Founding Partner Podcast

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...

What happens when the lawyer who once swore she would never step into a courtroom ends up building a thriving bankruptcy firm and becoming an early adopter of AI? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Lorena Saedi to talk about unexpected career pivots, building systems that scale, and why bankruptcy lawyers may be the first to see economic shifts before...

What does it take to bet on yourself in one of the highest-risk areas of law? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Atlanta trial attorney Christopher Newbern to unpack the mindset behind massive verdicts, high-stakes litigation, and building a law firm without relying on traditional advertising. Chris shares why he left insurance defense, how he develop...

What if the real problem in your law firm isn’t a lack of leads, but too many? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Aaron Thomas returns to challenge one of the most common assumptions in legal growth. From scaling consultations to confronting operational bottlenecks, this conversation reveals what actually limits growth, and how to fix it before it’s too late.

What if the biggest threat to your law firm isn’t your competition, but a quiet email you didn’t question? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Kellam T. Parks returns to break down the real risks behind cybersecurity, data breaches, and why even the most sophisticated firms are vulnerable. This is not fear-driven hype, it is a practical conversation about preparation, protection, and...

What if the thing holding your firm back… is you? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Bonnie Richardson shares the real story behind building a law firm from the ground up, navigating fear, failure, and growth. From starting with almost nothing to leading a values-driven firm, this conversation reveals what it really takes to evolve from lawyer to founder.

What does it take to build a fast-growing law firm while fighting for your life? In this deeply powerful episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Angel Casarez shares her journey from immigrant roots to building a 90+ person firm, all while navigating a life-threatening illness. This conversation is about resilience, leadership, and what it really means to grow, in business and in life.

What if the biggest risk in your legal career isn’t failure, but standing still? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Josh Sanford shares how he went from “unhirable” to building multiple law firms, launching a legal tech company, and redefining what it means to practice law. This conversation is about momentum, reinvention, and why waiting for the future is no longer an option.

What does it really take to grow a law firm from a solo practice into a multi-state operation? In this episode, Andrew Kryder shares how hustle, relationships, and eventually systems transformed his firm. If you’ve ever wondered when to delegate, how to scale, or why client communication still wins, this conversation delivers.

What if burnout isn’t a workload problem, but a design problem? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jason Epstein shares how intentional decisions around structure, leadership, and growth allowed him to build a firm that supports his life, not consumes it. From four-day workweeks to walking away from toxic partnerships, this conversation challenges what it really means to run a succe...

What does it take to leave a successful 28-year Big Law career and start over? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , appellate attorney Laurie Webb Daniel shares the story behind launching her boutique appellate firm after decades at a major firm. From arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court to building a thriving eight-lawyer practice, Laurie explains why relationships, reputation, and...

What if the fastest way to grow your professional services firm wasn’t marketing… but acquisition? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Jonathan Hawkins sits down with CPA entrepreneur Brad Dower to unpack how he built a rapidly expanding accounting firm by acquiring practices across the country. From structuring deals to integrating teams and scaling systems, Brad shares the lessons...

What happens when a seasoned prosecutor decides to bet on herself? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Nana Knight shares how she walked away from a stable government career to launch a premium criminal defense firm — without a single client on day one. From board certification to YouTube marketing to charging premium fees with confidence, Nana reveals the mindset and systems that fu...

What does it really take to grow a law firm from two former Army JAG officers in a kitchen… to a 40-person national practice in under six years? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast , Robert Capovilla shares the mindset, marketing strategy, and uncomfortable decisions that fueled his firm’s rapid growth. From direct lead generation to 50 military-base billboards, this conversation is a...

What if your burnout isn’t caused by the work… but by the way you’re paid to do it? After 14 years in high-stakes criminal defense, Trevor Riddle walked away. He thought he needed a new practice area. A new city. A fresh start. But the real problem wasn’t the cases. It was the billable hour. So he came back, built a firm on flat fees, and bet everything on alignment over tradition. Would you have...

I’ve interviewed a lot of successful founders, but Scott Zucker’s story made me pause. What if building a niche isn’t about picking the “right” strategy, but paying attention long enough to see what keeps showing up? What if the real edge isn’t certainty, but curiosity? In this conversation, we talk about saying yes before you feel ready, using fear as fuel, and why legacy isn’t something you leav...

From the outside, growth looks linear. From the inside, it never is. When I sat down with Laura Ramos James, we talked about the parts of building a law firm that don’t make it into highlight reels. The moments when the firm grows but you’re stretched thinner. When hiring helps and complicates things at the same time. When success creates opportunity, but also exhaustion. What if the real challeng...

What if everything works in law firm marketing, just not for you yet? If you are starting from zero, where should the first dollar go: lunches or LSAs? Is podcasting a smart play, or should you borrow someone else’s audience first? What would happen if you defined your “wanted case” and fixed intake before buying more leads? And who already has your clients today, quietly waiting to refer them? Th...

What if the ceiling on your firm isn’t the market, it’s you? In this conversation, Hillary Walsh unpacks the messy truth of scaling: opening LA with tables and chairs, learning immigration by FedEx from Korea, and the day a daycare floor forced a business pivot. How do you grow when the plan breaks, when marketing turns toxic, when profit lags top line? If you had to choose, would you wait for mar...