Michael Kim, Co-Founder of Kobre & Kim

In the next of our Law Firm Founder Conversations podcast series, our Managing Partner Clare Murray discusses all things law firm founder with Michael Kim, co-founder of leading global disputes and investigations firm, Kobre & Kim. The firm is described by Chambers and Partners as “one of the best litigation boutique firms in the US” and that “when you are up against Kobre & Kim, you understand that you are dealing with a highly skilled adversary.”

In this inspiring and thought-provoking conversation, Michael discusses the journey and strategy of building Kobre & Kim from a firm of two New York City-based co-founders – both then US Department of Justice white-collar fraud prosecutors, to a phenomenally successful internationally law firm – a global leader in international disputes and investigations, with over 500 staff across four continents.

In this podcast, Michael Kim and Clare Murray chat about issues relevant to those considering founding, growing and transitioning their law firm to the next generation of owners, including:

• Is it enough just to be a great lawyer in order to build a successful law firm? What more is needed?
• How important is it for law firm founders to have a razor-sharp strategy and vision from the outset?
• Understanding whether you are building an institutional brand and pipeline, or a collective of partner personal practices, and setting your strategy and goals accordingly.
• It’s all about the clients, not you – driving your firm’s value proposition to address your clients’ problems with innovative products and services.
• How do you create a law firm that can exist independently, and beyond the founders?
• Founder ego as the single biggest obstacle to law firm growth and success, and the importance of making yourself irrelevant.
• “Escape velocity” –  the significance of founder drive and commitment to achieve stratospheric success for their firm, and recognising the need to understand your own personal and professional goals within that process.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode. Please do like, subscribe and share. You can listen to the previous episodes in the series below:

Episode 1 – Laura Devine, Founder and Managing Partner of Laura Devine Solicitors (London, UK and New York, USA)

Episode 2 – Joydeep Hor, Founder of People + Culture Strategies (Sydney, Australia)

 

If you are thinking of setting up a new law firm, or are expanding to take your firm’s growth to the next level, and would like to discuss any related partnership or employment law infrastructure issues with us, please do get in touch with Clare Murray or Zulon Begum.