Brent Rawlings is the founder of The Law Office of Brent D. Rawlings, a personal injury firm based in Irvine, California. Before entering the legal profession, he spent years working in customer service - an experience that shaped his belief that practicing law is simply an upgraded way to serve people.
I asked Brent what led him to start his own firm.
"I never wanted to be a lawyer my entire life," he told me. "Both of my parents are attorneys. Growing up watching that world, I wanted no part of it." But his father's example was impossible to ignore. "I've always said if I'm half as successful as him, I'd be a very successful person. He had a really hard life growing up and he made a great life. So I try to emulate him." When Brent eventually hit a personal low point, a book he found in his parents' condo — Excuses Begone! by Dr. Wayne Dyer — pushed him to stop making excuses and take the leap. "I decided maybe law school is not such a bad idea. It was the fear of failure that kept me going. I busted my tail in law school, studying 12 to 14-hour days."
Brent's path to ownership was not a straight line. He navigated significant personal and professional challenges, including periods of deep uncertainty and difficult transitions between firms. But rather than letting those moments defeat him, he used them to build a stronger foundation.
"When you hit rock bottom, that's the strongest foundation upon which to build," he shared. "I came out a better, stronger human being as a result. I learned forgiveness for the first time in my life. When you learn to truly forgive, it's such a weight lifted off your shoulders, because what you end up realizing is that you are the only one holding on to anything."
That resilience eventually pushed him to take the leap into solo practice. The decision was terrifying, but he refused to let anxiety dictate his future.
"I got so upset with myself about being afraid of everything that I decided no matter what, that fear turned into anger. I just refused to allow fear to dictate the way my life would be. I faced it head-on. When I was afraid of something, I'm like, let's do it."
"I just refused to allow fear to dictate the way my life would be."
When Brent opened his doors, members of his previous team followed him. They did so because of what they had seen from him the way he operated. At his previous firm, Brent had taken a portion of his own settlement bonuses and given it directly to his support staff. He understood that a successful practice is built on the work of the entire team, not just the attorney whose name is on the door.
"I took care of them, and they saw that," he explained. "Not everyone is willing to give and appreciate the work that is being done from their team because they just want to keep it all for themselves. But I always told them, I'm going to go out on my own one day. And they said, when you do, let us know."
Today, his firm is growing, driven by a commitment to service, faith, and a collaborative approach to the law. He approaches opposing counsel as professionals with a shared job to do.
"I'm very reasonable," he said. "At the end of the day, I understand that we all have a job to do. There's no reason to just butt heads and battle all the time. I know lawyers like that, and I wonder at what cost? - the stress, the anxiety, the reputation of yourself and your firm."
Are you dealing with a personal injury matter in Southern California? Connect with Brent Rawlings and check out Law Office of Brent D. Rawlings.