Did you see Seth Godin’s blog: Well rounded (and the other)? If not take a look at it now.

As a lawyer, is it better to be well rounded, or sharp? I think it depends on you and your strengths. But, based on my own experience and experience coaching others, I believe it is easier and takes less time to market yourself when you have a niche. One firm did an analysis of lawyers who had participated in the coaching program and  discovered that the lawyers who had or created a niche practice were far more successful two years after coaching than those who had not.

If you want to be well rounded, you must become a trusted advisor. In fact, I urge you to read the book Trusted Advisor and when you finish it read Clients for Life. You also need to Never Eat Alone.

If you want to be sharp, you will want to select a niche that is growing and includes clients that are willing and able to pay your hourly rates. Then you will want to raise your visibility and profile in that niche market. As you know, my niche was construction law, and even more specifically transportation construction. Many lawyers have coached are also construction lawyers. Others have chosen niche markets like:

I can go on, but you get the idea on the types of potential niche practices.