What happens when you've "made it" in big law but still feel stuck? Business law attorney Matthew Fornaro hit that wall. After years at two prestigious AmLaw 200 firms, he found himself facing another offer from a top-ten national firm with more money and more prestige. Instead, he walked away to build his own practice.

Matt shares the real story of going solo: the defining moment he recognized he'd hit a "plateau" that more money wouldn't fix, the terrifying excitement of day one, and the culture shock of losing big-law infrastructure overnight.

Matt is refreshingly honest about what firm ownership actually looks like. The freedom is real, but so is the weight of responsibility. Nobody deposits a paycheck when you don't work. There's no back office printing your documents or managing your calendar. You become the CEO, the marketing department, and the IT help desk all at once.

But here's what changed for Matt: the work started to matter in ways it never had before. Inspired by watching his own father struggle to find competent legal counsel for his small business, Matt built a practice dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and startups. Now he watches businesses launch, employees get hired, and communities grow because of work he did with his own hands.

We explore the challenges every solo practitioner faces: cash flow management, technology decisions, and the critical importance of choosing the right clients. Matt shares hard-won lessons about red flags he wished he'd heeded earlier and the business education law school never provided.

Whether you're considering leaving big law, already running your own firm, or simply searching for a more aligned and fulfilling way to practice, this conversation delivers wisdom from someone who made the leap and built a practice that actually fits his life.

Key Takeaways:

Why hitting the "plateau" in big law was actually a gift
The culture shock of losing big-law resources overnight
How serving small businesses unlocked deeper fulfillment than Fortune 500 clients ever did
The business education law school never provided and how Matt filled the gap
Red flags that signal a client will cost you more than they pay
Building a practice aligned with your values, not just your bank account

[01:18] Matt's decade inside AmLaw 200 firms

[01:40] The "plateau" that changed everything

[06:21] Day one of firm ownership: excitement, fear, and chaos

[08:15] What surprised him most about leaving big law

[10:05] Freedom without a safety net

[12:44] The work that actually feels worth doing

[15:05] The parts nobody warns you about

[16:10] Cash flow, clients, and constant decisions

[17:43] How technology leveled the playing field for small firms

[20:01] Why Matt teaches what he learned the hard way

[22:06] The mentorship that filled the gaps

[24:16] Practical advice for lawyers ready to go solo

Matthew Fornaro spent over a decade at two AmLaw 200 law firms before walking away from an offer at a top-ten national firm to build something of his own. Today he serves small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups from his Coral Springs, Florida office, bringing big-firm expertise to clients often underserved by traditional law firms. A member of the Florida Bar and District of Columbia Bar, Matthew practices commercial litigation, contract disputes, construction law, intellectual property, and business formation. He also teaches legal compliance as an instructor for the Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac NewVenture Program and Florida State University's Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, helping the next generation of business owners avoid the mistakes he learned to navigate the hard way.

Contact me: gary@garymiles.net

https://www.garymiles.net/

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Breaking Free from Big Law: How One Attorney Built a Practice Worth Loving #412