The Future Is Bright Podcast

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Jun 2026

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Enjoy a front-row seat as Chris speaks with thought-provoking C-Suite executives and leaders from corporations, both public and private, professional service firms, and of course, the legal industry from around the United States.

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June 16, 202643 min

EP #77: Aprio Legal: How Two ABS Firms Combined to Build America's First Integrated Legal + Accounting Platform

Andy Kvesic left the job every lawyer wants to build something the profession had never seen. As CEO of Aprio Legal, he traded a general counsel role at a thriving family office for the harder, riskier work of acquiring a Phoenix law firm and redesigning how professional services actually work. The result is a historic combination: the first time two Alternative Business Structure firms have merged, bringing together a corporate law firm and a national accounting and advisory firm backed by private equity. Attorneys, accountants, wealth planners, and business advisors now serve the same clients under one roof. The idea came from watching entrepreneurs waste time and energy bouncing between disconnected professionals who never coordinated with each other. Arizona's 2021 rule change allowing non-lawyer law firm ownership gave Kvesic the opening to try something different. His merger with Aprio wasn't a calculated exit. It was the recognition that both firms were solving the same problem from opposite ends: Aprio's professionals were constantly referring clients out for legal work, and Kvesic's attorneys were constantly referring clients out for tax and accounting. Neither could fully serve their clients alone. Building the integrated platform also forced a reckoning with how differently law firms and accounting firms run their businesses. After two decades working almost exclusively with other lawyers, Kvesic found Aprio's infrastructure to be a genuine upgrade: multi-year planning, pipeline visibility, real margin analysis. For an industry that largely runs on a cash-in, cash-out model aimed at maximizing year-end partner distributions, the difference is significant. The legal profession is changing whether it wants to or not. The more interesting question Kvesic raises is whether the people inside it will have the courage to lead that change rather than resist it. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 From General Counsel to Law Firm Owner: Andy Kvesic's Career Path 02:51 The Vision Behind Raddock's Law and the ABS Model 09:03 How Aprio Legal Became the First ABS-to-ABS Merger 14:57 Cultural Differences Between Lawyers and Accountants 24:33 How Accounting Firm Discipline Is Changing Law Firm Operations 29:35 Growth Strategy and the Integrated Legal Accounting Platform 37:52 ABS Advice and the Future of the Legal Profession Connect with Andy Kvesic: Connect with Andy on LinkedIn Andy Kvesic - CEO, Aprio Legal | Partner Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company web profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

June 2, 202650 min

EP #76: Not All Capital Is the Same: Inside Burford Capital with David Perla

When permanent capital, AI disruption, and a rapidly fracturing talent market collide inside the legal industry, the old rules for how law firms grow, get funded, and build their next generation of lawyers stop making sense. David Perla, Vice Chair of Burford Capital, joins hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to break down why permanent capital is a fundamentally different proposition than traditional private equity for boutiques and founder-controlled firms ready to grow, and why the AmLaw 100 is unlikely to move anytime soon. The more urgent conversation is about what neither capital nor strategy can fully solve. Law firm leaders are making multi-year associate class decisions without any reliable sense of what their workforce looks like in twelve months. Startups that needed fifty people eighteen months ago now run on seven or eight. The associate pipeline, in-house departments, recruiting timelines: all of it is under pressure that is accelerating faster than most leaders want to admit. Perla's advice is deceptively simple. Get curious. Ask hard questions of people who think differently. The firms that navigate this moment well are the ones willing to challenge assumptions before the market forces the issue. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction: David Perla, Vice Chair of Burford Capital 06:05 Building Pangea3 and Pioneering Legal Outsourcing 12:51 How Burford Capital Invests in the Legal Industry 23:44 Where Private Capital Is Heading in Law Firm Investment 29:51 AI, Legal Talent, and the Associate Pipeline Crisis 39:23 Legal Tech Valuations and the Coming Shakeout 46:06 Advice for Law Firm Leaders Navigating Disruption Links Connect with David Perla: Company Bio: https://www.burfordcapital.com/about-us/our-team/david-perla/ LinkedIn Profile link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidperla/ Connect with Howard Rosenberg: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrosenberg/ Company web profile: https://www.baretzbrunelle.com/howard-rosenberg Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

May 12, 202629 min

EP #75: Fiercely Independent for 137 Years: Hughes Hubbard's Strategy in the Age of AI, Private Equity, and Rebalancing the Firm

