Favorite Parts Of Being A Founding Partner At VLP Law Group
David, Founding Partner at VLP Law Group, finds the most satisfying aspect of his current role is shifting from "working in the business" to "working on the business," focusing on team training and improving service quality, prioritizing client needs like cost and timely delivery—skills not always inherent in lawyers. This allows for a flexible schedule, enabling a better work-life balance compared to earlier stages of the career.
Executive/Leadership, Teamwork, Project Management, Communication, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
David Goldenberg
Founding Partner
VLP Law Group
Stanford 1993
Law - JD - Stanford Law School
Philosophy
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Law
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Working on the business, not just in it: David emphasizes the importance of strategic work (training, improving quality, etc.) over just day-to-day tasks, a key aspect of business ownership and management.
2. Prioritizing client needs: He highlights the balance between perfect legal work and client-focused aspects like cost and time efficiency, a crucial skill for client management.
3. Flexibility and work-life balance: David mentions the flexibility his current role provides, allowing for a better work-life integration, a significant consideration for career planning.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
It's interesting, and you hear this from many small business owners: you don't actually work. There's a distinction I've learned between working *in* your business and working *on* your business.
I spend less time now working in my business and at least half my time working on it. This means I'm training my team and improving the quality of the work we deliver. Even if I'm not doing the work myself, I want to ensure the client receives a high-quality product.
That includes knowing the cost and delivery timeline, which are just as important as delivering a perfect product or covering every detail. Many lawyers aren't naturally good at these aspects.
Lawyers are often detail-oriented, strong drafters, and smart, excelling at working *in* their business. However, this doesn't always align with client priorities, like not overspending on a contract.
So, I focus on getting my team to prioritize what's important to the client. Running a small business in this way is pretty satisfying.
I also like having flexibility. Because I'm not the primary client contact, I have a more flexible schedule. This allows me to see my family at night and do things I couldn't as a junior attorney.