How do you build a law firm that no longer depends on you? In this episode of Legal Currents, Will McCreight sits down with Michael McCready to talk about his new book, *Built to Run: Designing a Business That Thrives Without You*, and the 30-year journey behind it.
Michael traces his path from a first office with a shower in it to 13 offices across seven states, 25 attorneys, and a team of 180. The conversation centers on the “hero mentality” — the moment he realized he was the pinch point holding his firm back — and what changed when he learned to trust his team.
From there, Will and Michael dig into the practical systems: why AI can’t be ignored and how to roll it out through real change management, how data drives deliberate hiring (and why an unprepared firm gets eaten like a boa constrictor swallowing a pig), and why flexibility comes from strong infrastructure, not the absence of it. They close on referral-based growth, the coming wave of MSOs and private equity, and finding your “Puerto Rico moment.”
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Michael McCreadyGuestWill McCreightHost