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138: Leading Lions and Prima Donnas: John Morgan’s Leadership Lessons – Part 2

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

Release Date: 06/30/2025

141: Your Firm Gets Stronger When You Do with Lea Anne Groover show art 141: Your Firm Gets Stronger When You Do with Lea Anne Groover

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

On today’s episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley chats with attorney and athlete Lea Anne Groover as she shares her journey and the tangible habits for law firm growth that challenge what’s possible at any age, in any career, and at any stage of life. Lea Anne’s journey wasn’t about grand gestures or overnight success. It began with a small, intentional act, writing the word “move” in the habit-building section of her My Great Life Focus, a tool provided by her Atticus Advisor, Teresa Morgan. For Lea Anne, “move” meant getting on her Peloton for 20 minutes a...

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Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley is joined by Adam Rossen, a criminal defense attorney who’s doing more than building a successful firm, he’s reinventing criminal defense training for the next generation of lawyers. Adam’s firm has quadrupled since 2020, yet his passion is mentoring future attorneys. His Florida-based internship program, once a casual drop-in setup, has evolved into a structured, immersive model for reinventing criminal defense training. In 2020, he took on 13 interns, introducing a mock law school exam project, virtual court sessions,...

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Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley welcomes Dre Baldwin, former professional basketball player, prolific author, and founder of Work on Your Game Inc. Dre shares how his career was shaped not just on the court, but at home, where his parents modeled daily discipline and quiet resilience that made him “too stupid to quit.” From an early age, Dre watched his parents show up for their responsibilities, day in and day out, regardless of how they felt. That consistency became the foundation of his own mindset: showing up was non-negotiable. It’s a lesson he...

info_outline 138: Leading Lions and Prima Donnas: John Morgan’s Leadership Lessons – Part 2 show art 138: Leading Lions and Prima Donnas: John Morgan’s Leadership Lessons – Part 2

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

John Morgan doesn’t lead quietly—and he doesn’t build small. In part two of his conversation with Steve Riley, he shares the systems, standards, and mindset that built a law empire. On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley welcomes back John Morgan, founder of Morgan & Morgan, for an insightful continuation of their conversation. In this episode, you’ll discover John Morgan’s leadership lessons on how to grow a law firm with integrity. He also shares how long-term vision, and well-built systems can support both business growth and personal success. John...

info_outline 137: Grow or Die: John Morgan’s Relentless Strategy for Law Firm Expansion – Part 1 show art 137: Grow or Die: John Morgan’s Relentless Strategy for Law Firm Expansion – Part 1

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley is joined by visionary attorney and entrepreneur John Morgan for a focused conversation on law firm expansion. As the founder of Morgan & Morgan, John built one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the United States. He explains how a growth-focused mindset and strong systems helped his firm scale in a fast-changing legal industry. John, now 69, continues to lead with a “grow or die” mindset. Back in 2009, he wrote a speech that shaped his entire growth strategy. He compared the future of law to the shift from...

info_outline 136: The Biggest Marketing Mistakes Lawyers Make and How to Fix Them with Robert Rose show art 136: The Biggest Marketing Mistakes Lawyers Make and How to Fix Them with Robert Rose

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley welcomes back content marketing guru Robert Rose for a powerful conversation tailored to attorneys and law firm owners looking to improve their marketing strategy. Robert shares how lawyers can turn their natural communication strengths, advocacy, storytelling, and clarity into a winning content marketing strategy. His tips are practical, achievable, and designed for busy professionals. Many small and solo law firms rely almost exclusively on referrals. While referrals are important, they aren’t a full marketing plan. Robert...

