Jonathan Hawkins

Founding Partner Podcast

Podcast Host

Law Firm GC

I represent law firms and lawyers in business-related matters and advise them on risk management, law firm structuring, partnership agreements, employment agreements, lateral moves, separation agreements, law firm dissolutions, attorney fee disputes, employment issues, ethics advice, sudden health crisis planning, and buying, selling, or closing a practice.

Founding Attorney

Galerie Living

I was responsible for asset management, corporate governance, strategic transactions, and risk management.

General Counsel

Krevolin & Horst, LLC

Partner

Foltz Martin Knapp LLC

Love Willingham

Attorney

US District Court, Southern District of Georgia

Judicial Law Clerk

I help increase the value and decrease the risk of your law practice. 

Our firm's vision is to become the go-to national Outside General Counsel firm serving lawyers for lawyers and law firms.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐈 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡

I’ve represented 100s upon 100s lawyers and law firms.  I've seen up close the issues that arise from change within a law firm and the effects they can have on a law practice. 

🔶Here are some of the things I help lawyers with: 🔶

✔️ Starting a firm
✔️ Forming a partnership
✔️ Moving laterally to another law firm
✔️ Buying or merging a law firm
✔️ Dissolving a law firm
✔️ Succession planning
✔️ Transitioning or selling law practices
✔️ Protecting firms owners have built

I represent law firms of all types. Contingency and hourly. Plaintiff and defense. Personal injury, criminal, family, immigration, you name it. Startups and established firms. True solos and firms with 100+ attorneys and 100s of employees. Small firms and firms with multiple offices in multiple states.

We have attorneys licensed throughout the country and also co-counsel when necessary. 

🔶 Sample of what clients have said: 🔶

✏️ “I highly recommend Jonathan Hawkins and his firm, Law Firm GC. I am one of the owners of a small law firm (8 attorneys). I have hired Jonathan's firm to handle several matters for our firm (operating agreement revision, contract and engagement letter reviews, employment contracts, and others). Jonathan did a great job each time, and I would hire him again in the future if the need arose. I also frequently refer clients and colleagues to his firm.” – Jason Wiggam

✏️ “Our law firm has a national reputation and we are active in more than 40 states.  Whenever we have a question concerning General Counsel matters, we always turn to Jonathan.” – Michael Allen

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐮𝐭

Please follow or connect with me here. I’m always looking to meet attorneys and law firm owners and share what I’ve seen and learned. 

GO HERE to sign up for my weekly newsletter → www.lawfirmgc.com/newsletter

✏️ “Yours is the only regular email that I actually read. Every Friday. I read them all.”

✏️ “I’ve been loving the emails – they are the perfect length. And the content is ‘A plus’ level too!”

Founding Partner Podcast – Interviews with law firm founders and owners
YouTube: @LawFirmGC
Instagram: @lawfirmgeneralcounsel

* no attorney-client relationship is formed and my LinkedIn profile and posts are educational only and do not constitute and should not be considered legal advice *

Owner

I serve as Outside General Counsel to law firms. In that role, I counsel lawyers and law firms on risk management, law firm structuring, partnership agreements, employment agreements, lateral moves, separation agreements, law firm dissolutions, attorney fee disputes, employment issues, ethics advice, and buying, selling, or closing a practice.

After I left my previous law firm 8 years ago, I worked 50% less and made more $$. I loved it! Who wouldn’t?

But about 4 years in, I wasn’t happy.

I wasn’t trying to get more business, but it kept coming in. (All those business development efforts and relationships built early in my career continued to pay off – topic for another post)

I reached the point where either I had to start turning work away (scary) or start building a team (scarier). 

I mulled over this for weeks. Then one morning, it hit me.

If I didn’t go for it, I’d be on my deathbed with overwhelming regret that I didn’t try.

Then another thought – if someone else built the firm I envisioned, I would be pissed off!

So I decided that morning… I was going to build.

___

Over the past 3.5 years, we’ve more than doubled our firm revenue, and headcount has grown 5 times. 

Not bad, but I was naïve….

I thought we’d be further along and that my life would be easier. I was wrong. 

1.     I work more now. A lot more. Training, recruiting, managing, producing, etc. 

2.     Profits are down. All this growth requires capital and time. Excess cash being reinvested in talent and increased overhead. And I spend less time on production. So there’s been a financial double-hit.

3.     Two steps forward, one step back. Progress is never in a straight line. Some early hires are gone. Wasted money on stupid projects. The list goes on.

4.     Focus can be hard to maintain. I see so many opportunities, but it’s not easy for me to pick 1-2 at a time and really stick to them.