What happens to the modern law firm when AI strips away the advantage of size and leaves judgment as the true measure of value? Robb Patryk joined Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to talk about why AI may reset some of the biggest assumptions in the legal industry. If sophisticated legal work no longer depends on armies of lawyers, what actually gives a firm its edge? For Robb, the answer is clear. Sharp judgment, trusted client relationships, and a strategy that knows exactly which problems a firm is built to solve. This conversation gets to the real pressure point behind all the AI hype. What happens to training when junior lawyers no longer learn through hours of document review? What happens to growth when bigger no longer means better? Robb makes the case for a more deliberate future where independent firms can stay competitive, stay focused, and stay human while using AI to move faster and think better. There is also a bigger leadership question running through this episode. How do you protect a firm's identity when the market keeps pushing toward consolidation, private equity, and scale at all costs? Robb offers a grounded look at what it takes to lead with conviction in a moment when the legal world feels wide open. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 AI in Law Firms and the Future of Independent Firms 08:02 Law Firm Strategy, Growth, and Practice Mix 12:33 How AI Will Reshape Legal Talent and Firm Scale 16:09 Private Equity, Non-Lawyer Ownership, and Law Firm Culture 23:45 How Independent Law Firms Stay Competitive Connect with Robb Patryk: Robb's Law Firm Web Bio Connect with Robb on LinkedIn Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company web profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

April 28, 202640 min

EP #74: US Only by Design: Why Polsinelli Stays Domestic with Chase Simmons

What does it take to grow a 1,200-lawyer firm through chaos, competition, and industry change without losing the culture and discipline that made it strong in the first place? Hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Chase Simmons, Chair and CEO of Polsinelli, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership under pressure. As the leader of one of the largest full-service U.S.-focused law firms, Chase brings a clear point of view on growth, judgment, and the kind of institutional clarity that gets tested when the market shifts. The conversation gets to the heart of how firms grow without losing themselves. Chase shares why Polsinelli has stayed intentionally U.S. focused, how leadership teams decide where to invest and where to hold back, and what hard moments can reveal about a firm's values. What helps a firm stay disciplined when the market keeps shifting? What becomes possible when leaders know who they are and refuse to chase every opportunity? Chris and Howard also ask Chase about private equity, AI, succession, and the broader disruption reshaping big law. What emerges is a thoughtful discussion about stewardship, ambition, and the choices that give a firm staying power. It is a grounded look at leadership from someone who has helped scale a major firm while staying protective of the culture behind it. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Polsinelli's Growth Strategy and Leadership Vision 03:08 Building a Law Firm Culture That Holds Up Under Pressure 11:56 The Future of Big Law and Industry Disruption 14:59 AI and the Changing Practice of Law 17:54 Private Equity and the Future of Law Firm Ownership 21:04 Leadership Lessons for Law Firm Leaders Connect with Chase Simmons: Chase Simmon's Law Firm Web bio Connect with Chase on LinkedIn Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

April 14, 202638 min

EP #73: From Big Law to Boutique: Inside Kindleworth's Playbook for Partners Launching Their Own Firms

What happens when accomplished lawyers realize the traditional firm model no longer supports the practice they want to build? James Hacking, founder and CEO of Kindleworth, joins the conversation for a clear-eyed look at why more top lawyers are questioning the traditional big law model and what it takes to build something more aligned, more focused, and more sustainable. At the center of the discussion is a simple truth: many partners are not looking to leave because they are bored or impulsive. They are responding to real pressure. Conflicts get in the way. Firm priorities shift. Business models grow rigid. At a certain point, the question becomes unavoidable. What happens when the institution no longer supports the work you do best? James brings real specificity to that tension. He explains why boutique firms have become a more serious option for elite lawyers and why the move requires more than confidence and a strong book of business. What does it actually take to launch well? What do lawyers often fail to see until they are in the middle of it? This conversation stays grounded in those questions. The result is a thoughtful look at agency, timing, and design inside a changing legal market. For anyone curious about where the industry is headed, or what it looks like to build a firm around the work that matters most, this episode gives that conversation real substance. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Rise of Boutique Law Firms 05:03 Understanding Kindleworth's Mission 12:34 The Process of Launching a Law Firm 19:24 Navigating the US Legal Market 24:04 Common Mistakes in Law Firm Launches 28:11 Future Services and Growth Opportunities 31:18 The Future of Boutique Legal Services Connect with James Hacking: Connect with James on LinkedIn Law Firm Web bio Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Company web profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

