Denise Cullen - Atticus Speaker

10/12/2026

We've all heard the saying "there is strength in numbers", meaning people are stronger when they're together in a group. For law firm owners, there is also strength in KNOWING your numbers. Unfortunately, so many I speak with for the first time don't have a grasp on their gross revenue or their profit margin.

They want to grow, but their days are spent running on the endless treadmill of legal work and constant interruptions. They don't have time to slow down to work "on" the business instead of "in" the business. Their law firm owns them.

So, what's an important first step to getting off the treadmill? Joining a group of like-minded attorneys looking to grow their business while reducing stress.

That's what my colleague, Attorney & Atticus Practice Advisor, Jordan Ostroff, Esq. and I will be teaching at our annual Summit in Orlando with our Double Your Revenue workshop. Read that again - I didn't say Double Your Workload or Double Your Stress.

We will spend the day working through your customized plan for your practice to not just survive, but thrive.

There is strength in numbers. There is power in knowing your numbers. And there is tremendous value in being in a room with people who challenge you to think bigger.

Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Join us in Orlando and take the first step toward building a law firm that delivers more revenue, more profit and more freedom.

Your numbers tell a story - let's make sure it's the story you want.
Atticus Lawyer Coaching

10/06/2026

Every time I hear Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” I make the same lame joke.

“Certainly Bon Jovi must be more than halfway there by now”. My friends eye roll me, but still humor me by laughing.

Last night the song had me thinking about law firm owners and how it’s easy to get stuck at halfway.

Halfway sounds like progress.

But what if you’ve been saying it for five years?

How long have you been almost to your goals?

Halfway to the revenue goal.
Halfway to the team you want.
Halfway to getting out of the weeds.
Halfway to having more freedom.
Halfway to building the firm you envisioned when you started practicing law.

And then another year goes by.

Being halfway there isn’t the problem.

Staying halfway there is.

At some point, you have to stop measuring how far you’ve come and start asking:

What is keeping me from getting all the way there?

Maybe it’s the wrong people.
Maybe it’s a lack of focus.
Maybe you’re still doing work someone else should be doing.
Maybe you haven’t invested in the systems, marketing, leadership, or accountability necessary to get to the next level.

Your law firm doesn’t need another year of being almost there.

It’s time to finish the journey.

If you’re a law firm owner who knows you’re capable of more—but you’re not sure what needs to change to get there—let’s talk.

I work with law firm owners who are ready to stop spinning their wheels, get clear on what’s holding them back, and build a firm that actually works for them, not one that owns them.

Don’t spend another year saying you’re halfway there.

Let’s identify what’s keeping you stuck—and make 2027 the year you get all the way there!
[email protected]

09/21/2026

If I said you can double your revenues without doubling your stress and workload, would you call me crazy?

Too many law firm owners believe the only way to make more money is to take on more cases, work more hours, hire more people, and personally carry more of the load.

That’s not growth. That’s just a bigger treadmill.

If you want to double your revenue without doubling your stress, you have to look at the leverage points in your firm:

→ Increase the value of the work you’re already doing.
→ Improve your conversion of leads into clients.
→ Increase realization and reduce revenue leakage.
→ Build a team that can handle more without everything coming back to you.
→ Delegate the work that doesn’t require the owner.
→ Create systems so the firm doesn’t depend on your constant involvement.
→ Focus your time on the activities that actually drive revenue and profit.

The goal isn’t to build a firm that can do twice as much work.

It’s to build a firm that can produce twice the results without requiring twice as much of you.

Because if doubling your revenue means doubling your hours, your stress, and your dependence on the firm…you didn’t really build a better law firm. You just built a bigger job.

09/15/2026

Last weekend I was one of the lucky 105,000 people to watch my Buckeyes play Texas in Austin. We will not discuss the outcome of the game 🙂

Before the game I was one of the lucky 20 or so people who had a chance to talk with Tito Beveridge...the founder of Tito's Vodka. I bet some of you are shocked there is an actual Tito behind the name!

He started the company in 1997 with $90,000 borrowed over 19 different credit cards. He slept on couches while he built the business. In 2026 Forbes listed Tito's net worth at $5.7 billion. Yes...billion.

When asked about the success of the brand, he said "we do one thing and we do it really well".

