Building my firm is 50% law, 50% therapy.
That’s something I didn’t expect when I started.
I thought most of my time would go into drafting contracts, reading policies, maybe reviewing a few tricky clauses now and then.
But more and more, my work feels like sitting across from someone who’s just… scared.
Scared that their co-founder might leave and take everything with them.
Scared that their contractor might reuse their work elsewhere.
Scared that someone will steal their idea and run faster with it.
And I get it.
These people didn’t come to me just for paperwork. They came to feel safe.
To not lie awake at night running through worst-case scenarios. To finally exhale.
In those moments, I’m not the lawyer with the right clause. I’m the person they’re hoping can give them some peace.
And I’ve come to realise - this is a big part of the job.
Not just telling them what the law says, but showing them that their fears are normal.
That others have gone through the same thing. And that there’s a way forward.
I often tell them: this fear you’re feeling right now? It doesn’t mean you’re paranoid. It means you care. It means your business matters to you.
And thankfully, there are things you can do about it.
That’s when we start talking about real solutions - contracts, clauses, boundaries, systems.
Not as a way to control everything, but as a way to feel less exposed. I won’t lie. Some of these conversations used to drain me.
Especially in the early days, when people shared stories of betrayal from close friends or family. I’d hang up and just… sit. No music, no screen, no work. Just me and silence for a bit.
But over time, I’ve come to see it differently.
People aren’t difficult. They’re just carrying more than they show. And if you’re lucky enough to be someone they open up to - then you listen.
Because here’s the truth no one told me when I started:
Legal work is never just legal work.
It’s personal. Emotional. Human.
So here’s what I’ve learned, and what I hope you take away:
Not every client needs your smartest legal insight. Sometimes, they just need to be heard. To know that their fear has a name, and that there’s a plan for dealing with it.
And that’s where you make the real difference.
Not just in what you say. But in how you sit with their fear and help them move through it.
— Akhil
Have questions about building your firm, getting clients, or positioning your services? I offer 30-min strategy calls. No fluff, just practical answers that fit your situation.