When Deidra Haynes sat in her office in late 2021 with barely any clients and revenue of just $129,000, she had no idea she’d be leading a multimillion-dollar family law firm in just a few years. Today, her firm is pacing to hit $3.7 million in annual revenue.
Here’s exactly how she did it.
From Struggle to Survival
- Graduated law school in 2009 and passed the bar in 2010, after initially failing due to personal turmoil
- Briefly worked at Barnes & Thornburg with support from John Mley and access provided by Jimmy McMillan
- Left law altogether after experiencing racial bias and internal politics
- Spent time in theology school at Anderson University before deciding to return to law
With a multi-year gap in her resume, no firms would hire her.
Hustle from Scratch
- Sat in courtrooms daily, observing proceedings and learning
- Hand-delivered handwritten letters to courtroom administrators
- Landed contract public defender roles in Hamilton and Marion Counties, eventually earning ~$70K
From that position, she started gaining traction and rebuilding credibility.
Building a Private Practice
- Clients from public defender cases began hiring her privately
- In 2021, she hit $129,000 in revenue
- Hired her first associate attorney, Stephanie Columbo, for $40K—more than Deidra was paying herself
The Game-Changer: Legal Marketing Investment
- In December 2021, she saw an ad for SMB Team by Bill Hauser and Andy Stickle
- Paid $1 to attend a 5-day seminar
- Invested ~$70,000 into their full program from a case settlement
Within 5 days, her phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
She hired a former client as a receptionist. He became the best receptionist and bill collector she’d had.
Strategic Hires and Operational Excellence
Between 2022 and 2024, Deidra:
- Built an intake team using a mix of local hires and remote workers via Attorney Assistant
- Promoted closers who convert leads before they talk to a lawyer
- Hired more attorneys and paralegals
- Put her law firm administrator, Desiree, through COO training
- Brought on a fractional CFO after mentor guidance
By 2024, she had no personal caseload and worked exclusively on the business.
Mentors Outside of Family Law
She learned from top PI attorneys:
- Jen Gore
- Mike Morse
- John Berry
Each played a role in her growth. Jen Gore, in particular, stopped Deidra from pivoting into PI until her family law operation was strong enough to scale.
She also connected with Jeff Hughes, who supported her as a family law-specific mentor focused on business systems.
Faith and Mental Resilience
Her path included:
- Failing the bar due to personal crisis
- Homelessness and juvenile detention as a teen
- Leaving a prestigious firm due to toxic culture
- Risking everything to invest in coaching
She credits her growth to her faith, prayer, and long hours—working 3 AM to 9 PM daily for months.
Current Snapshot (2025)
- 5 attorneys (including Deidra, now CEO-only)
- 4 paralegals
- 5 intake specialists (2 local, 3 remote)
- Revenue projected at $3.7M
Her family law firm now runs with the structure and discipline of a PI powerhouse.
Her Advice for Firm Owners
“You must have coaches and mentors—and you have to listen to what they say.”
She recommends:
- Implementing fully, even when you disagree
- Investing in your team’s growth, not just your own
- Stepping out of casework to focus on leadership
What’s Next
Deidra aims to grow her firm to 25–30 attorneys and become the top name in Indiana family law.
Her practice is built on second chances—from hiring former clients to mentoring first-year attorneys like Stephanie Columbo into six-figure professionals.
Want to Learn More?
- Call her office: (317) 982-7396
- Explore Sterling Law’s services
- Read law firm growth case studies
- Listen to the full podcast interview
Clear. Intentional. Relentless.
That’s Deidra Haynes.
