1. Set the footprint around your actual service area
Bosseo describes two geographic choices: statewide coverage or a tighter footprint limited to selected counties. Elko New Market is in Scott County, so a Scott County scope is a distinct option for a firm that serves that county without claiming service across Minnesota. A statewide plan would be a broader business decision, not something justified by Elko New Market’s population. The city’s 2020–2024 ACS estimate of 5,002 identifies the municipality and its size; it does not establish how many people search for a lawyer, how many firms compete, or how many cases could result.
Recommended approach
Begin with a written service-area rule. Decide whether the firm accepts matters from Elko New Market only, from Scott County, from additional Minnesota counties, or statewide. Then compare the cost, review burden and measurement clarity of each footprint. Do not use population as a demand forecast.
