In this insightful second episode of The New Succession Planning Series on the Lead Counsel Podcast, host Tom Tona dives into the high-stakes world of law firm succession planning with renowned legal industry experts Ed Alexander, Daniel Feiman, and Jonathan Hawkins. Titled “Sushi on an Airplane” after a hilariously cautionary tale, the episode explores how seemingly small missteps—like serving sushi on a plane—mirror the blind spots that can derail a law firm’s future.

Together, Tom and his guests dissect the critical signs of a fractured firm, including the absence of a “missing middle” in leadership, failed recruiting efforts, and broken internal promises. They emphasize the importance of building a bench, developing leadership pipelines, and having candid succession conversations early and often.

Key Highlights:

• What law firms get wrong about succession and how to fix it

• Why a “missing middle” in firm leadership is a silent killer

• The importance of scalable leadership and middle management

• How poor communication derails succession efforts

• Why succession planning must be prioritized over short-term fires

• When to recruit your successor and whether they need to be a lawyer

• How strategic hiring, such as bringing on a COO or fractional CEO, can transform firm scalability

• Real-life horror stories of half-baked succession plans and how to avoid becoming one

This episode is essential listening for law firm owners and partners thinking about long-term growth, operational scalability, and protecting their legacy. If you’ve ever said “we’ll get to that later,” this is your wake-up call.

Jonathan Hawkins Website: Law Firm GC LinkedIn: Jonathan Hawkins

Daniel Feiman Website: Build It Backwards LinkedIn: Daniel Feiman Books on Amazon: Daniel Feiman

Ed Alexander Website: Alexander Business Law LinkedIn: Ed Alexander Books on Amazon: Ed Alexander

Tom Tona Founder & Managing Attorney, Tonalaw Website: https://www.tonalaw.com LinkedIn: Tom Tona X: @NYPITrialGuy

This podcast is sponsored by TonaLaw.

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