We’re so pumped about our conversation with Dayna Thomas Cook. Dayna is a Trademark Attorney, Law Firm Startup Coach and is also a content partner. Content partners help Voyage in so many ways from spreading the word about the work that we do, sponsoring our mission and collaborating with us on content like this. Check out our conversation with Dayna below.
Hi Dayna, so great to have you join us again. For folks who might have missed our earlier conversations, can you please take a minute to briefly introduce yourself?
Hi! I’m Dayna Thomas Cook, Esq. I’m an entrepreneurship and trademark attorney based in Atlanta, GA, and I work with entrepreneurs and entertainers throughout the country to protect their brands through trademark registration.
In 2016, right out of law school, I started my own law firm, The Law Office of Dayna Thomas, LLC. That risk and leap of faith turned out to be the best decision of my life as I grew it to six-figures after just a few months. I was eager to help other new lawyers overcome their fears and start wildly successful law firms, so I founded my online school, New Lawyer Launch.
To date, I have close to 100 lawyers in my signature course, “Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp,” in which I provide step-by-step training for practicing business law, email and contract templates, weekly coaching sessions, and a Facebook community for ongoing support.
My clients and students call me the “Entrepreneurship Fairy Godmother” because with me, entrepreneurship is truly magical!
How did you decide to start your own law firm right out of law school? Can you walk us through the thought process?
When I started law school, I was pretty much doing what everyone else was doing – trying to get the best grades possible so that I could get a job at a big firm. It seemed like that was the right thing to do. Although my heart was not in big law, I followed along. In an effort to boost my resume for big law opportunities, I secured a few internships. It turned out that just about all of the law firms I interned with were for solo practitioners and I got a taste of what it was like to run your own law firm.
The lawyers I interned for had so much flexibility, they were happy, and they enjoyed their work. That’s when I decided that I wanted that for myself. So in my second year of law school, I decided that I was going to launch my own firm right out of law school. Of course, everyone thought I was crazy and tried to talk me out of it. But that desire was so deep in my heart, that I knew it was the right decision for me.
I refused to have a career that I didn’t love because I worked too hard to be miserable working for someone else. I was so committed to my goal, that I did not apply for any jobs when I was graduating. I did not want to have a plan B to distract me from my true goal. A few months after passing the Bar, I launched! And it turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made.
What made your law firm so successful early on even though you were a new lawyer?
I credit a huge part of my law firm success to education being my marketing strategy. My goal was to educate potential clients on business law so that they could make better decisions for their businesses – hiring a lawyer being one of them. How could someone hire me for a trademark service if they don’t even know what a trademark is? I was committed to serving my community and potential clients by educating them on aspects of business law that could take their business to the next level.
I also spent a lot of time motivating and inspiring communities of entrepreneurs, because why would they invest in a lawyer if they didn’t really believe that their business would be successful? Entrepreneurship and investing in your business can be scary, so I knew that my community of entrepreneurs would be well-served by me educating them and inspiring them. The more you serve others, inevitably, it will return to you.
Because of the events I was hosting, my social media posts, my book, and other mediums to educate and inspire my community of entrepreneurs, no one ever asked how long I had been practicing. I was so confident in my delivery, because I really do believe in entrepreneurship, that it didn’t even matter that I was a new lawyer.
Why do you think lawyers shy away from starting their own law firm early into their careers?
Lawyers shy away from starting their own law firm early into their careers because it is often not supported or encouraged. When I decided to start my law firm right out of law school, not one person told me that it was a good idea. Mentors, friends, and family all told me to work for someone else for 5-10 years, save my money, and then *maybe* start my own firm *if* I could afford to at that time.
I know many other new lawyers experience the same thing – a lack of support. When so many people tell you it’s not a good idea, you start to second guess yourself and delay your goals. That is the unfortunate cycle I hope to break with New Lawyer Launch.
What is Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp and what made you want to create it?
Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp is my signature online course under New Lawyer Launch. I created it to help others start their own business law firms, even as a new lawyer.
I had very little support when I was starting my firm. Law school did not prepare me to actually practice law, and it was very difficult to get real training from other lawyers unless I was willing to be their employee. So when I discovered practices, techniques, and strategies to grow my firm to six-figures in just a few months while working from home, the beach, or anywhere…I knew that I could help so many other lawyers do the same.
I want new lawyers who have a dream of starting their own firms to have the confidence to do it! So many lawyers want to start their own business law firms so they can have more freedom, flexibility, and no income cap – but lack the support and training to actually do it. I created Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp to change that.
What are the features of Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp?
In Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp, I provide step-by-step training on how to practice business law such as business formations, contract drafting and reviewing, copyright ownership and registration, and trademark searches and registration. I also teach how to get clients consistently and how to build a strong brand, without spending any money on marketing.
Along with the detailed trainings, I provide 14 email and contract templates worth over $5,000 in services to help jumpstart their business, and do weekly coaching calls to answer questions about the trainings and to assist with their real client matters. We also have a very active Facebook community so questions can get answered quickly by me and other lawyers in the group, and to share and celebrate each others #wins! We really are a family.
How has Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp helped other new lawyers?
The success stories from Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp often bring me to tears. I get so emotional when I hear their wins and how much the course has changed their lives.
Salisha only had $500 in her account when she joined, and made six-figures in just five months after she implemented what I taught.
Jambah made more money the following three months after she joined, than the whole year before.
Neena got 6 new clients in one week, 3 speaking engagements after two weeks, and 50 new leads in two months.
Tammy was featured in over 19 national media outlets, including CNN, FOX, and Court TV.
Dani says joining Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp was the best decisions she ever made in her life.
That’s just to name a few. And I am constantly seeing launch announcements posted in our group and on social media. I just love them so much and I feel honored to be a part of their journey.
Thank you so much again for sharing all of this with us. Before we go, can you share with our readers how they can connect with you, learn more or show support?
You can definitely learn more by downloading my free playbook, “The New Lawyer’s Guide to Building a Six-Figure Business Law Firm” at newlawyerlaunch.com/playbook.
And to connect, follow me on IG: @daynathomaslaw and send a DM if you’re interested in launching your own business law firm!
Contact Info:
- Website: NewLawyerLaunch.com
Image Credits
Mike Dawkins Mike Smith