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Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

What does it take to shift from a struggling solo attorney to a CEO leading a thriving full-service law firm? Learn how authentic leadership transformed one law firm from solo practice to thriving law firm. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve sits down with Ross Albers, CEO of Albers & Associates in Timonium, Maryland. Ross shares his inspiring and raw journey—from getting fired just days before his wedding to building a successful law firm with 13 attorneys spanning multiple practice areas. His story is a powerful reminder that setbacks can become the foundation...

info_outline 134: What Surviving a Plane Crash Taught Me About Running a Law Firm with Blinn Bates show art 134: What Surviving a Plane Crash Taught Me About Running a Law Firm with Blinn Bates

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

Surviving a plane crash wasn’t part of Attorney Blinn Bates’ plan, but it became a pivotal chapter in his life story. A routine flight turned into a near-tragedy and forced a year-long recovery. As a third-generation attorney, Blinn faced the unimaginable. But instead of succumbing to despair, he used the pause to transform his law practice and reevaluate his personal life. On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Blinn shares his story of resilience and transformation through adversity. He turned the experience into an opportunity to innovate and modernize his family law...

info_outline 133: Escaping the 3 Time Traps That Stall Law Firm Growth: Inside the Mind of Shawn McNalis show art 133: Escaping the 3 Time Traps That Stall Law Firm Growth: Inside the Mind of Shawn McNalis

Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley explores time management and focus strategies with Shawn McNalis, an Atticus Practice Advisor and trainer with over 30 years of experience. Together, they uncover the most common time traps that prevent attorneys from reaching their full potential. They also share proven strategies for defending strategic time blocks and establishing boundaries that support professional growth. Shawn brings her wealth of knowledge from coaching thousands of lawyers and co-authoring pivotal books on time management and performance. Steve and...

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Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

In this follow-up episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley welcomes back guest Barb Betts for a deeper dive into a powerful idea: the confidence to build a thriving law practice begins with embracing your authentic self. For lawyers, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a strategic advantage that drives client trust, firm growth, and personal satisfaction. Barb shares her powerful concept of “17 moments”—life-changing events like teenage pregnancy and severe hair loss—that taught her to stop hiding and stand in her truth. These moments are critical for...

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John Morgan doesn’t lead quietly—and he doesn’t build small. In part two of his conversation with Steve Riley, he shares the systems, standards, and mindset that built a law empire.

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve Riley welcomes back John Morgan, founder of Morgan & Morgan, for an insightful continuation of their conversation. In this episode, you’ll discover John Morgan’s leadership lessons on how to grow a law firm with integrity. He also shares how long-term vision, and well-built systems can support both business growth and personal success.

John shares the systems he created that allow his firm to scale without losing control. He highlights the importance of structure and transparency, sharing how internal checks to eliminate rogue behavior and uphold the firm’s standards. For any attorney managing a growing team, John’s insights on leadership, oversight, and operational discipline are invaluable.

The conversation shifts into legacy and personal life. John opens up about raising four humble and successful children. He emphasizes that leadership isn’t just about being a visionary; it’s about being a visionary maker. His insight into parenting, business, and firm culture shows how strong values translate across every part of life.

Throughout the episode, John shares analogies that bring his approach to life—from magic tricks and oil fields to casinos and card tables. He reflects on overcoming insecurity, navigating unpredictability, and creating opportunity through generosity, gratitude, and persistence. John Morgan’s leadership lessons are rooted in hard-earned experience and deep human insight.

This episode is more than a conversation; it’s a roadmap for building sustainable law firm leadership, straight from one of the most successful legal entrepreneurs in the country. Tune in for candid advice, actionable takeaways, and a clear blueprint for creating a lasting legacy, and building a great practice and a great life.

In this episode, you will hear:

  • How to balance a successful legal career with a fulfilling personal life
  • John Morgan’s insights on creating harmony between work and home
  • Building accountable and transparent systems in your law firm
  • Why adopting audited financials can accelerate growth and trust
  • The surprising connection between magic tricks and trial law strategy
  • How to recognize and seize opportunities in an unpredictable world
  • Teaching discipline, humility, and work ethic to the next generation
  • Overcoming vision blockers like self-doubt and envy
  • The role of gratitude and generosity in building a great life

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Episode Credits

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