14 Passive Income Ideas For Attorneys [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a attorney in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a attorney today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a attorney.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be a great way to use your legal expertise while supplementing your income. As an attorney, you have a wealth of specialized knowledge that can be invaluable to a specific audience. For example, you could start a blog focusing on legal issues in a particular field, like family law, intellectual property, or employment law.
By creating unique and informative content, such as articles, how-to guides, and video interviews, you could attract a dedicated online community. To monetize the blog, you could include affiliate links to legal resources, collaborate with relevant brands, or even offer sponsored content. Engaging regularly with your followers and sharing your passion for the topic will help grow your blog's visibility and followers over time.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
2. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As an attorney, you could supplement your income by creating and selling online courses tailored to your expertise. Imagine leveraging your knowledge in legal practice to develop courses that help aspiring law students or even small business owners understand complex legal concepts.
Given the rising demand in the e-learning market, which is expected to be worth over $645 billion, there is significant potential for making extra money through this venture. All you need is to identify your target audience, craft your course content, and choose a platform to sell your courses online.
This approach not only enables you to monetize your skills but also allows you to reach a wider audience without the constraints of one-on-one consultations.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
3. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
As an attorney, starting a YouTube channel could be a fantastic way to share your legal knowledge and experiences while earning passive income. You could create content that demystifies complex legal concepts, offers practical advice, or provides insights into specific areas of law. This not only helps the public but also establishes you as an authority in your field.
Additionally, a YouTube channel could generate revenue through ads, sponsorships, and possibly even merchandise. While it requires consistency and quality in content creation, the potential payoff includes both financial rewards and a broader professional reach. By investing time in planning, shooting, and engaging with your audience, this venture could be a meaningful supplement to your income.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
4. Make passive income with a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be an excellent way for you as an attorney to supplement your income and make extra money. By sharing your legal insights, case studies, or even discussing general law-related topics that interest you, you could attract a wide audience from your network and beyond. This could create an avenue not only for monetizing your expertise but also for establishing yourself as a thought leader in the legal field.
You don't need much to get started—just some basic recording equipment like a microphone and headphones. After that, you can choose a free or affordable hosting platform to publish your episodes. Promoting your podcast through social media and online communities could help you reach more listeners, and as your audience grows, you might attract sponsors or advertisers, providing you with passive income opportunities.
It's also a chance to engage with potential clients and colleagues in a new and meaningful way, broadening your professional network. By carefully selecting a niche or topic that resonates with your interests and has a defined audience, you could create a successful podcast that adds to your regular income without requiring a significant upfront investment.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
5. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As an attorney, starting a niche website could provide you with a unique opportunity to supplement your income while leveraging your specialized legal knowledge. You could create a website focused on a specific area of law, such as intellectual property, family law, or even legal advice for startups. This kind of content would attract a dedicated audience looking for your expertise, helping you build a loyal following.
The website could generate revenue through various means such as affiliate marketing, ad placements, or selling your own digital products, like e-books or online courses. Though it requires an initial time investment in research, content creation, and search engine optimization (SEO), once established, your website could become a reliable source of passive income. With some dedication and strategic planning, this venture could not only increase your earnings but also enhance your professional credibility.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
6. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As an attorney, you could tap into your creative side and supplement your income by starting a stock photography business. Legal professionals often encounter visually compelling moments, such as in courtrooms, law libraries, and city landmarks, which could make for unique stock photos that are in high demand. By investing in good photography equipment and honing your photography skills, you could build an impressive portfolio.
You could license these high-quality images to businesses, website owners, and bloggers who need professional visuals for their marketing and advertising efforts. The best part is that once your photos are uploaded and available for purchase online, they could continue to earn you passive income over time. Establishing a strong online presence and effectively marketing your photos could help you sell them faster, making this a profitable side hustle.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
7. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As an attorney, you could supplement your income and earn extra money by starting an affiliate marketing business. This involves promoting products or services from other companies online, and earning a commission for each sale made through your referral. For example, you could become an affiliate marketer for legal tech products or services that are relevant to your field, such as online courses, legal software, or professional liability insurance.
To begin, you would need to identify products and brands that align well with your legal expertise and have a strong potential to appeal to your network and audience. Promoting these items through your blog, social media, or professional website could generate steady passive income over time. This method leverages your current skills and reputation in the legal field, making it a smart and viable entrepreneurial side hustle.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
8. Make passive income with a subscription box business ($97.9K/month)
As an attorney, starting a subscription box business could be a smart way to create passive income by leveraging your understanding of niche markets. For instance, you could design a subscription box targeted at legal professionals or law students, offering items like curated legal literature, professional accessories, or digital resources. This niche focus could attract a dedicated customer base looking for exclusive products that add value to their professional lives.
