How do you leave a Big Law firm or medium-sized firm when they’ve been your training ground from the start of your legal career?  How do you do so ethically, responsibly and in a positive way while still keeping your clients?  How do you resolve all the potential issues (and there are many)?  How do you plan for your new firm while still working for your old firm?  These are all serious and important questions and today’s special guest lecturer is Ken Levinson, someone who did it the right way once he decided that starting his own law firm was what he needed to do for the next chapter in his legal career.

Ken discusses how to leave a law firm graciously, gratefully, and without burning bridges so that your experience is a positive one. The discussion touches on some of the following subjects:

• Why you should leave your firm
• Tips for leaving and starting up new
• Getting your “planning” team together
• Ethical issues facing a partner leaving a firm
• Client retention
• Avoiding litigation and other distractions

I hope you find this as inspiring and jam-packed with actionable information as I did.

The audio is about 44 minutes. Listen directly below.

Download (.MP3)

Ken Levinson has been a successful trial lawyer since 1992. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College in 1989 and his Juris Doctor in 1992 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Ken was appointed an Assistant Illinois Attorney General, representing state agencies and employees in civil matters, including both personal injury and civil rights cases. He has been admitted to practice before the Illinois Supreme Court and the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court since 1992. Ken is also admitted to the Federal Trial Bar.

Named one of “The 40 Lawyers under 40 to Watch in Illinois in 2002” by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, Ken has helped hundreds of area residents obtain fair compensation for their injuries and losses sustained in a variety of ways.

Ken is among a select group of trial attorneys who have graduated from legendary lawyer Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College. The College is dedicated to training and educating lawyers who represent people and protecting their rights against corporate and government oppression. In 2010, Ken was elected to serve a three-year term on the Trial Lawyers College Alumni Board. Ken is currently serving on the editorial board of The Warrior, the Trial Lawyers College magazine.

Ken has also been selected as one of only 100 trial lawyers from Illinois to be chosen for membership into The American Trial Lawyers Association. Membership in The American Trial Lawyers Association is by invitation only.

Ken was named by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in Illinois for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014; and made the list of the Super Lawyers Top 100 lawyers in Illinois in 2012.

Ken is the creator and founder of the child safety blog,The Safest Line. The blog provides information and resources to parents such as product recalls, tips, and ways to make our streets, schools, and homes safer for children.