School of Hard Knocks Podcast
Episode Summary:
John Morgan | The Billionaire Lawyer Who Took Down Disney & Coca-Cola
Release Date: September 25, 2025

Overview

This episode features John Morgan, founder of Morgan & Morgan, widely known as "The Billionaire Lawyer." Morgan shares the origin story behind his law firm's meteoric rise, strategies for building a powerhouse business, legal battles against titans like Disney and Coca-Cola, and his unique approach to life, luck, leadership, and family. The discussion is raw, unscripted, and sprinkled with Morgan’s unfiltered wisdom, memorable one-liners, and moving personal stories.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Motivation Beyond Money (00:00–02:10)

• Morgan’s drive has never been just about wealth: “Most people stop. Most people are satiable. And somehow for me, it really wasn't about money, it was just about winning.” (00:09, John Morgan)
• Morgan & Morgan generated $2 billion in fees last year, with high profit margins.

2. Vision & Removing Obstacles (03:01–07:33)

• Early on, Morgan identified "vision blockers" in his partners and bought them out, following advice he saw from Jeff Bezos: “Sometimes you need to pay people to go away.” (03:24, John Morgan)
• He modeled his firm after Google (everywhere, for everyone) and Uber (case referral model), emphasizing omnipresence and scalability.

3. Origin Story: Taking on Disney (07:41–12:23)

• Morgan’s brother, Tim, was paralyzed working at Disney World.
  • Disney and its insurers fought compensation fiercely, fueling John’s resolve to stand up for people against corporate Goliaths.
  • “Tim's terrible day became my career.” (10:18, John Morgan)
• Morgan vowed never to represent corporations or insurance companies.

4. Negotiating with Giants (12:23–16:01)

• Big companies, he says, "only understand money" and will not do the right thing unless forced.
  • “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Bring a fucking Uzi.” (12:39 & 14:51, John Morgan)
• He’s taken numerous high-profile cases, with victories that changed how companies treat plaintiffs.

5. Scaling Morgan & Morgan: Technology, Quality & Expansion (16:31–22:24)

• Built proprietary software, Litify, to automate and standardize quality firmwide: “I built Litify... it's used by law firms all over America. If they don't, they're stupid.” (17:31, John Morgan)
• Scaling philosophy: Like pole vaulting, once you clear one bar, set the next higher—never be satiated.
  • “99% of everybody out there has a satiable appetite. They get to enough. That's enough. Somehow for me, it really wasn't about money. It was just about winning.” (20:16, John Morgan)
• Expansion strategy: Pour profits from "full teacups" (markets) into new markets, reinvesting continually.

6. Branding & Omnipresence (27:27–31:26)

• Morgan's branding is aggressive and ever-present (“the purple cow” analogy):
  • “I want to be the purple cow... that’s why you see me with such crazy shit on billboards and buses.” (28:54, John Morgan)
• Targeted concentric advertising and viral stunts make the Morgan & Morgan brand omnipresent.

7. Collaborating with “Competitors” (31:48–34:30)

• Created ad agency and mass torts conference for competitors, leveraging relationships to his advantage.
  • “I believe that rising tides lift all boats. I’ve never looked at competitors as competitors. I’ve looked at them as friends...” (33:32, John Morgan)

8. Luck, Opportunity, and Standing Out (35:02–40:17)

• Emphasizes always seeking opportunity and luck:
  • “If you’re not looking for opportunities, you’re never going to be lucky.” (35:54, John Morgan)
• Distinction between being smart and finding/hiring the right people: “I understand early that I wasn’t smart. But I was smart enough to know I wasn’t smart. And smart enough to find people who were.” (38:37, John Morgan)

9. Hiring Philosophy (40:17–42:41)

• “A's hire B's, and then B's hire C’s...I hire A’s. I want people to challenge me. I want people better than me.” (40:22, John Morgan)
• Compares hiring to horse racing: you need both great horses & jockeys.

