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Grow Your Law Firm

Grow Your Law Firm

By: Ken Hardison
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 The Grow Your Law Firm podcast deploys the most innovative legal marketing and management tactics available to get more cases and more free time for yourself. Our law firm growth podcast can help scale your firm by 250% growth with less stress and more free time in the week by exploring the hottest topics and trends in legal marketing and management. This law firm podcast will teach you what the Law Schools don't. Start your law firm growth NOW. Economics Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Why Law Firm Partnerships Fail and How to Structure Them Right With Michael Roch

    Why Law Firm Partnerships Fail and How to Structure Them Right With Michael Roch
    Mar 27 2026
    Welcome to episode 324 of Grow Your Law Firm, hosted by Ken Hardison. In this episode, Ken sits down with Michael Roch, a partnership consultant who specializes in partner compensation and governance for professional services firms. With more than 25 years of experience advising organizations across the globe, Michael works with law firms and other professional partnerships on issues related to profit-sharing, incentives, partnership structures, and long-term sustainability.

    The conversation focuses on the realities of law firm partnerships, including how compensation systems influence behavior, why partners actually leave firms, and how owners should think about equity versus non-equity roles. Michael also shares practical insights on structuring partner buy-ins, aligning incentives, and avoiding the common mistakes that cause partnerships to break down.


    What you'll learn about in this episode:
    1. Choosing the Right Partner
    - Why character, trust, and shared values matter more than compensation formulas
    - How alignment on vision, work ethic, and long-term goals shapes successful partnerships

    2. Why Partners Really Leave Firms
    - Why compensation is rarely the primary reason top partners exit
    - How fairness, workload balance, and firm purpose influence retention

    3. Equity vs. Non-Equity Partnerships
    - The strategic reasons firms create two-tier partnership structures
    - How non-equity roles can balance prestige, compensation, and risk

    4. Structuring Partner Buy-Ins and Ownership
    - Why "skin in the game" leads to better long-term decision making
    - Practical ways firms finance partner buy-ins without creating financial strain
    5. Protecting the Firm When Partnerships Change
    - Key partnership agreement provisions that help prevent disputes
    - Why due diligence and clear expectations matter before bringing someone into ownership




    Resources:
    Website: mhpradvisors.com/insights-signup
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelroch


    Additional Resources: https://www.pilmma.org/the-mastermind-effect https://www.pilmma.org/resources https://www.pilmma.org/mastermind
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    36 mins
  • How Smart Law Firms Blend AI and Personal Connection With Phil Kesler

    How Smart Law Firms Blend AI and Personal Connection With Phil Kesler
    Mar 20 2026
    Welcome to episode 323 of Grow Your Law Firm, hosted by Ken Hardison. In this episode, Ken is joined by Phil Kesler, owner of MacCloskey Kesler and Associates.

    Phil shares how his firm evolved from relying heavily on television advertising to building a predictable, stable pipeline driven by grassroots marketing, referrals, and long-term brand relationships. He explains how analyzing his biggest cases revealed that word-of-mouth, prior clients, and referral partners, not paid ads, were producing the highest-value matters. The conversation dives into client appreciation dinners, referral partner engagement, staff-driven marketing culture, and how smaller-market firms can compete with large regional advertisers by focusing on relationships instead of outspending competitors.


    What you'll learn in this episode:
    1. Why Grassroots Marketing Still Wins Big Cases
      - How Phil discovered that over half his cases came from referrals and word-of-mouth
      - Why relationship-driven marketing creates long-term brand stability

    2. The Client Appreciation Strategy That Builds Long-Term Loyalty
      - How hosting simple appreciation dinners keeps past clients engaged
      - Why consistent follow-up drives referrals years later

    3. Leveraging Referral Partners Beyond the Firm Owner
      - Why building relationships with paralegals and staff increases referral flow
      - How thoughtful, consistent engagement strengthens professional networks

    4. Competing with Big Advertising Firms Without Outspending Them
      - Why you can't outspend large regional firms
      - The difference between short-term paid ads and long-term brand equity

    5. Creating Marketing Stability and Predictable Cash Flow
      - How diversifying channels reduces financial stress
      - Why a balanced mix of TV, digital, referrals, and community outreach creates consistency

    Resources:
    Website: maccloskeykesler.com
    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/attorneyphilkesler
    Facebook: facebook.com/dpkesler



    Additional Resources: https://www.pilmma.org/the-mastermind-effect https://www.pilmma.org/resources https://www.pilmma.org/mastermind
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    31 mins
  • How to Stop Valuation Leak and Maximize Every Case With Michael Ponce

    How to Stop Valuation Leak and Maximize Every Case With Michael Ponce
    Mar 13 2026
    Welcome to episode 322 of Grow Your Law Firm, hosted by Ken Hardison. In this episode, Ken is joined by Michael Ponce, founder of Ponce Law in Nashville and a highly accomplished personal injury trial lawyer.

    The conversation centers on how law firm owners can dramatically increase revenue without increasing marketing spend. Michael breaks down the concepts of "lead leak" and "valuation leak," explains how his firm nearly doubled its average case fee, and shares the systems he uses to rank cases, assign attorneys strategically, and implement a valuation committee before settlement. He also discusses the importance of trying cases, training young lawyers, and preparing for the temporary cash-flow dip that comes with raising minimum settlement standards.


    What you'll learn in this episode:

    1. How to Increase Revenue Without Increasing Marketing Spend
      - Why focusing only on lead generation overlooks hidden profit opportunities
      - How improving intake and case valuation can significantly raise average fees

    2. What "Lead Leak" and "Valuation Leak" Really Mean
      - How firms unknowingly lose qualified cases during intake
      - Why many firms leave money on the table by undervaluing existing cases

    3. The 80/20 Rule and Case Ranking Systems
      - Why 20% of your cases generate 80% of your revenue
      - How ranking cases and attorneys ensures your best lawyers handle your highest-value matters

    4. Using a Case Valuation Committee
      - How setting a Minimum Settlement Value (MSV) strengthens negotiation leverage
      - Why committee-based valuation removes emotional bias and prevents premature settlements

    5. Building a Trial-Ready Culture
      - Why trying smaller cases is essential for training young attorneys
      - How litigation credibility increases settlement values across the board


    Resources:

    Website: poncelaw.com
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ponce-60a2602a9/ Facebook: facebook.com/PonceLawFirm YouTube: youtube.com/user/PonceLaw


    Additional Resources: https://www.pilmma.org/the-mastermind-effect https://www.pilmma.org/resources https://www.pilmma.org/mastermind
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    29 mins
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