Mitchell Chubb

I started my own firm in 2021 with 12 cases and a single goal—
To pay the bills.

I had a really good situation at the firm I was with but had wanted to start my own law firm for years. The time to make the leap felt right.

But it was a lot of risk to take on.  I was the sole source of income for our family. Our sons were two and four years old, and my wife Eliese had been staying home with them.

I was confident I could succeed in growing a firm but didn't know if I would be able to generate enough business to sustain the firm and provide for our family.

I did know that I felt like I had to try.

I remember talking to Eliese about leaving my comfortable job to become a business owner. The idea didn't phase her at all. She agreed it was time and offered to help with anything the firm needed.

So in March 2021, we opened Chubb Law together.

Eliese dove head first into marketing and helping with any of the non-legal things that came up. I focused on doing the best I could for my clients in the few cases I had.

We ordered every marketing book we thought might help.
We talked about ideas for the firm on date nights.
We were all in.

By the end of 2021, the dozen cases I'd started with had grown to about 50 cases.
In 2022, we doubled both our caseload and our revenue.
In 2023, we doubled both again.

Today, the firm that started with just Eli'ese and I has grown to seven team members.

We’ve been so fortunate to have so many people from the community put their trust in us and Chubb Law.

And more than three years in, it still feels like we're just getting warmed up on this journey that started with 12 cases.

I graduated 4th in my law school class in May 2012.
I landed my first job in December—at $32,000/year.

In 2012, the economy was still recovering from the Great Recession. The job market was not good.
I thought my grades would help me get a job by graduation, but that didn't happen.

To all you current law students who are (or will be) on the job hunt soon, here are some things I wish I'd done differently :
• Make connections online and in-person. I know that sounds obvious, but most people don't do it. And your network is going to be your best source of opportunities.
• Let it be known to your community that you're looking for a job.
• Send applications to everyone. Don't count yourself out of an opportunity before you even apply.
• Get legal experience while in law school if you can. I had prioritized making money in non-legal jobs during my summers in law school. I now wonder whether working in law firms would have helped, even if the pay wasn't as good.

My first job wasn't ideal, but it was an opportunity.

And I can connect the dots from that first position to opening Chubb Law three years ago.
But I only have that clarity looking backward.

If you're trying to land your first job, put yourself in the position for opportunities to find you.

Then, when a door opens, be willing to walk through it.