Why more Big Law partners are choosing to go it alone

Jan 13, 2026

James Hacking, founder of Kindleworth, and Mike Estill, strategy consultant turned partner, explore a trend in Big Law—senior partners launching boutique firms. They discuss Kindleworth's support model that helps these partners transition smoothly. Topics include notable spin-outs like Pallas and Rosenblatt, the role of capital in easing startup friction, and the allure of niche markets. They stress the importance of owning a portable client book and the benefits of control and legacy, highlighting how technology and capital can shape successful new firms.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Planned East Coast Expansion

Kindleworth plans a US East Coast expansion to offer the same back-office and launch services in Q1 next year.
They see cross-border opportunities and will leverage Burford's US reach for growth.

INSIGHT

Mergers Create Space For Breakaways

Big merged firms are becoming selective about core strategic areas, leaving space for specialists to exit.
Partners who don't fit the new strategy face conflicts of interest, pricing and business model, creating breakaway opportunities.

ADVICE

Start Conversations Early

If you have the itch to leave, start conversations with experienced operators and funders to explore options.
Exploring your options early helps you make an informed decision and often reduces perceived risk.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

James Hacking and Mike Estill from Kindleworth join the show to unpack one of the more salient shifts in Big Law right now: senior partners leaving large firms to launch specialist practices - and why the market is suddenly making that move feel much more doable.

They explain Kindleworth’s model: helping partners with client followings set up boutique or specialist firms “of their design”, then running the day-to-day operational backbone once the doors are open. The conversation digs into some of the best-known projects they’ve been involved in, including Pallas and the rapid Rosenblatt spin-out, and what those launches reveal about how quickly new firms can be stood up when the right pieces are in place.

A big theme is friction, and how to remove it. Hacking and Estill argue that better access to capital, dramatically improved tech, and a growing pool of partners who don’t fit neatly inside the strategic priorities of ever-bigger global firms. They talk about conflicts in the broad sense - not just classic conflicts of interest, but conflicts of strategy, pricing and business model - and why that opens space for focused firms built around a portable book of business and a clear vision.

The episode also looks ahead: why Burford Capital invested in Kindleworth, what a US expansion could look like, and how technology and outside capital could enable a new breed of “scale specialist” firms. The practical takeaway is simple: if you’ve got the itch to go it alone, don’t be scared of exploring it - because the fastest way to get clarity is to start having the right conversations.

To find out more about Legora, visit: https://legora.com/

Chapters

00:01 Introduction

01:20 Kindleworth Origins & Founder Backgrounds

02:20 What Kindleworth Does & Who It’s For

03:56 High-Profile Launches & the Rosenblatt Rescue

05:17 Burford Capital & Funding Law Firm Spin-Outs

08:08 Why Kindleworth Is Taking the Model to the US

12:11 Why Starting Fresh Beats Fixing Big Law

14:13 Which Practice Areas Are Ripe for Breakaways

18:18 Advice for Partners Thinking of Leaving

26:03 Pricing Pressure, AI & New Firm Economics

38:53 The Upside: Freedom, Ownership & Building Legacy

About Non-Billable

Non-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.

Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk