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Executive Summary
Premium Attorneys is an attorney employment agency that caters to the missing middle of law firms: those that get overlooked by the major staffing agencies. We were established after being treated horribly as a small law firm seeking temporary attorneys. Our business model is based on inclusivity, and we have pricing tiers that suit all clients. We were established 7 years ago by two attorneys who wanted to break the status quo of agencies looking down on small firms when choosing temp workers.
Premium Attorneys is seeking an $80,000 working capital line of credit to fund temporary attorney pay ahead of client payments, office equipment and marketing in the first 12 months.
Financial highlights:
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2,748,360 | $3,511,870 | $4,058,320 |
| Gross margin | 47.8% | 45.7% | 45.2% |
| Net profit / (loss) | $156,103 | $211,214 | $325,119 |
Company Overview
Attorneys aren’t hard to find, but good attorneys can be. Spending days reading up on the work history of different attorneys is not ideal when you needed legal assistance yesterday. That’s where legal staffing agencies come in. Instead of searching for your next attorney from random, tedious sources, you simply consult with us, and we’ll send them to you. We already have only the best in our books and know who suits each case. This results in us recommending someone tailored to your needs. Premium Attorneys has a database of new and experienced attorneys to suit different budgets without sacrificing the quality of your legal representative. We service both one-time clients and firms who want to hire permanent staff. We are a medium-sized entity founded by two friends who met in law school. We have 20 years of experience each and thought of starting this company 7 years ago when our firm struggled to find high-quality candidates to employ. We knew they were out there; we just couldn’t reach them. We consulted with a legal staffing agency, but we were a small firm at the time, and let’s just say we were treated poorly. When we found out that many other firms were receiving similar treatment, we knew something had to change. A quote we are inspired by as a company, which later became our unofficial mission statement of sorts, is “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Hence, Premium Attorneys was born. In our 7 years of existence, we have set up a system for attorneys and other legal staff to sign up for our database, which potential employers can access and choose from.
Legal structure: LLC
Mission: To deliver exceptional attorney employment agency services to clients in New York, New York, USA, building long-term relationships through quality, reliability, and deep expertise.
Objectives:
- Year 1: Reach revenue of $2,748,360 and grow the client base from 15 to 25 firms
- Year 2: Expand service capacity, grow revenue to $3,511,870, and hire additional staff
- Year 3: Grow net profit to $325,119, strengthen market position, and evaluate expansion opportunities
Market & Customer Analysis
Premium Attorneys focuses on providing its services to small to midsize law firms that need permanent and temporary staff. Midsize law firms often seek temporary staff for projects that are bigger than their typical operations. The new staff will help with an existing case for a limited period. Small firms hire temporary staff to handle a case from start to finish. This happens when they do not have staff available due to the limited number of permanent employees. Attorney employment agencies are experiencing continued growth, which suggests an increased need for businesses that provide this service. There is no small number of them, but the market is ever-growing, and there is space for multiple players in the industry. While there are many employment agencies, law firms are starting to see the value in using the specialized services of an attorney employment agency that better understands what they need.
Customer analysis:
Premium Attorneys’ customer base has two segments.
Our true customers are law firms. We primarily work with small firms that need temporary attorneys to work on cases. These firms prefer to employ early-career attorneys to give them experience. They typically have experienced attorneys as permanent employees and do not need people with extensive expertise.
That makes the second segment of our customers recent graduates and early-career lawyers. They sign up to be on our platform and be connected with law firms needing temporary relief employees.
Competitor analysis:
| Competitor | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Major Lindsey & Africa | Established brand, wide reach | Higher price point, less personalised |
| BCG Attorney Search | Strong marketing, national presence | Generic offering, less specialist focus |
| Special Counsel | Competitive pricing | Standardised, less tailored service |
Premium Attorneys’ competitive edge: Specialist expertise, personalised service, and a clear focus on the underserved segment of the market set us apart from the established players listed above.
