Growing a Firm Through Relationships with Bryan Knight

What does it take to leave a comfortable law firm job and build something of your own? In this episode of The Founding Partner Podcast, Jonathan Hawkins sits down with trial lawyer Bryan Knight, founder of Knight Palmer, to discuss the realities of starting a law firm, developing business through relationships, building a trial practice, and growing a firm without losing its identity. From licking stamps in a one-office startup to handling nationwide class actions, Bryan shares the lessons he's learned over nearly fifteen years of law firm ownership. Bryan Knight is a trial lawyer who focuses his commercial litigation practice on real estate litigation, construction litigation, and business litigation. Mr. Knight represents Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals in a variety of business disputes. Mr. Knight has been named as one of the Top 100: 2026 Georgia Super Lawyers. He was also named a Top 100 Attorneys in Georgia in 2023 by Atlanta Magazine. Knight is the founder and president of the Brookhaven Bar Association (2022). Mr. Knight has been recognized as one of the top 25 lawyers in Georgia under the age of 40 by the Daily Report's 2016 "On the Rise" edition. In addition, he was recognized by Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine as a Super Lawyer Rising Star (Top 2.5%) in Business Litigation for 2026. He was also recognized as one of Georgia's "Legal Elite" in Business Litigation by Georgia Trends Magazine in 2023. Mr. Knight was named to Time Magazine's "Excellence In Law" in 2013. CHAPTERS 00:00 – How a Real Estate Agent Sparked a $55 Million Class Action 02:00 – Meet Bryan Knight: Trial Lawyer, Founder, and Builder 04:00 – The First Jury Trial That Changed Everything 06:45 – Why 2011 Was the Right Time to Start a Firm 09:00 – From One Office and a Copier to Ten Lawyers 12:00 – Hiring, Culture, and Finding the Right People 17:00 – Building a Practice Through Relationships 23:00 – What Makes Business Litigation Different 31:00 – The Bourbon Tasting That Became a Networking Tradition 33:00 – Supporting Judges and Building Community 35:00 – The Biggest Growth Challenges Law Firms Face 39:30 – When Does a Firm Reach Critical Mass? 43:00 – Planning for the Next Ten Years 49:00 – If Bryan Wasn't a Lawyer, What Would He Be? 50:45 – Why Every Lawyer Should Consider Starting a Firm 55:00 – The Fear That Holds Most Founders Back