Tony Karls and I started Sterling Lawyers on June 23, 2014. We grew the firm to 25 lawyers and $ 15 million + in revenue within the first ten years.
But, it took me 50 years to get here.
My origin story is humble (and that’s being charitable!). Growing up, my family hovered just above the poverty line as we bounced around.
By the time I was 18, I had lived in 18 different homes spread out over six states.
At the time of my parent’s divorce at the age of 15, there were five of us siblings. Then, my mom and dad added three more, completing our blended sibling group.
I had a first-hand taste of how divorce impacts a family.
College started when I was 17. I worked my way through in four years, usually holding three jobs at a time. I had a lot of help – thanks in large part to Dr. and Mrs. Boyd who secretly funded big parts of my tuition.
When I graduated, I didn’t have the grades or credentials to attend a big-name law school. So, I chose the one with the lowest tuition that would accept me (Southern Illinois University in Carbondale).
After law school in 1997, my first job was at a small, community law firm in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. It was one of the most fortunate moves of my life.
I found my people and quickly excelled in the scrappy family law environment where my talents lay in connecting with and serving family clients.
In 2006, I stepped out of law for a few years because my “side hustle” of selling stuff online demanded more of my attention.
It was during the “business learning” years from 2006 to 2014 that I learned critical lessons in leadership and marketing.
By June 23, 2014, I was ready to return to my roots in family law. That’s when we started Sterling Lawyers with the eventual mission to “Empower Family Law Clients.”
We grew the firm quickly to 8 lawyers in 18 months. But, we didn’t like where we were going. Our service was mediocre. The firm was unfocused. We basically sucked.
Beginning on February 1, 2016, we cut our firm in half and focused on family law clients, fixed fee, and blending technology into the practice of family law.
The next 8 years were wild and perilous, to say the least. Our growth was crazy, but so were the growing pains.
Thanks to wonderfully patient teammates, we endured and flourished.
Today, we have 75 teammates, of which 25 are lawyers. We serve clients in Wisconsin and Illinois.
At home, I am Winona’s loving husband. We live in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with all six of our children nearby.
I am a devoted follower of Jesus and am eternally grateful for His sacrifice on the cross to save me. I am doing my best to live out his example.
When I’m not actively being a husband or dad, you will find me at the CrossFit gym, playing fingerstyle guitar, downhill snow skiing, casting for fish, or thinking about eating warm chocolate chip cookies.
My purpose here is to share how we have built our beautiful family law firm so other lawyers can copy or recontextualize.
As I am learning new lessons and experiencing more insights, I will document and share those here.
I don’t see any other law firm as a competitor. There is plenty of great clients to go around for everyone. Together we can create wonderful lives by generously giving and serving.
The more family law firms that succeed, and the more clients we add value to, the better our world!
Jeff Hughes is the CEO and co-founder of Sterling Lawyers, one of the most influential and largest family law firms in the United States. He’s an expert on building and scaling family law firms.
Jeff and his co-founder, Tony Karls, started Sterling Lawyers on June 23, 2014. The firm grew to 25 lawyers and $15 Million + in revenue within the first ten years.
As the oldest of eight siblings in a blended family, Jeff began his legal journey from humble beginnings, growing up in a broken home that seemed to always hover slightly above the poverty line. By the time he was 18, he had lived in 18 different places.
In college, Jeff studied History (because it was the “easiest major”) and worked his way through, holding up to three jobs at one time. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the grades or credentials to attend a prestigious law school. So, Jeff chose the one with the lowest tuition that would accept him (Southern Illinois University in Carbondale).
After law school, Jeff had two job offers. One was with the State’s Attorney in his hometown of Edwardsville, Illinois. The other was with a small, community law firm in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
He chose the law firm job for the simple reason that it seemed to offer him the best path out of poverty and into financial stability.
This turned out to be a life-defining decision because it introduced him to family law.
The rest is history. Jeff quickly realized that his talents lay in connecting with and serving family clients.
Today, Jeff is a devoted follower of Jesus. He and his wife, Winona, live in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with all six of their children nearby.
Jeff cherishes his responsibilities of being a husband and dad. When he’s not doing that, you will find him at the CrossFit gym, playing fingerstyle guitar, straining on the pickleball court, casting for fish, or thinking about eating warm chocolate chip cookies.
Weekly Strategies, Insights, and Lessons from law firm expert, Jeff Hughes.
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The stuff they don’t teach in law school. Learn world-class law firm leadership, growth strategies, operational principles, and marketing models from my 10 years building one of the largest family law firms in the US.
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The stuff they don’t teach in law school. Learn world-class law firm leadership, growth strategies, operational principles, and marketing models from my 10 years building one of the largest family law firms in the US.
Weekly Newsletters - Actionable Insights - ZERO Spam