SWOT analysis:
| Positive | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | Strengths: Specialist expertise; experienced founder; strong client relationships; differentiated positioning | Weaknesses: Limited brand recognition as a new entrant; single location; reliance on founder capacity in early years |
| External | Opportunities: Growing market demand; underserved niche segments; digital marketing reach; referral network growth | Threats: Established competitors with greater resources; economic downturn reducing discretionary spend; regulatory changes |
Sales & Marketing Plan
Premium Attorneys currently has a rotation of 15 firms employing temporary staff from them. As those firms grow, new firms enter the market, and some of the temporary staff become permanent, we aim to increase our client base to 25 in the next year. In addition to our routine clients, we want to branch into the market of one-time clients who are in need of legal representation. Going about this would differ from our typical business operations as we are not a law firm. However, our experience at our own firms aids us in this situation. We know the best practices of being an attorney on a case-by-case basis. Adding this department to our business would enable us to provide work for our temps in seasons when our clients do not need much extra help. Before launching it, we will take advice on the New York rules of professional conduct so that temps who take on one-time clients do so under their own bar admissions and the correct engagement terms.
Pricing strategy: Pricing is set to be competitive within the New York, New York, USA market while reflecting the quality and specialist nature of the services delivered. All pricing is reviewed annually against market benchmarks.
Marketing channels:
- Digital presence (website + SEO) — professional website with content marketing to attract organic search traffic from clients searching for attorney employment agency services in New York, New York, USA
- Social media — active presence on relevant platforms to build brand awareness and engage prospective clients
- Referral programme — incentivised referral programme for existing clients; target 30% of new clients via referral by end of Year 2
- Local networking and partnerships — attendance at industry events and partnerships with complementary businesses in New York, New York, USA
- Google Ads — targeted paid search campaigns for high-intent keywords during new-client campaigns
Marketing budget Year 1: $53,200 (2% of projected revenue)
Additional marketing notes:
Premium Attorneys is the employment solution for the expanding market. The world is bigger than your geographical location, and we bridge that gap between where you are and where you want to be. Premium Attorneys is an employment agency for lawyers. Our brand uses visual and non-visual elements similar to law firms to familiarize itself with the industry. We market our services by advertising at universities for our attorney base. To attract clients, we advertise in law publications and business classifieds. We also use an advertising agency to reach more corporate clients.
Operating Plan
Premium Attorneys’ main operational goal is to connect attorneys with law firms on a temporary basis. The office manager will be responsible for maintaining the database of available attorneys and liaising with the firms that book them. They will also be monitoring the business’s progress together with the financial manager. The financial manager will draft budgets, determining whether the business can afford to expand or not. They will also meet with HR to keep up with salaries. When a firm is first interested in acquiring a temp, they will contact the receptionist, who will inform them of our tiers and their cost. New graduates are available at a lower rate than experienced attorneys due to their need to build experience and a reputation in the field. They will then be referred to the office manager or one of the owners to further the process. Once a firm has chosen its temp, a contract will be signed and fulfilled. To maintain accountability on both parties’ end, the law firm will pay half of the temp’s salary upfront, and Premium Attorneys will cover the rest until the completion of the temp’s time at the firm.
Staffing plan:
| Role | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Reid (Owner / Director) | Full-time | Full-time | Full-time |
| Braydon Eastwood and Harrison Louis (Co-owners) | Full-time | Full-time | Full-time |
| Office manager, accounts manager, HR, receptionist | Full-time | Full-time | Full-time |
| Business development manager | — | Full-time | Full-time |
Legal & compliance:
- All required licences and permits for attorney employment agency operations in New York, New York, USA
- Professional liability and general liability insurance
- Data protection compliance in accordance with applicable laws
- Health & safety policies and risk assessments maintained and reviewed annually
Management Team
Premium Attorneys was founded by Braydon Eastwood and Harrison Louis, who have known each other since attending Harvard Law together. Premium Attorneys is an LLC. After graduating, Braydon and Harrison worked at large firms for many years, where they gained the experience that is helping them in their business today. They eventually started a small firm together, and after a horrible experience with a temp law staffing agency, they decided to start their pivot in this direction. Premium Attorneys is run mainly by Braydon and Harrison together with director Alexandra Reid and a few other key management staff. The Premium Attorneys team comprises a general office manager, an accounts manager, HR personnel, and a receptionist. They are all paid salaries in line with the New York market.
