Kimberly M. Hanlon

I am not your typical lawyer. First of all, I don’t have the mindset of the typical lawyer, and I certainly haven’t had the usual career path. I came to my legal career after being a fashion designer in New York and moving away for family reasons. It’s hard to be a fashion designer anywhere else, it really is. After I became a lawyer, I started my practice and started practicing just like every other lawyer I know practices. As I was going along, I kept noticing that most law practices violate the laws of good business (and clients hate that but lawyers continue that way nonetheless). Laws of good business like providing a good experience for the client (more than just a good result), like building relationships with clients (and not just a merry-go-round of new prospects), and providing a level of care that is personalized and focused on what is important to the client (and not calling all the shots like we know what is best for you). It is amazing that law practices succeed given the usual practice model, and it is no wonder that people hate lawyers. I don’t want to be the lawyer that people hate. I want to be the lawyer that people love. As my practice grew, I stepped further and further away from the typical law model. I stopped doing divorce work. I stopped doing whatever-came-in-the-door work. I started focusing on what I could do that made a positive difference for people, that had me enjoy my practice and my clients, and that contributed to society. I stopped billing by the hour. I started running my law practice based on relationship principles. It has been a progression, and I’m constantly working to improve upon it, but I love how my law practice is now. I love my clients. I love my work. It’s fun being a lawyer – the way I’m doing it. My favorite part of what I do is working with people. I think it is a profound privilege to get to do what I do. View More ›