From Law School to Law Firm CEO: My Journey to Building a Seven-Figure Practice Without Burnout

Hey there! I’m thrilled to share my story of scaling a seven-figure law firm and building Scalable Law. Recently, I had the pleasure of joining Sophie Svenson on the File Notes Podcast by VXT on their poddy episode– What I Learned Running a Law Firm as a Junior Lawyer. We chat about my journey from uni to law firm owner, overcoming challenges, and helping other law firm owners scale their businesses without burning out. Let’s dive into some highlights from our conversation and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

My Journey: From Uni to Law Firm CEO

My path into law wasn’t exactly traditional. It was far from it. I got married young, became a mum to three kids, and went through a divorce in my late 20s. After realising that I needed a stable career for my future, I enrolled in law school at 30, determined to make it work.

Balancing full-time study, parenting, and working was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I couldn’t access student loans because I was a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, so I had to pay for law school out of pocket—semester by semester. Talk about pressure!

But that struggle instilled resilience, and by the time I graduated, I was ready for anything—at least, I thought I was.

Taking Over a Law Firm with $460,000 Debt

Not long after law school, I unexpectedly took over my ex-husband’s struggling law firm—which came with a whopping $460,000 in debt. I had two choices: close it down or transform it. I chose the latter.

I approached the debt like an investment. If I had bought the firm outright, I would’ve paid a large sum anyway, so I set up payment plans, even when creditors weren’t exactly thrilled about it. I was determined to pay off every cent—and I did.

The key was niching down into family law. Instead of being a general practice firm, I focused entirely on family law, which helped streamline marketing, operations, and client service.

My First Hire & The Power of Building the Right Team

One of my earliest moves was hiring a senior associate while I was still on a restricted practising certificate. I focused on running the business while learning the legal ropes from him. This dual focus—working on the business while being in it—was exhausting but absolutely necessary in those early days.

Looking back, I realise that hiring smarter people than yourself is the only way to scale sustainably. Today, I encourage law firm owners in Scalable Law to stop being the bottleneck and start building powerful teams.

Why Niching Down Is Non-Negotiable

One of the most critical decisions I made was niching down into family law. Trying to be everything to everyone just dilutes your message and brand authority.

When you specialise, clients know exactly what problem you are solving, making marketing much clearer and more effective. This approach helped us become recognised experts in family law and scale faster.

The Power of Data & Automation

If there’s one thing I would do differently, it’s systemising data tracking earlier. When we finally got serious about tracking key metrics like inquiries, client conversions, and team performance, everything changed. We could pinpoint what was working (or not), allowing us to make better decisions, tweak our marketing, and improve operational efficiency.

Even now, our data-driven approach is what keeps our firm scaling without sacrificing quality—or my sanity.

Automate What You Can (Seriously)

Another lesson: Automate as much as possible. We’ve automated client intake, marketing funnels, appointment bookings—you name it. This frees up our team’s time and ensures we don’t lose potential clients due to slow follow-ups or admin bottlenecks.

Automation isn’t about replacing people—it’s about empowering your team to work smarter.

My Advice for Future Law Firm Owners

If you’re thinking about starting your own firm—or you already have but feel stuck—here’s my best advice:

1. Don’t Overthink It—Start!

So many lawyers get stuck in analysis paralysis. Just begin. You can tweak and perfect along the way.

2. Build Your Brand Authority Early

Start building your personal and professional brand while you’re still employed. Use social media, create content, and show up online—you’ll thank yourself later.

3. Hire Smart, Systemise Everything

Hire team members who align with your firm’s core values and invest in systems that remove you as the bottleneck.

Scaling Your Firm Without Burnout: Why I Built Scalable Law

After transforming my law firm and paying off that huge debt, I realised how much I loved the business side of law. That’s why I founded Scalable Law—to help other law firm owners scale their practices without sacrificing their personal lives.

Today, we’ve helped over 250 law firm owners through our programs:

• Scalable Business Lounge (for firms under $1M turnover)
• Law Firm Accelerator (for growing firms ready to scale to $2M+)

Ready to scale your firm without burnout? Join the Scalable Business Lounge or Law Firm Accelerator today! 

Burnout is NOT a badge of honour, and with the right systems, team, and strategy, you can have a successful law firm and a life you love.

Want to Learn More?

Check out Scalablelaw.com or follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. I’d love to help you scale your firm without burning out.

If you’re a law firm owner or thinking of starting your practice, I hope my story inspires you to take that next big step!

Let’s Scale Together! 

FAQs:

 What’s the biggest takeaway from your journey?

Build your brand, hire smarter people, and track your data—it’s a game-changer!

How can I start scaling my law firm today?

Focus on niching down, automating admin tasks, and tracking your marketing data. Join us at the Scalable Business Lounge!

What’s the first hire I should make?

Hire someone more experienced than you to handle legal work so you can focus on growing the business.