Alexandra Reid — Owner & Director
Alexandra joined Braydon and Harrison as a part-owner and director. She oversees day-to-day operations, the attorney database and client relationships, leaving the co-owners free to focus on firm partnerships and growth.
Advisory support: The business will engage an experienced accountant and a business mentor through the local enterprise support network to provide financial oversight and strategic guidance over the next three years.
Financial Plan
Projected Profit or Loss Statement (in USD):
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | $2,748,360 | $3,511,870 | $4,058,320 |
| Direct Cost of Sales | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Production Payroll | $1,384,900 | $1,842,600 | $2,151,700 |
| Other Cost of Sales | $49,500 | $63,200 | $73,000 |
| Total Cost of Sales | $1,434,400 | $1,905,800 | $2,224,700 |
| Gross Margin | $1,313,960 | $1,606,070 | $1,833,620 |
| Gross Margin % | 47.8% | 45.7% | 45.2% |
| Operating Expenses | |||
| Sales and Marketing Expenses | |||
| Sales and Marketing Payroll | $0 | $72,000 | $75,600 |
| Advertising/Promotion | $46,800 | $54,200 | $57,900 |
| Other Sales and Marketing Expenses | $6,400 | $7,200 | $7,700 |
| Total Sales and Marketing Expenses | $53,200 | $133,400 | $141,200 |
| General and Administrative Expenses | |||
| General and Administrative Payroll | $588,400 | $646,900 | $681,300 |
| Depreciation | $16,640 | $18,540 | $7,840 |
| Dues and Subscriptions | $5,900 | $6,200 | $6,500 |
| Professional Fees | $28,600 | $29,800 | $31,100 |
| Rent | $118,600 | $122,160 | $125,820 |
| Software Purchases | $22,800 | $25,400 | $27,100 |
| Insurance | $38,400 | $44,700 | $49,200 |
| Telephone and Internet Access | $7,800 | $8,200 | $8,600 |
| Utilities | $9,600 | $9,900 | $10,200 |
| Miscellaneous | $18,300 | $21,400 | $23,600 |
| Payroll Taxes | $193,383 | $251,027 | $285,043 |
| Total General and Administrative Expenses | $1,048,423 | $1,184,227 | $1,256,303 |
| Total Operating Expenses | $1,101,623 | $1,317,627 | $1,397,503 |
| Profit Before Interest and Taxes | $212,337 | $288,443 | $436,117 |
| EBITDA | $228,977 | $306,983 | $443,957 |
| Interest Expense | $4,200 | $6,825 | $2,625 |
| Taxes Incurred | $52,034 | $70,404 | $108,373 |
| Net Profit | $156,103 | $211,214 | $325,119 |
| Net Profit/Sales | 5.7% | 6.0% | 8.0% |
Projected Cash Flow Statement (in USD):
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Received | |||
| Cash from Operations | |||
| Cash Sales | $1,374,180 | $1,755,935 | $2,029,160 |
| Cash from Receivables | $1,386,569 | $1,691,037 | $1,982,712 |
| Subtotal Cash from Operations | $2,760,749 | $3,446,972 | $4,011,872 |
| Additional Cash Received | |||
| New Current Borrowing | $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Subtotal Cash Received | $2,840,749 | $3,446,972 | $4,011,872 |
| Expenditures | |||
| Expenditures from Operations | |||
| Cash Spending | $2,166,683 | $2,812,527 | $3,193,643 |
| Bill Payments | $429,472 | $467,209 | $530,017 |
| Subtotal Spent on Operations | $2,596,155 | $3,279,736 | $3,723,660 |
| Additional Cash Spent | |||
| Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing | $0 | $30,000 | $50,000 |
| Purchase Long-term Assets | $18,400 | $9,600 | $11,200 |
| Dividends | $40,000 | $160,000 | $210,000 |