March 31, 202623 min

EP #72: Scaling Legal Services with Non‑Lawyers: Lowering Friction in the Legal Industry with Natalie Knowlton

What if the biggest barrier to justice in America is the legal profession itself and the solution begins by rethinking who is allowed to help people solve their legal problems? Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Natalie Knowlton of Stanford Law School's Deborah L. Rhode Center about the widening gap between the legal system and the people it is meant to serve. Millions of Americans cannot access legal help, including many in the middle class. Natalie argues the problem goes beyond funding. The structure of the profession itself limits who can deliver legal services and how people receive help. This conversation sits at the intersection of Legal Tech, Access to Justice, policy, and innovation. A central question drives the discussion. Should lawyers be the only people allowed to provide legal assistance? Natalie challenges that long-standing assumption. Many everyday legal needs involve simple processes such as filling out forms or navigating court procedures. Could trained non-lawyers and technology expand access where lawyers are scarce or unaffordable? The conversation explores how emerging Legal Tech tools and direct-to-consumer platforms may help people understand legal problems and identify practical next steps. The episode also looks at how legal education, regulation, and global experimentation shape the future of the profession. Natalie points to reforms in places like the United Kingdom and Canada that test new service models through regulatory sandboxes. Could similar experimentation help the United States close the justice gap? The discussion leaves listeners with a larger question about the future of law. What would the legal system look like if it were designed around real human needs and genuine Access to Justice? Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Access to Justice and the Future of Legal Services 01:11 Natalie Knowlton's Journey Into Legal Innovation 06:28 Why Most Americans Cannot Afford Legal Help 10:34 Non-Lawyer Legal Services and UPL Reform 12:13 Legal Tech and Direct-to-Consumer Justice Tools 18:42 Legal Innovation Lessons From the UK and Canada 20:35 The Future of Law and Access to Justice Connect with Natalie Knowlton: Natalie's Company Web Bio Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

March 17, 202648 min

EP #71: Positioned for the Future: Our Conversation with the Chair of Husch Blackwell

A top AmLaw chair makes the case that the future of Big Law belongs to firms bold enough to put business leaders in charge, rethink the billable hour, and prove that remote attorneys can outperform the office. Joe Glynias, Chair of Husch Blackwell, joins Chris and Howard for a candid look at how a national firm grows without losing its footing. At the center is a deliberate structural choice: a non-lawyer chief executive runs the business so lawyers can focus on practicing law. That separation has brought operational discipline, sharper cost control, and growth that has continued well beyond the firm's last major merger. The strategy is simple in theory and demanding in practice: expand where clients need depth and bring in people who fit the culture. What if growth were driven less by geography and more by alignment? The conversation turns to the pressures facing every firm. AI, rising rates, talent mobility, and private equity are all reshaping expectations. Joe sees AI as a tool that strips out low-value work and elevates judgment. He expects clients to push harder on efficiency and pricing. He remains curious about outside capital as a way to fund innovation, though cautious about what partners would trade away. The throughline is discipline. Protect the culture. Invest with purpose. Stay clear about what makes the firm distinct. One of the most compelling examples is The Link, Husch Blackwell's remote office model. With hundreds of professionals working outside traditional offices, engagement scores in that group surpass those of in-office teams. Culture and development do not happen by proximity alone. They require intention. Joe closes with a reminder that law at its best is problem solving in service of others. In uncertain times, that calling feels more relevant than ever. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Future of Big Law and Modern Law Firm Leadership 08:46 Strategic Growth Through Law Firm Mergers and Client Alignment 15:03 AI in Legal Services and the Shift in Law Firm Economics 25:21 Private Equity, Enterprise Value, and the Law Firm Model 38:44 Remote Work in Big Law and The Link Engagement Model 42:57 Why the Future of Law Is Bright Connect with Joe Glynias: Connect with Joe on LinkedIn Joe's Company Web Profile Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

March 3, 202624 min

EP #70: Inside KPMG Law US: Tom Greenaway on Flexibility, Agility, and the Entrepreneurial Mindset

