From Two Practices to One Purpose: How Mirador Law Went All In on Personal Injury 

Megan Burns spent 20 years as a criminal defense attorney, a decade as a San Francisco public defender and another decade in private practice. When her Bay Area firm, Mirador Law, started growing its personal injury work, she faced a hard question: could she walk away from the practice that defined her career? Through Lawyerist business strategy support and a partner retreat, Megan and her law partner, Emily Domm, aligned on a shared vision, built a plan, and restructured the firm around one practice area. Mirador Law is now a plaintiff personal injury firm, and the team, including employees with nearly 20 years at the firm, came along. 

Running Two Law Firms in One 

Mirador Law is no startup. The East Bay firm has operated in Alameda County for more than 50 years, and Megan and Emily inherited it when founders Jules and Michael retired. For years it was known for high-quality criminal defense and plaintiff personal injury work. 

Having two practice areas made sense on paper. Criminal defense ran on flat fees paid at the start of a case, while personal injury paid at the end. One balanced the risk of the other. But the two practices had different business models, different marketing, and different demands on the team. 

“It really was like trying to run two law firms in one.” 

The workload made the strain obvious. In a single 12-month span, Megan tried a serious criminal case that lasted more than six weeks, plus two complex personal injury trials. On top of that, she was running a successful business. Having a foot in each world was simply too much. 

There was also an emotional pull. Megan built her career around helping people, and she wasn’t sure personal injury would feel the same as criminal defense. Beyond that, she saw an opportunity. Personal injury is a male-dominated area of the law, and she believes it needs more women in leadership. But it is also a competitive field, where well-funded out-of-state firms spend seven figures a month on marketing. 

Getting Aligned Before Getting Moving 

The first step wasn’t a strategy document. It was a partner retreat. Megan and Emily got out of the office, with a whiteboard and a space where no one could drop by with questions, and worked through their long-term vision. Where did they want the firm in five years? In ten? What cases would they handle? 

Megan’s advice to other firm owners with partners is to align on the vision first, and to clear your calendar to do it. 

“Every decision we make is together.” 

At first, the firm still tried to keep both practices going, using different methods to make it work. Eventually, the partners reached a conclusion. 

“If we’re going to do something really, really well, we need to focus on it.” 

After the retreat, Lawyerist Business Strategist Stephanie Everett helped them map what needed to be true at one, three, and six months, so day-to-day decisions stayed tied to the bigger plan. Megan and Emily scheduled interim meetings to keep momentum, restructured how the team worked, and realigned the firm’s finances. 

Bringing the Team Along 

For Megan, the people came first. Many employees had been at Mirador Law longer than she had, and some were focused mainly on criminal defense. Rather than asking them to adjust on their own, the partners made sure each person knew they still had a place at the firm. They built a plan to retrain and level up the criminal defense team members in personal injury work. 

Megan also leaned on a leadership idea she picked up from Lawyerist: leaders bring the weather. Change is scary, and she saw her role as setting a positive tone and showing the team this was the right direction. She also credits her own growth. A naturally goal-driven leader, she has learned to welcome teammates whose paths are less linear than hers. 

“Really caring about the people that work for you is your number one job.” 

The Results 

Today, Mirador Law is a solely plaintiff personal injury practice, with its team, finances, and strategy aligned around that focus. The partners found that their trial skills transferred directly. As Megan puts it, they still think of themselves as public defenders handling personal injury cases. She enjoys the creativity the work allows, calling each case a little puzzle to solve. 

The team stayed. Employees who have been with the firm for close to 20 years remain on board, and they’ve seen the firm grow into something very different from the one they joined. Megan sees that continued trust as a sign the firm is on the right path. 

Megan is now turning her attention to the next stage of growth: marketing, intake, and the processes that give clients a great experience from their first call through the end of a case, which in serious injury matters can take years. She values the push she gets from working with her business strategist. 

“I love that accountability measure for myself to say I have an ability to grow here.” 

Ready to Build the Firm You Want? 

Megan’s story isn’t about luck. It’s about making a hard choice, getting partners aligned, and bringing a team along. Lawyerist helps you do the same. Whether you’re weighing a major shift in your practice or trying to get your partners on the same page, join Lawyerist Lab today and start building the firm you’ve always envisioned.