| Subtotal Cash Spent | $2,654,555 | $3,479,336 | $3,994,860 |
| Net Cash Flow | $186,194 | ($32,364) | $17,012 |
| Cash Balance | $224,794 | $192,430 | $209,442 |
Projected Balance Sheet (in USD):
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | |||
| Current Assets | |||
| Cash | $224,794 | $192,430 | $209,442 |
| Accounts Receivable | $233,611 | $298,509 | $344,957 |
| Total Current Assets | $458,405 | $490,939 | $554,399 |
| Long-term Assets | |||
| Long-term Assets | $83,200 | $92,800 | $104,000 |
| Accumulated Depreciation | ($55,540) | ($74,080) | ($81,920) |
| Total Long-term Assets | $27,660 | $18,720 | $22,080 |
| Total Assets | $486,065 | $509,659 | $576,479 |
| Liabilities and Capital | |||
| Current Liabilities | |||
| Accounts Payable | $21,162 | $23,542 | $25,243 |
| Current Borrowing | $80,000 | $50,000 | $0 |
| Subtotal Current Liabilities | $101,162 | $73,542 | $25,243 |
| Total Liabilities | $101,162 | $73,542 | $25,243 |
| Paid-in Capital | $150,000 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Retained Earnings | $78,800 | $74,903 | $76,117 |
| Earnings | $156,103 | $211,214 | $325,119 |
| Total Capital | $384,903 | $436,117 | $551,236 |
| Total Liabilities and Capital | $486,065 | $509,659 | $576,479 |
| Net Worth | $384,903 | $436,117 | $551,236 |
3-year profit & loss projection:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2,748,360 | $3,511,870 | $4,058,320 |
| Temporary attorney pay and placement direct costs | $1,434,400 | $1,905,800 | $2,224,700 |
| Gross profit | $1,313,960 | $1,606,070 | $1,833,620 |
| Gross margin | 47.8% | 45.7% | 45.2% |
| Office salaries and all payroll taxes | $781,783 | $969,927 | $1,041,943 |
| Marketing and advertising | $53,200 | $61,400 | $65,600 |
| Rent and utilities | $128,200 | $132,060 | $136,020 |
| Other operating costs | $138,440 | $154,240 | $153,940 |
| Total operating expenses | $1,101,623 | $1,317,627 | $1,397,503 |
| Interest and income tax | $56,234 | $77,229 | $110,998 |
| Net profit / (loss) | $156,103 | $211,214 | $325,119 |
Break-even analysis:
- Estimated fixed monthly costs: $91,800
- To cover fixed costs, Premium Attorneys needs to generate approximately $192,000 in monthly revenue
- Projected Year 1 revenue of $229,030 per month keeps the agency above break-even throughout the forecast
Key financial assumptions:
- Revenue growth of 28% in Year 2 and 16% in Year 3 based on planned capacity expansion and marketing investment
- Temporary attorney pay and placement direct costs estimated at 52-55% of revenue throughout the forecast period, consistent with industry benchmarks
- Office staffing costs set at 19-21% of revenue, scaling incrementally with new hires in Year 2 and Year 3
- Marketing budget set at under 2% of revenue; reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on channel performance
- No bad debt assumed; payment terms enforced from day one
Funding requirements:
Premium Attorneys is seeking an $80,000 working capital line of credit to fund the following:
| Use of funds | Amount |
|---|---|
| Equipment and fit-out | $18,400 |
| Working capital (6 months) | $41,600 |
| Marketing campaign | $12,000 |
| Legal, licences, and professional fees | $8,000 |
| Total | $80,000 |
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