5.     Big things take time to build. I really misjudged how long and how hard it is to grow a firm.

Some other lessons for those thinking about growing:

1.     Forecasts and projections are meaningless. Decisions should be made on facts and reality, not on wishes.

2.     Be careful getting out over your skis. Investments take time to pay off, if they ever do. Always leave yourself cash reserves. You are going to need them!

3.     You will make mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up. Embrace them as learning experiences.

4.     Always be recruiting. Convincing good people to join a small firm is challenging and takes a long time. You can’t wait until you have an imminent need.

5.     This is a people business. You and your team are not robots. Emotions, teamwork, culture can’t be ignored.

6.     Work on yourself. For your firm to grow, you will have to grow.

Sometimes you can only truly learn in the fire. But there are a lot of law firm founders out there who are willing to share advice. 

If you have a firm or are thinking about starting a firm, seek mentors and ask lots of questions.

That is the reason I started Founding Partner Podcast. It was a vehicle for me to interview other founders and learn from them.

If you haven’t listened, check it out.

I am the Founder of Law Firm GC and am a business/ethics lawyer to law firms and lawyers. 

Our firm's vision is to become the go-to national Outside General Counsel firm serving lawyers for lawyers and law firms.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐈 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡

I’ve seen up close the issues that arise from change within a law firm and the effects they can have on a law practice. 

My sweet spot is representing law firms and entrepreneurial law firm owners (and soon to be owners) of law firms ranging in size from 1 to 100 lawyers.

I represent law firms of all types. Contingency and hourly. Plaintiff and defense. Personal injury, criminal, family, immigration, you name it. Startups and established firms. True solos and firms with 100+ attorneys and 100s of employees. Small firms and firms with multiple offices in multiple states.

We have attorneys licensed throughout the country and also co-counsel when necessary. 

🔶Here are some of the things I help lawyers with: 🔶

✔️ Starting a firm
✔️ Forming a partnership
✔️ Moving laterally to another law firm
✔️ Buying or merging a law firm
✔️ Dissolving a law firm
✔️ Succession planning
✔️ Transitioning or selling law practices
✔️ Protecting firms owners have built

🔶 Sample of what clients have said: 🔶

✏️ “I highly recommend Jonathan Hawkins and his firm, Law Firm GC. I am one of the owners of a small law firm (8 attorneys). I have hired Jonathan's firm to handle several matters for our firm (operating agreement revision, contract and engagement letter reviews, employment contracts, and others). Jonathan did a great job each time, and I would hire him again in the future if the need arose. I also frequently refer clients and colleagues to his firm.” – Jason Wiggam

✏️ “Our law firm has a national reputation and we are active in more than 40 states.  Whenever we have a question concerning General Counsel matters, we always turn to Jonathan.” – Michael Allen

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐮𝐭

Please follow or connect with me here. I’m always looking to meet attorneys and law firm owners and share what I’ve seen and learned. 

Founding Partner Podcast – Interviews with law firm founders and owners

YouTube: @LawFirmGC

Newsletter: yourlawfirmgc.com/newsletter

✏️ “Yours is the only regular email that I actually read. Every Friday. I read them all.”

✏️ “I’ve been loving the emails – they are the perfect length. And the content is ‘A plus’ level too!”

* no attorney-client relationship is formed and my LinkedIn profile and posts are educational only and do not constitute and should not be considered legal advice *

Outside General Counsel to Law Firms | Founding Partner Podcast | Lover of Reggae 🎶

4 ways to originate more clients than you can ever serve. I started doing these 20 years ago. This has worked for me, and I promise it will work for you. 

1. Plant - Tell the world what you do. Write, speak, network

2. Hunt - Make a list of target clients and referral sources, figure out how to get introduced, go meet them, follow up with value 

3. Fish - Create lead magnets (books, checklists, etc) and give them away in exchange for contact information. Then nurture those leads.

4. Mine - Your former client list contains gold and diamonds that are waiting to be uncovered. Figure out how to stay in touch with former clients and referrals will come. 

Start with one thing. Once you've got that down, stack on another one.  

After some time, you will then see the magic of compounding. 

Last thing, never stop!

Growing a law firm is not for everyone.

Despite all the rah-rah people are selling. 

I'm sure I'm not only one who has days where I wonder why I'm doing it. 

The reality is that growth is a bumpy road.

Make sure you have the stomach for it, before you go for it.

No one will care about your career as much as you do. 

If you want something, you have to make it happen. No one is going to do it for you. 

Yes, you will have guides, mentors, coaches, cheerleaders. 

But ....

You have to make the investment.
You have to make the mistakes.
You have to make the time. 
You have to take the risk. 

Figure out what you want and then start taking action. A little, every day.

You want more control? Start your own law firm.

You want more freedom? Start your... well, maybe not.

If you start your own firm, you will have the freedom to choose your clients, how you deliver your services, when to work. 

But in some ways you will have less freedom. 