10. Revenge and Business Payback (42:53–44:56)

• Shares how he gets back at those who've wronged him:
  • “Walt Disney World. They've been paying for it ever since.” (42:53, John Morgan)
  • “When they tell me (insurance limits), too fucking late. Now I want $5 million.” (44:37, John Morgan)

11. Wealth Building & Diversification (45:20–50:17)

• Started with personal injury law, expanded into attractions, real estate, and even banks—often using other people's money (OPM).
  • “If you got no money, how are you going to get it? OPM, other people’s money.” (49:29, John Morgan)

12. Finding the X-Factor in Cases (50:17–56:02)

• Story of David Vega v. Key Capital Leasing: relentless pursuit led to unexpected rewards, long-term client loyalty.
  • “When opportunity's there, fish first and fish fast. Because the fish are not always there.” (51:45, John Morgan)

13. Parenting, Compassion, and The Golden Rule (56:34–61:07)

• Shares the values he'd pass to his kids: “Be compassionate. Don't be arrogant, don't be an asshole. Don't judge people.” (56:36, John Morgan)
• Maintains a strict yet loving approach to keeping his children, and by extension his firm, surrounded by good people.

14. Surrounding Yourself with the Right People (61:07–66:20)

• “Your child is one friend away from total disaster.” (62:05, Bill McBride, as quoted by John Morgan)
• Advocates for proactive involvement and tough love—drug tests included—to protect and guide family.

15. Legalizing Medical Marijuana (66:20–72:31)

• Fought for legalization in Florida because of his brother’s experience: “When he would smoke marijuana, his pain went away... But he wasn't on all those poisons.” (66:28, John Morgan)
• Critiques pharmaceutical industry’s resistance; celebrates helping those in chronic pain.

16. Faith, Mortality, and Living Right (72:31–75:20)

• John describes his evolving faith as he ages, choosing to believe and live as though accountable.
  • “I choose to believe, and I choose to live my life exactly as if he’s there and exactly as if one day I’m going to have to explain myself and everything I did.” (73:26, John Morgan)
• Illustrates Christian testimony with the apostles’ sacrifice as proof of conviction.

17. Final Principles and Legacy (75:20–75:58)

• The Golden Rule:
  • “Golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You can’t go wrong.” (75:34, John Morgan)
• How he wants to be remembered:
  • “He kept his word. The reason people keep doing deals with me is I don't need a contract. All you need to do is shake my hand.” (75:46, John Morgan)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Bring a fucking Uzi.” (14:51)
• “Tim’s terrible day became my career.” (10:18)
• “Grow or die.” (24:24)
• “I want to be the purple cow.” (28:54)
• “If you’re not looking for opportunities, you’re never going to be lucky.” (35:54)
• “I hire racehorses and great jockeys.” (41:30)
• “If you got no money, how are you going to get it? OPM, other people’s money.” (49:29)
• “Be compassionate. Don’t be arrogant, don’t be an asshole. Don’t judge people.” (56:36)
• “Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You can’t go wrong.” (75:34)
• “He kept his word.” (75:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] – Motivation, growth, and the Google law firm vision
• [03:01] – Breaking away from partners & finding a scalable vision
• [07:41] – Personal story: fighting Disney after brother’s accident
• [12:23] – How to negotiate & fight billion-dollar companies
• [16:31] – Maintaining quality: tech and software innovation
• [22:24] – The “teacup” model for expansion
• [27:27] – Building omnipresent brand & "purple cow" uniqueness
• [31:48] – Working with (and monetizing) competitors
• [35:02] – Luck, opportunity, and building personal luck
• [40:17] – Hiring philosophy: only choose A players
• [42:53] – Fighting back in business; never settle for less
• [45:20] – Diversifying wealth with OPM & other businesses
• [50:17] – Strategic case win stories; the David Vega case
• [56:34] – Parenting advice & the Golden Rule
• [61:07] – On surrounding yourself with the right people
• [66:20] – Medical marijuana advocacy for his brother Tim
• [72:31] – Faith, belief, and aging
• [75:20] – Parting wisdom: Golden Rule & legacy

Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in business, branding, personal philosophy, and resilience. John Morgan’s journey is filled with sharp insights, indelible one-liners, and sweeping lessons applicable far beyond the law. His practical, sometimes brutal honesty, mixed with deep empathy, make this one of School of Hard Knocks’ richest conversations.

For more, connect with John Morgan and access the resources mentioned via the episode’s show notes.