That, of course, led me to thinking about law firms and their owners. Tito didn't build his brand by making 25 different kinds of vodka. He didn't chase every new flavor or every new trend. He focused his energy on making one product exceptionally well.

I've watched too many law firms try to be everything to everyone - usually because they fear a cash flow crunch. They take on any case and any client - the downfall is the cost to the owner, the staff and ultimately the firm.

In the process they become really good at being busy but not productive or profitable.

So, I will challenge you to ask yourself these questions:

What is the ONE thing we want to be known for?

What type of case can we handle better than anyone else?

What client experience can we deliver better than anyone else?

What will make someone say, "If you have THAT problem, you need THAT law firm."

Focus creates clarity...clarity creates differentiation...differentiation creates growth.

Sometimes the best way to grow your law firm isn't to do more, it's to do the one thing and do it really well.
Atticus Lawyer Coaching

09/10/2026

❄️ Yes, that’s actually me on the snowmobile.

I recently posted this picture asking attorneys what they do for fun, and I had no idea how many people would ask, “Is that really you?”

Yep. It is.

About four years ago, I decided I wanted to grow—not just professionally, but personally.

So I started stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing things that challenged me.

Snowmobiling was one of those things.

It was exhilarating. It was challenging. And, quite frankly, there was one hill that was really, really scary.

But I did it anyway.

With help. 😂

And that got me thinking about law firm owners.

Because sometimes the thing standing between where your firm is and where you want it to be isn’t a lack of ability.

It’s that the next step is outside of your comfort zone.

•Delegating.
•Hiring.
•Raising your rates
•Letting someone else lead.
•Investing in marketing.
•Creating accountability.
•Taking a real vacation.

Or finally building a firm that doesn’t require you to be involved in everything.

Sometimes the next hill is intimidating.

You don’t have to climb it alone.

Get the help. Take the risk. Push yourself.

Because there’s a pretty incredible view on the other side of the comfort zone. 🏔️

09/06/2026

What do you do for fun?”

When I ask attorneys that question, one of the most common answers I hear is:

“I used to.”

I used to play golf.
I used to travel.
I used to exercise.
I used to read.
I used to spend weekends with my family.
I used to have hobbies.
I used to have a life outside of my law firm.

Somewhere along the way, the law firm became the hobby.

The passion became the practice.

And “busy” became the default answer to everything.

Here’s the problem: You didn’t build a successful law firm so it could consume your entire life.

Your firm should create opportunities—not eliminate them.

If you can’t step away without everything falling apart, the answer isn’t to work harder. It’s to build a firm that doesn’t depend on you for every decision, every problem, and every outcome.

Your hobbies matter.
Your relationships matter.
Your health matters.
Your time matters.

And yes—having fun matters.

So maybe the question isn’t, “How do I find more time?”

Maybe it’s:

“What do I want to be able to say I do again?”

Because “I used to” is not a life plan.

It’s a warning sign.
Atticus Lawyer Coaching

08/27/2026

At Atticus, we work with attorneys to build their great lives. Part of that is determining what they want their "legacy" to look like. Many struggle with that one - because legacy is much different than developing 1, 3 or 5-year goals. Your legacy is what will remain after you're gone.

Dolly Parton is a powerful example of legacy beyond success. She achieved extraordinary things in music and business, but one of her accomplishments she most valued was the impact she made through her Imagination Library - turning her father's inability to read into a mission that has put hundreds of millions of books into children's hands.

For attorneys, that raises a great question:

When your legal career is over, what do you want people to remember you for?

Not:
How many cases you won.
How much money you made.
How many billable hours you logged.
How big your firm became.

But:
Who did you help?
Who did you develop or mentor?
What did you change?
What did you stand for?
Whose life was better because you were their lawyer, leader, mentor or friend?

So ultimately, your question should be:
When I am no longer practicing law, what will remain because I was here?

08/17/2026

I’m really looking forward to co-presenting our Double It workshop alongside Attorney and Atticus Practice Advisor, Jordan Ostroff!

If you’re interested and want to learn more, send me an email at [email protected]!
Atticus Lawyer Coaching

08/15/2026

There’s something special about standing in front of a room filled with lawyers who are passionate about what they do—and who are always looking for ways to become better advocates, better leaders, and better business owners.

I was honored to co-present yesterday with my friend and colleague Marc Whitehead at the Texas Trial Lawyers Association Ultimate Playbook CLE.

07/31/2026