It's All About the People with Vivek Tata

What does it really take to launch a law firm from scratch, grow it from six lawyers to thirty in just two years, and still keep your culture intact? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with Vivek Tata, founding partner and General Counsel of Elsberg Baker & Maruri, to discuss why the best firms are built around people first, not growth targets. From leaving Big Law to launching a litigation boutique that's already earning national recognition, Vivek shares the mindset, systems, and leadership lessons behind building a firm designed to last. Vivek Tata is a founding partner and the General Counsel of Elsberg Baker & Maruri, a litigation boutique in New York focusing on complex commercial disputes across the country. Elsberg Baker & Maruri was founded in 2024, and now has 30 lawyers. Vivek has been ranked by Benchmark Litigation and among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, and Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers. The Legal 500 recognized Vivek in the area of M&A/Corporate and Commercial - Delaware counsel. A graduate of Stanford Law School, Vivek clerked for Judge Kiyo Matsumoto of the Eastern District of New York. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Starting a Law Firm Is Like Building an Airplane in Flight 01:47 Meet Vivek Tata and the Story Behind Elsberg Baker & Maruri 03:00 From Big Law Dreams to Becoming a Courtroom Lawyer 11:12 Why Boutique Firms Create Better Trial Lawyers 14:32 Launching a Firm with Six Founding Partners 19:08 Moving Clients Without Missing a Beat 22:03 Growing from Six Lawyers to Thirty 24:18 Why Firm Culture Is Everything 31:15 Wearing the General Counsel Hat 35:12 How Relationships Drive Business Development 38:10 Thinking Like a Long-Term Founder 40:55 Advice for Lawyers Ready to Start Their Own Firm 43:55 The Hardest Part of Building a Great Firm