You're the captain of the ship, but also the first mate, the navigator, and everything else. 

If you aren't there, the ship may sink.

But if you persevere and push through, you can build a team that keeps the ship sailing, even when you're not there. 

It takes time and it's not easy, but it's doable. 

Look around and learn from those who've done it.

Most law firm partnership agreements I read are painfully inadequate.

Just because you are a lawyer, it doesn't mean you know how to draft a good one.

I handle a lot of law firm breakups, so I see where these agreements often fail.

And I use these lessons to build robust agreements that minimize or eliminate those fights.  

Happy to discuss.  Reach out.

Newer lawyers, seek optionality not money.

If you do this, either the money will come or you won't need it. 

How do you do this?

Get your personal house in order:

 🔹 Don't spend everything you earn
 🔹 Work hard to pay off student loans
 🔹 Stay away from the big house or fancy car
 🔹 Start growing your "war chest"

Grow and develop your relationships:

 🔹 Don't sit behind your desk all day
 🔹 Meet (in person) with other lawyers
 🔹 Continually grow your network
 🔹 Speak, write, post on social media
 🔹 Learn to develop business
 🔹 Be a giver, not a taker
 🔹 Don't burn bridges

Develop your legal skills:

 🔹 Push yourself outside of your comfort zone
 🔹 Keep asking for new opportunities
 🔹 Don't stop learning your craft
 🔹 Go to conferences
 🔹 Become known for something
 🔹 Go deep in at least 1-2 areas of law

Remember, this is a long game. 

And you don't want to just survive, you want to thrive.

He quit his job with zero clients.

Most lawyers wait. But Kevin Cott didn’t.

He saw a niche.
Investment funds & private offerings.

He built from nothing. No book. No guarantees.
Just a network and a bet on himself.

Then he leveled up.

He automated documents to save time and reduce errors.
He built workflows that turned chaos into simple steps.
He aligned pricing with client goals using flat fees.

Now his boutique firm is thriving.

If you’re thinking about starting a firm, remember this:

You don’t need the perfect plan. You just need to begin.

Check out Kevin on this week’s episode of Founding Partner Podcast.

Newer lawyers, work to become a subject matter expert.

It will do wonders for your career. 

Is it easy? No

Will it happen overnight? No

Is it worth it? Yes. 

Those who have done it, please weigh in.

Lawyers are starting to tell their firms they are leaving.

I know it's not easy, but hopefully both the departing lawyers and the law firms can handle the change professionally and with grace. 

Whichever side you may find yourself, the quicker you can resolve any issues and move on, the better off in the long run. 

But often conflict is unavoidable. 

Just remember that "winning" can often cost a lot more than you'll ever actually recover. 

These disputes can be expensive, are distracting, and emotionally tolling. Sometimes it's not worth it and sometimes it is.  

I've seen a lot in this area. Reach out if you want to discuss.

Enjoyed discussing The Law Firm Life Cycle with Michael DeLon on his Experts Speak podcast.  

Episode dropped today. Check it out.  

And check out my book!!

So you're thinking about leaving your firm?

When do you have to tell them? 

Here are some general rules:

1. A partner or associate generally has no duty to disclose that he or she is merely thinking about leaving the firm. 

2. But once the "possibility" becomes a decisive intention to leave, a partner has an affirmative duty to notify the firm. 

3. When a partner or associate knows he will be leaving, he should provide reasonable notice.

Typically, written agreements contain precise notice requirements for departing attorneys, so always look there first. 

4. Another nuance for partners - if they are seriously considering withdrawal from the firm, they should inform the firm if a material decision is about to be made. 

Example - if a law firm is about to renew a lease, add additional space, purchase equipment, or hire or fire employees, notice should be given to the law firm that the partner may possibly be withdrawing. 

(every situation is different, so check your facts and your jurisdiction)

Over the last 15 years, I’ve reviewed, revised, and drafted 100s of law firm partnership agreements. 

I’ve seen good, bad, and a lot of ugly. 

Here are a few examples:

The Good

1.     Departure scenarios are addressed.

All partnerships will eventually change. Could be a voluntary departure, could be death or disability, could be retirement. The good agreements have provisions for all of these potential situations.

2.     Buyout provisions.

Closely connected to the departure provisions are buyout provision(s). How much and when are former partners paid (if at all)?

The Bad

1.     The agreement only addresses partner compensation.

I’ve seen partnership agreements that are 1-2 pages and only talk about how partners are paid. That might be better than no agreement, but not by much.

2.     An agreement that’s never been updated.

Partners have come and partners have gone, but the original agreement, signed by the original partners and put in a drawer, has never been updated to reflect the changes.

The Ugly

1.     A provision expressly forbidding withdrawal. 

Sounds crazy, but I see this repeatedly. Why would this be included? Because someone reused a form meant for a different business purpose. 

