1. Set the Des Plaines service area before discussing budget
Des Plaines is recorded as a city in Cook County, Illinois. That relationship matters because a campaign can distinguish the municipality from the broader county and from other areas the firm may serve. The population estimate is useful for identifying the place being evaluated, but it cannot tell you how many people search for a lawyer, how many firms compete for those searches or how many calls an advertisement would produce. Bosseo’s public LSA description refers to practice-area categories and service areas as campaign settings. For your firm, the first review should therefore map the locations you accept against the locations you can serve consistently. Include Des Plaines only if it fits your actual intake policy and matter capacity.
Recommended approach
Bring a written service-area rule to the consultation. Decide whether Des Plaines is a primary location, one part of Cook County coverage, or a location that requires case-by-case screening. Review the result against your office’s conflict, court, travel and staffing policies rather than using population as a demand forecast.
