Founding Partner Podcast

What if growing a successful personal injury firm had less to do with expensive advertising and more to do with building genuine friendships? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Kurt London, co-founder of London Harker Injury Law, to explore how he built a thriving referral-based practice from zero clients, navigated a $700,000 first-year deficit, and t...

What happens when growing your law firm nearly breaks you financially, emotionally, and personally? Christopher Earley, founder of Earley Law Group Injury Lawyers, joins Jonathan Hawkins to share the painful realities behind scaling a successful practice, from declined credit cards and leadership departures to the one referral check that changed everything. In this candid conversation, Chris revea...

What if the biggest threat to your law firm partnership isn't money, but the conversations you never had? In this episode, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with psychologist, mediator, and The Partnership Charter author David Gage to uncover why even successful partnerships fall apart, how small misunderstandings become expensive disputes, and why some business partners are better off walking away befor...

What does it take to build a 36-lawyer firm from a 500-square-foot office with no clients? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , I sit down with Chris Murphy, founding partner of Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP, to explore how a former professional hockey player and boxer turned his competitive mindset into a thriving commercial real estate law practice. From building a firm with his...

What if the billable hour is holding law firms back from their greatest potential? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Bob Kopka, founder of an 80-attorney insurance defense firm, to explore why the future of law may depend on changing how firms bill, lead, and embrace technology. From building a culture where people feel valued to preparing the next g...

What does it take to build a law firm that stands out without chasing volume or spending millions on advertising? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with David Craig of Craig, Kelley & Faultless to explore how creativity, specialization, team development, and consistent content helped shape his practice. From an ingenious Yellow Pages strategy to build...

What happens when you suddenly find yourself without a firm and need to build one almost overnight? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins lays out a practical triage plan for attorneys who unexpectedly need to start a law firm. From forming the entity and opening bank accounts to protecting client relationships and building your public presence, he explains what needs...

Leaving a law firm can create tension for everyone involved, and the decisions made before and during that departure matter. In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins walks through three issues lawyers and law firms need to think about when someone makes a move: notice to the firm, communication with clients, and handling client files. The goal is simple, understand the po...

What happens to your law firm if you suddenly cannot run it? In this solo episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins breaks down what he calls the “Hit By a Bus Plan,” a practical approach for protecting your clients, family, employees, and firm if death or disability takes you away from the practice unexpectedly.

Does every law firm really need to scale? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with New Orleans personal injury attorney David Vicknair to talk about building a firm on your own terms. David shares how intentional growth, memorable client hospitality, bold marketing, and investing in the right people helped shape his firm, and why growth only works when you...

What does it take to grow from a new law firm owner hiring an attorney off Craigslist to leading one of Washington’s largest family law practices? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Michelle Dellino shares how confidence, calculated risk, hard-earned lessons, and a willingness to let go helped her build Dellino Family Law Group. She also opens up about the difficult seasons behind t...

A law firm partnership can work on trust and a handshake, until it doesn’t. In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins breaks down four essential issues every law firm partnership agreement should address before disagreements, departures, or unexpected changes put that partnership to the test. He also shares a practical bonus tip for structuring partner compensation so it c...

What happens when a young lawyer combines an entrepreneurial instinct with an early fascination for technology? Erik Pelton turned that combination into a trademark practice that has continued evolving for more than 25 years. In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Erik shares how flat fees, technology, education, content, and a willingness to learn from failure helped him build a distin...

What happens when a lawyer sees an underserved market and decides to build something bigger around it? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , I sit down with Bart Denham, founder and principal attorney of Denham Property and Injury Law Firm, to talk about growing from one attorney to twelve in less than three years, expanding into new markets, building a custom case management system wi...

What does it take to walk away from more than two decades of legal experience and build something completely different? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Steven Nassi, founder of Rock Point Law, to talk about his move from representing insurance companies to advocating for consumers, why he chose lemon law, and how intentional decisions around client...

How should equity partners be paid, and why do so many compensation systems create unintended problems? In this solo episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins explores the strengths and weaknesses of common equity partner compensation models, explains why no system is perfect, and shares a practical framework for creating a compensation plan that rewards both ownership and perform...

What does success really look like for a law firm founder? For Jason DeSouza, it is not measured by having the biggest office or the largest headcount. It is about building a firm that delivers exceptional results for clients while protecting the people who make the work possible, including himself. In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Jason DeSouza, fo...

What does it really take to launch a law firm from scratch, grow it from six lawyers to thirty in just two years, and still keep your culture intact? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Vivek Tata, founding partner and General Counsel of Elsberg Baker & Maruri, to discuss why the best firms are built around people first, not growth targets. From le...

What does it take to build a successful law firm when your path isn't the traditional one? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with attorney Dwayne Pennant to explore how persistence, service, and genuine relationships helped him build a thriving practice across North Carolina and Massachusetts. From failing the bar exam more than once to earning the trust...

What does it take to leave a comfortable law firm job and build something of your own? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with trial lawyer Bryan Knight, founder of Knight Palmer, to discuss the realities of starting a law firm, developing business through relationships, building a trial practice, and growing a firm without losing its identity. From lickin...

What does it take to launch a law firm in today's legal landscape? For Oklahoma trial lawyer Rilee Harrison, the answer is not flashy marketing campaigns or pretending to be something you're not. It's relationships, authenticity, and a relentless commitment to helping clients get the outcomes they deserve. In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Rilee shares how he transitioned from assoc...

Private equity is entering the legal industry, and lawyers everywhere are asking the same question: what does it mean for my firm? In this solo episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins breaks down what is actually happening behind the headlines, how MSOs fit into the picture, and why firm owners should focus less on fear and more on building valuable businesses. If you've been won...

What happens when a small-town lawyer decides to walk away from a century-old law firm and build something entirely his own? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Georgia trial lawyer Chris Rodd to discuss entrepreneurship, niching down in a rural market, growing a personal injury firm from the ground up, and why some of the best business lessons come fro...

What does it take to build a law firm that grows by more than 60% in a single year while staying true to its mission? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Jon David Huffman, Managing Partner of Poole Huffman, to explore the evolution of a litigation boutique that has grown from a small startup into a thriving firm of nearly 40 professionals. Along the wa...

What happens when a lawyer stops chasing volume and starts building value instead? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Louisiana attorney and entrepreneur Chaz Roberts to talk about intentional growth, grassroots marketing, marathon lessons, and building a law firm around freedom instead of pressure. From hanging his own shingle at 26 to creating a hig...