2.     Blatant restrictive covenants post-departure.

Except for a couple of scenarios, restrictive covenants against a lawyers are generally unenforceable and technically unethical. Be careful.

If you’re going into a partnership, make sure you get your agreement right. 

If you’re not sure what that means, reach out to someone who does.

You would recommend that your client, right?

Equity should never just be given.

There should always be a buy-in or capital contribution of some amount. 

I'm also open to the idea of earning equity on specific performance-based metrics, but that does not include time of service at the firm.

I spoke to over 50 founding attorneys last month. Our discussions ran the gamut.

Here are some of the issues talked about:

1.     Promoting an associate to equity partner.
2.     Merging with another practice.
3.     Designing a transition plan so they can step back from their practice.
4.     Dealing with a lawyer leaving (and taking cases).
5.     Bringing on a lateral group.
6.     Negotiating a law firm break up.
7.     Drafting a new partnership agreement.
8.     Crafting an equity partner compensation framework.

I don’t always talk with this many founding attorneys in a month, but it’s pretty typical for me. 

I help them, and they teach me. I love it!

Questions I often ask them:

-       What are you seeing in the job market?
-       What are you using in your tech stack?
-       How are you using AI?
-       What are you focusing on for marketing?
-       What’s your biggest pain point nowadays?

I feel fortunate to represent lawyers. I learn something new almost every day. I also get a pulse on the legal market.

Think about having 100s and 100s of really smart lawyers asking you questions about law practice and giving you new perspectives and feedback on your work.

I get challenged and get a little bit better every day.

And the next law firm owner I talk to gets the benefit of that collective experience. It’s a virtuous cycle. 

If you have questions or issues you’re facing in your law practice, please reach out.

Law firm owners, here's a scary thought...

A court awards sanctions against your firm and your firm's client. 

But you never even knew the threat existed.... because the attorney on the case never let you or the firm (and maybe even the client) know. 

Doesn't matter - your firm is on the hook. Maybe for a lot.

Can you avoid this scenario?

Maybe not entirely, but here's an idea:

Create a written policy that, among other things:

1. Requires notice (in writing) to the firm and to the client if a motion for sanctions has been filed or is being set up to file

2. Requires certain disclosures to the client explaining potential adverse consequences and the potential for a conflict between the client and the firm

3. Requires a good faith attempt to confer with opposing counsel to resolve the underlying issue

4. Puts the responsibility for any sanctions on the attorney, if they failed to provide the required notices

Then have every attorney sign it 

The likelihood of timely disclosure to the firm will increase. And with early knowledge comes the potential to mitigate any adverse consequences.

What if the thing that makes you a great lawyer also becomes your biggest threat?

Hunter Garnett told me something many lawyers won't admit.

He’s obsessed with his work.
He loves the clients.
He loves the grind.
He loves waking up and doing it again.

And he knows that obsession comes with a cost.

But here’s the part that stuck with me:

He’s aware of it.
He’s intentional about it.
He’s building a life that can hold both ambition and family.

Most lawyers pretend this tension doesn’t exist. Hunter hasn’t.

Check out my conversation with Hunter on this week's episode of Founding Partner Podcast

He didn’t leave his job because he hated it.

He left because growth required it.

Joel Beck spent years inside FINRA. Stable job. Clear path. Predictable future.

Then one leadership program changed everything.

They ran assessments.
They paired him with a coach.
They mapped his strengths.

And the conclusion surprised him.

To grow, he had to go.

So he walked away.
Started from zero.
Built a firm that now runs on intention, systems, and focus.

If you’re feeling the pull to evolve, there’s probably a reason.

Pay attention.

Check out this week's episode of Founding Partner Podcast where you listen to pods.

Many lawyers fear AI. M. David Johnson fears something else entirely.

He fears the rules that keep lawyers stuck.

On this week's episode of Founding Partner Podcast, Dave broke it down with zero hesitation.

He scaled a 60-lawyer family law firm across four states.
He’s just opened not one, but three offices in Georgia at the same time.
He’s got a $100 million growth plan.

But none of that was the headline.

Dave’s take on the legal profession?

Lawyers can’t innovate when the rules punish innovation.
Rule 1.5 ties value to time.
Rule 5.4 blocks non-lawyer ownership.
And both keep firms from investing, growing, or evolving.

Meanwhile, AI is exploding.
Clients are using it without us.
And courts are unprepared for what’s coming next.

Dave said the quiet part out loud:

If lawyers don’t change, the system will change without them.

This conversation was a warning. And an opportunity.

Some of you will agree. Others will strongly disagree.  

Listen to see where you fall.

Develop skills that no one can take away from you. 

Probably the best use of time and money you can make in your career.

taplio

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