After graduating from Albany Law, Matthew Taylor '11 decided that an ambitious and creative plan was necessary to succeed in a shifting legal job market. Months later, after launching his firm in downtown Boise, Idaho, Taylor’s approach to his career in law is the subject of a profile in the Idaho State Bar’s magazine The Advocate.

The article, “New Lawyers Blaze a Trail Through Recession,” focuses on Taylor’s entrepreneurial tactics, most commonly seen in start-up companies but rare in the legal community.

Bolstered by an undergraduate degree from Linfield College in business management, as well as a business concentration from Albany Law, Taylor points out in the article that, “I need to be a counselor to business, not just on the law, but everything about business.”

As he prepared to launch his firm, Taylor Law Offices,P.L.L.C., Taylor worked with a marketing firm, Dox Marketing, to develop his overall brand, as well as his website, which is designed to differentiate him from other law firms and improve his firm’s ranking in search engine results. 

Already, Taylor’s entrepreneurial approach is working. He has performed work for a multistate hospital, statewide property management company, event hosting business and even his dog walker. Additionally, he has embraced more traditional forms of networking such as joining The Boise Young Professionals, Idaho State Bar Practice Sections, performing pro bono work for immigrants, teaching and other activities.

“Lawyers graduating today just aren’t entering the same job market as their predecessors,” said Taylor, who was raised in Eastern Idaho. “My response is to build a comprehensive law practice, focusing on all of my clients’ business needs. Not only can I help with the legal aspects, but I can also help them make connections, whether for marketing, business development, or other areas, while still maintaining focus on vital issues such as budgets and profit.”