABA Journal piece, "'Gee, I Didn't Count on That': Top 10 things solos wish they had known before setting up office at home"; "Staying Sane and Professional at Home," from GPSolo Magazine; and " Effective Time Management," from The Solo Newsletter. Estate planning professionals can find "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Estate Planners," from the Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law. There are more than a dozen offerings from The Young Lawyer. And for those who may be losing their enthusiasm is "The bounce-back factor: even pessimistic lawyers can learn to be more resilient," from the Journal. Next time you're in a career quandary, check out the "Enhance Your Career" section of the Career Resource Center.

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