Episode 22 – Lean Law with Susan Williams

In this episode of the Direct Examination Podcast, hosts Amber Fulmer, Dane Phillips, and Joseph Bias record virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic to welcome Susan E. Williams—founder of the Law Office of Susan E. Williams in Summerville, SC, President of the Dorchester County Bar Association, and Chief Municipal Judge for Edisto Beach. Susan shares her unique path to the law, which began after she was carjacked at gunpoint on the University of South Carolina campus during her freshman year, leading her to observe court hearings and eventually become a prosecutor. Drawing on her experience launching her solo criminal defense practice in 2008, Susan breaks down practical strategies for running a “lean law firm,” minimizing overhead, managing taxes, negotiating shared office space, and leveraging free bar resources.

Key Topics Covered

  • Origin Story & Career Path: How being a crime victim at USC inspired Susan to attend law school, clerk for Jim Anders, serve four years as a Dorchester County prosecutor, and launch her own defense firm.

  • Building Baseline Income (“Side Hustles”): Securing steady, predictable work—such as Guardian ad Litem appointments, document review, or part-time prosecution/judicial positions—to cover essential living expenses while building a private client base.

  • The 33% Tax Account Rule: Setting up a separate tax bank account and immediately depositing one-third of every fee received to avoid end-of-year tax scrambles.

  • Minimizing Office Overhead: Negotiating lease terms to include shared receptionists, landlines, fax machines, and utilities; utilizing virtual phone options like Google Voice.

  • Technology & Case Management: Relying on free legal research tools like Fastcase (provided by the SC Bar) and delaying paid case management software until hiring staff.

  • Part-Time Staffing: Hiring as-needed or part-time assistants to manage workflow without committing to full-time payroll during slow periods.

  • Courtroom War Story: A probation revocation hearing where the defendant fainted upon hearing his sentence, prompting the judge to yell “Call someone!“—only for the probation officer to call out the name of the next case on the docket instead of calling 911.

Transcript

Amber Fulmer: Welcome y’all to the Direct Examination Podcast! I’m Amber Fulmer.

Dane Phillips: I’m Dane Phillips.

Joseph Bias: And I’m Joseph Bias. Hey guys, how are y’all?

Amber Fulmer: Alive! (laughs)

Dane Phillips: Here we are, another episode in quarantine!

Joseph Bias: We hope that wherever you’re listening from, you’re safe and healthy. We’re very fortunate to have our guest today, Susan Williams! Amber, tell us about her.

Amber Fulmer: Our guest today is Susan Williams! Susan grew up on a farm in rural South Carolina and attended the University of South Carolina. During her freshman year, she was carjacked at gunpoint on campus, an event that completely changed the trajectory of her life. She began attending court hearings as a victim, became drawn to criminal court, and decided to go to law school. After clerking for Jim Anders and serving four years as a Dorchester County prosecutor, she opened the Law Office of Susan E. Williams in 2008. Susan is the President of the Dorchester County Bar Association and Chief Municipal Judge for Edisto Beach. Welcome to the show, Susan!

Susan Williams: Thank you, Amber! Thanks for having me.

Dane Phillips: It’s great to have you on, Susan! I know we’ve talked about doing an episode on running a lean law firm, and given the current economic climate with the pandemic, there’s no better time for young attorneys or solo practitioners to hear this advice.

Joseph Bias: Susan, take us back to 2008. What made you decide to leave the solicitor’s office and open your own practice?

Susan Williams: I had four years of trial experience as a prosecutor, and when I started looking around at private law firms, I wasn’t getting offered the salary I thought I deserved. So I decided to start my own firm. I knew down to the exact penny what I needed every month just to cover my basic living expenses. I grew up living frugally, so my mindset was: if I can cover my essential baseline costs, anything beyond that is profit.

Dane Phillips: When you’re first starting out and waiting for the phone to ring, how do you secure that baseline income?

Susan Williams: You need a side hustle—a steady, guaranteed source of work. For me, it was doing private Guardian ad Litem work in family court and probate court cases. Other great options for young solos include contract document review for larger firms, or taking part-time positions as a public defender, municipal prosecutor, or judge. Having that steady monthly check takes away the panic while you build your private practice.

Amber Fulmer: What are some hidden costs that new solo practitioners take for granted when coming from a larger firm or government job?

Susan Williams: Number one is income taxes! When you’re on a salary, taxes are automatically withheld. When you’re solo, nobody holds your hand. Very early on, I established a strict discipline: I opened a separate “tax bank account”. Every single time a client pays a fee, 33%—one-third of that fee—goes directly into the tax account before I touch a dime. When quarterly or annual taxes are due, the money is sitting right there. You don’t have to panic or scramble.

Another big cost is malpractice insurance, which you should never go without. Also, if you hire staff later on, you have payroll taxes and accounting fees.

Joseph Bias: How do you handle overhead expenses like office space, legal research, and software when you’re operating on a shoestring budget?

Susan Williams: You negotiate everything! When I started, I didn’t rent a full office suite. I subleased space from another firm where I could use their conference room to meet clients. When you negotiate rent, see if you can bundle services: Can you share their receptionist to answer your calls? Can you use their copier, fax line, or internet? Are utilities included?

For legal research, don’t rush out to buy an expensive Westlaw or LexisNexis contract on day one. Use Fastcase—it’s completely free through the South Carolina Bar! I used Fastcase exclusively for years until my practice reached a point where I wanted Westlaw. The same goes for case management software like Clio or MyCase. I didn’t pay for case management software until I hired staff. Before that, I managed my files manually.

Dane Phillips: What about phone systems and staffing?

Dane Phillips: You don’t need to pay for a second landline or an expensive business cell plan. You can set up a free Google Voice number that routes directly to your personal cell phone.

And as for staffing, don’t hire a full-time employee until your caseload demands it. I hired a part-time assistant who came in only when we were busy. When work was light, she stayed home. That saved me from being trapped under a heavy weekly payroll commitment.

Joseph Bias: That is incredible, practical advice. Susan, we end every episode with a war story. What is one of your favorite stories from your time in court?

Susan Williams: When I was a prosecutor in Dorchester County, we were in the middle of a probation revocation hearing. The defense attorney made a passionate plea for mercy, but the judge revoked the defendant’s probation and sentenced him to prison.

The moment the judge announced the sentence, the defendant fainted and collapsed flat onto the courtroom floor! There was a complete, awkward silence across the entire courtroom. Nobody moved.

Finally, the judge looked down from the bench and yelled, “Call someone!”

The probation officer stood up, looked at his paperwork, and called out: “John Smith?!” (laughs) He thought the judge meant call the next case on the docket instead of calling 911! (laughs)

Amber Fulmer: (laughs) “Next case, step over the body!”

Dane Phillips: (laughs) Gotta keep the assembly line moving!

Joseph Bias: (laughs) That is fantastic! Susan, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your expertise with our listeners!

Susan Williams: Thank you all so much for having me!

Dane Phillips: You can find Susan’s outline for running a lean law firm in our show notes. Visit her website at swilliams-law.net.

Joseph Bias: Follow us on Twitter and Facebook @SCLawPod, follow Joseph @JosephPBias, Dane @SCCrimLawyer, and Amber @RedJudicata. Leave us a five-star review and we’ll see y’all next week!