Additionally, since you already possess the skills to understand contracts and negotiate with suppliers, you could efficiently handle vital aspects like building relationships with fulfillment companies to ensure smooth operations. By marketing your service effectively, you could establish a steady stream of income without needing to dedicate significant time away from your main profession. This allows you to create an additional revenue stream while maintaining your primary career as an attorney.
How much you can make: $400 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.
9. Make passive income with a real estate investment firm ($398K/month)
Starting a real estate investment firm could be an excellent way for attorneys to supplement their income and build long-term wealth through property. In essence, this business involves purchasing, managing, and eventually selling real estate assets to generate profit, offering a steady stream of rental income or significant returns through property appreciation.
For attorneys, the skills you already possess can be directly applicable to this venture. Your expertise in contracts, negotiations, and due diligence could give you an edge in identifying valuable properties and closing favorable deals. With diligent market research and strategic planning, this entrepreneurial endeavor could yield impressive financial returns and provide a rewarding supplementary income.
How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 210 days (?)
Equity Residences is a luxury real estate investment fund that has raised $40 million from over 200 investors, offering them access to a portfolio of luxury vacation homes for investment and personal use, with a minimum investment of $161,500 and plans to acquire a further twenty residences ranging from $1.5M to $4M.
10. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As an attorney, you could consider starting an AI-based business solution to supplement your income and make extra money. AI can help streamline various processes in the legal industry, such as document review, legal research, and case management. By offering AI tools that automate these tasks, you can help law firms save time and reduce operational costs, which is a compelling value proposition.
Additionally, AI can provide valuable insights through data analysis, allowing law firms to make more informed decisions and predict case outcomes with higher accuracy. This growing demand for AI in legal services means there is significant market potential for solutions that enhance efficiency and productivity. Even if you don’t have a tech background, platforms are designed to be user-friendly and providers often offer extensive support, making it easier to get your business off the ground.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)
Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.
11. Make passive income with a SEO & lead generation service ($60K/month)
Starting an SEO and lead generation service could be a practical and lucrative side business for an attorney. By leveraging your understanding of the legal industry, you could help law firms attract potential clients online. You gather information about these prospects and nurture them until they are ready to become clients, earning passive income as businesses pay for these high-quality leads.
You would need to learn the basics of lead generation and SEO, but with your analytical skills and attention to detail, this shouldn't be too challenging. Over time, you could become a trusted expert in this field, helping other firms grow while supplementing your own income effortlessly. This can be especially attractive as it allows you to use your legal expertise in a different, but still related, context.
How much you can make: $8,000 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
A link building company co-founded by Justas Markus has grown to make an average of $35k per month in recurring revenue with a focus on delivering high-quality services through manual processes and focusing on fewer markets.
12. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As an attorney, you could create a lead generation tool to help businesses find new clients more easily. This tool would collect valuable data such as email addresses, phone numbers, and interests from various online sources like websites and social media. By automating this process, businesses can save time and focus on converting these leads into paying clients.
The demand for efficient lead generation is high, and your tool could become a key asset for companies looking to expand their customer base. If you have a knack for technology and marketing, developing this tool could provide a steady stream of income while you continue to practice law.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.
13. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As an attorney, you could leverage an AI writing tool to supplement your income without requiring extensive time commitments. This tool could assist in drafting documents, generating blog posts, or even producing content for legal newsletters. By automating these writing tasks, you could save valuable time while maintaining high-quality output.
Beyond its use in the legal field, your AI writing tool could serve other professionals, students, and businesses seeking efficient content creation solutions. The need for constant, accurate, and engaging content is ever-increasing, making this a timely and valuable innovation. Starting an AI writing tool business taps into the demand for technological solutions and allows you to benefit from the expanding digital content market.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.
14. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As an attorney, developing a mobile app could be a feasible way to supplement your income. You could create a legal advice app that offers users quick tips, document templates, or even a platform for brief consultations. This could address a widespread need for accessible legal information and might help you establish a passive income stream through app downloads and in-app purchases.
The process involves planning out the user experience, designing easy-to-navigate interfaces, and testing thoroughly to ensure it works correctly. Even if you don't know how to code, hiring a skilled developer could bring your idea to life. If marketed effectively, your app could attract a significant user base, turning your legal expertise into a profitable venture.
Mobile apps are a big part of daily life now, and with the right dedication and strategy, your app could see significant traction. From solving everyday legal issues to offering specialized information, the possibilities are vast.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
