Practice Management SaaS for Solo Criminal Defense Lawyers

The post and its comments highlight a specific group: experienced government lawyers (like JAGs and AUSAs) who are moving into solo criminal defense practice. These professionals have the legal know-how but need to start a firm with minimal overhead, which is a significant challenge. One key source of initial work for them is the "federal public defender list," which comes with its own set of administrative hurdles.

Opportunity: There's a clear need for an affordable, all-in-one practice management solution tailored for new solo criminal defense attorneys. Existing legal tech solutions are often too expensive or loaded with features that a lawyer just starting out doesn't need. This niche requires a tool that lowers the barrier to entry for starting a solo firm and simplifies their most common client acquisition channel.

Product Form: A lightweight, subscription-based SaaS platform designed as a "Solo Criminal Defense Starter Kit."

• Core Features: Streamlined versions of essential practice management tools, including simplified case management (tracking charges, court dates, evidence), client intake forms, basic document management, and straightforward billing/invoicing suitable for flat-fee and hourly work.
• Key Differentiator: A specialized module for managing court-appointed cases from public defender lists. This feature would allow users to track their application status for various court panels, manage incoming case appointments, and streamline the unique billing and voucher submission process required for CJA (Criminal Justice Act) panels. This directly addresses the specific advice given in the comments and tackles a pain point not well-served by generalist legal software.

Anticipated Revenue: The model would be a low-cost monthly subscription to attract budget-conscious solo lawyers.

• Pricing: A single-tier plan at $49-$69 per month. This undercuts major competitors (like Clio or MyCase) while providing highly relevant, niche features.
• Revenue Projection: The target market is newly minted solo criminal defense lawyers. Capturing even a small segment can be profitable.
  • Year 1 Goal: 150 paying subscribers.
  • MRR: 150 users * $59/month (average) = $8,850
  • ARR: ~$106,200

This provides a solid foundation with potential for future expansion into adjacent small law firm niches or by adding premium features like advanced analytics or e-discovery integrations.