Hey fellow Esquires. I am brainstorming these days of slowly establishing an independent practice specializing in soft intellectual property. I have already worked for some time in a large IP firm and now work in a corporate law firm. But the yearning of independence is always there.

I quite enjoy the international dimension of intellectual property and I have seen that once one understands it and gets plugged into the system, it can be quite lucrative. In my experience I have seen that it can be quite inexpensive to start an up such a firm in my country. Although it is a highly technical area where people tend to avoid due to its dryness and complexity.

But I was thinking of setting up a website/email domain and joining a few associations which don't gouge the wallet. Start small. Get a few clients here or there on the side of my main associate job. If it takes off, well good for me. If it doesn't, well good for me. No harm no foul.

So, some questions.

1. Billing: I am a bit concerned about costs regarding official fees for form submission. Is it alright to ask for an immediate deposit of official fees and ask only for a portion of professional fees at the outset? Like how do experienced hands handle this?

2. I know for a fact that law firms have a huge job in ensuring the bills get paid, as clients can delay etc. What tips would you recommend for a solo/independent counsel tracking such payments. I assume since I am not going all out so it might be manageable until I get established as a presence.

3. Any IP lawyers around who would like to discuss?

FYI: Not an American lawyer.