A Big Four firm just entered the U.S. legal market and the ripple effects could reshape how law is practiced, priced, and powered by technology. Tom Greenaway, Principal of KPMG Law US, joins Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to explore what that move signals for the profession. Corporate law departments face rising volume, flat headcount, and pressure to cut costs. The traditional billable hour model strains under that weight. So what happens when a global accounting and consulting platform builds a law firm designed for scale from the start? Tom explains how KPMG Law US focuses on managed services, technology integration, and lowering unit cost through platform thinking rather than isolated solutions. The conversation also turns to talent and culture. What kind of lawyer succeeds in a multidisciplinary environment that includes technologists, data scientists, and accountants? How do firms balance professional rigor with rapid change? As AI adoption becomes measurable and enterprise platforms shape how businesses operate, the bigger question emerges: will law evolve alongside the systems that power modern companies, or risk falling behind them? Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Launch of KPMG Law US and Why It Matters 04:46 Technology, AI, and the Changing Legal Delivery Model 11:50 The Future of Legal Staffing and Talent Strategy 18:03 Growth Strategy, Market Positioning, and Industry Impact 21:26 The Future of the Legal Industry and Big Four Influence Connect with Tom Greenaway: Connect with Tom on LinkedIn Tom's Company Web Profile KPMG Global Legal Business Services Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website MergerWatch Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

February 24, 202627 min

EP #69: Kintsugi Leadership on AI, Culture, and Client-Centric Innovation by Lorie Almon of Seyfarth Shaw

What happens when a global law firm treats AI as a way to sharpen human judgment rather than replace it and uses change as a chance to rebuild stronger rather than cling to the past. Client Centric Innovation anchors this conversation with Lorie Almon, Chair and Managing Partner of Seyfarth Shaw, one of the largest global law firms in the AmLaw 100. Lorie shares how she thinks about leading a firm of more than a thousand lawyers through rapid technological change while staying grounded in client-defined value and strong professional culture. The Japanese concept of Kintsugi becomes a powerful lens for understanding this moment in the legal profession. When long-standing systems crack under pressure, do leaders rush to preserve the old shape or intentionally rebuild something stronger? Lorie explains how this mindset influences decisions around AI adoption, strategic growth, and the way knowledge and judgment flow across the firm. What does it really mean to future-proof a law firm? How do leaders decide which traditions deserve protection and which need to evolve? And as technology accelerates, which human skills become even more essential? This conversation offers a thoughtful and pragmatic look at the future of legal leadership with people firmly at the center. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Client-Centric Innovation as a Leadership Strategy 06:08 Kintsugi and Rebuilding the Future of the Legal Profession 12:04 Strategic Lateral Growth Without Sacrificing Culture 19:02 The Role of AI in the Future 21:52 Capturing Institutional Knowledge With Data and AI 23:22 Why the Future of Law Firms Is Still Human Connect with Lorie Almon: Connect with Lorie on LinkedIn Lorie's Law Firm bio Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

February 17, 202658 min

EP #68: Private Equity in Law Firms: Risks, Multiples, and Value Creation with Adil Taha

Private equity is knocking on law firm doors but this conversation asks whether the legal industry is truly ready for the discipline control and long-term tradeoffs that outside capital demands. Drawing on his background as a private equity executive with deep experience in investment banking and law firm operations, Adil Taha offers a clear-eyed look at what actually happens inside UK PE law firms. He questions whether private equity has delivered lasting value in legal or simply accelerated partner payouts and explains why many benefits remain theoretical until exit. Chris and Howard press on where PE can genuinely help and where it creates risk, from pricing discipline and data-driven decision making to cultural friction inside partnerships. Why do so many deals collapse late in the process? What changes when long-term enterprise building collides with short-term partner incentives? The conversation also looks ahead. Adil explores whether building a PE-backed firm from scratch could outperform acquiring legacy firms and why minority investments may make more sense for larger practices that want capital without surrendering control. The result is a grounded look at power incentives and the future of UK PE law firms and a candid reminder that private equity is never neutral capital. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Private Equity and the Law Firm Landscape 06:31 Does Private Equity Actually Create Value in Law Firms? 22:19 The Hidden Risks of PE Ownership in Legal Businesses 30:09 The Future of Law Firms and Private Equity 40:30 Independent Law Firms vs Private Equity Pressure 52:20 What Managing Partners Need to Know Before Taking Capital Connect with Adil Taha: Connect with Adil on LinkedIn Taha & Watmough Website Connect with Howard Rosenberg: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn Howard's Company Web Profile Connect with Chris Batz: Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn Columbus Street Website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm