To Our Shareholders,
Thirteen years ago, we began this firm with conviction, grit, and a simple belief: that the victims of medical injustice deserved world-class advocacy. In many ways, that mission remains unchanged. What has changed is the scale of our responsibility.
As we enter our 13th year, I find myself reflecting less on what we have built and more on who built it. Every meaningful milestone in this letter—every trial victory, every referral relationship, every systems improvement, every expansion into new markets—exists because extraordinary people chose to pour their talent, discipline, and heart into this mission.
We remain far from “finished.” In truth, I hope we always do. The day we feel established is the day we stop improving. Our greatest advantage has never been size. It has been humility, hunger, and the willingness to relentlessly refine our systems, our people, and our standards.
That mindset has defined 2025 and now shapes our vision for 2026.
Accomplishments in 2025
Trust Compounds: Referral Relationships
One of the clearest indicators of the long-term health of our firm is the growth of our referral partner network.
When we opened our doors in March 2013, we had 124 referral partners. Today, that number stands at 707.
Numbers alone, however, never tell the full story. Behind each referral is trust—trust in our judgment, trust in our systems, and trust that we will care for another lawyer’s client as if they were our own.
This trust is our most valuable asset.
Our growth has never been the result of any single team member or any one year of performance. It is the compounding effect of doing the right thing, consistently, over time. We are profoundly grateful to every referral partner who continues to place their confidence in our team. Their belief in our mission has made our success possible.
Our long-term target remains clear: 1,000 referral partners.
Just as importantly, we continue to differentiate ourselves through disciplined overcommunication. In a profession where referral partners are too often left in the dark, our commitment to proactive updates remains a defining operational edge.
Investing in People and Systems
Great organizations are built on people and reinforced by systems.
This year, Kelly Gonnelly stepped into the role of firm administrator and immediately elevated the accountability, consistency, and discipline of our operations. Her leadership continues to strengthen our execution and improve our compliance within SmartAdvocate.
We also made one of the most important systems investments in firm history: implementing Eve, our artificial intelligence partner.
Already, Eve is transforming document creation across pleadings, discovery, motions, and medical chronologies. More importantly, it is allowing our team to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on strategy, client care, and trial preparation.
Technology should not replace excellence. It should amplify it. Eve is doing exactly that.
Strategic Expansion
Our long-term strategy continues to focus on expansion into high-value, mission-aligned practice areas and markets.
Truck wreck litigation continues to grow—an objective we have pursued for years.
Our Bronx office, now two years old, continues to deepen our footprint in the New York City market. That momentum gives us confidence as we plan for the opening of a third office in Queens.
Our birth injury practice is also accelerating, driven in large part by strong referral relationships throughout New York City and Long Island.
These are not isolated wins. They are signals that disciplined reputation-building continues to create opportunity.
The Real Engine: Our Team
No annual letter would be complete without acknowledging the people who make all of this possible.
I have the privilege of working beside an extraordinary team whose standards often exceed my own. They are the real stewards of our mission.
The systems we build matter. The strategies we pursue matter. But ultimately, performance comes down to people—people who care deeply, execute consistently, and treat our clients with uncommon compassion.
Any success described in this letter belongs first to them.
The best organizations are built by people who care more about the mission than the scoreboard. When you find those people, you invest in them, trust them, and never stop appreciating them.
The Mastermind Experience
One of the greatest joys of my professional life remains watching other lawyers grow.
The Mastermind Experience, now in its 12th year, has grown to 316 tribe members and now spans Sicily, Portugal, and soon Marbella, Spain.
This community thrives because of generosity, abundance, and shared ambition. It would not exist without our partner, Seth Price, Esq., whose vision and strategic brilliance continue to elevate the mastermind.
Helping younger lawyers build the law firms of their dreams remains one of the most meaningful returns on investment I have ever experienced.
Trial Results: Excellence Under Pressure
Over six months in 2025, we tried three cases in White Plains, Queens, and Albany—and prevailed in all three.
We also delivered one of the strongest years of combined trials and settlements in firm history.
But trial wins are never solo achievements.
They are the visible outcome of invisible preparation: the late nights, disciplined discovery, witness prep, motion practice, systems support, and relentless teamwork that happen long before opening statements.
Danielle O’Brien, our trial paralegal, together with our litigation team and support professionals, played an extraordinary role in these outcomes. Their work reminds me that excellence is rarely dramatic in real time—it is the cumulative result of disciplined habits.
Values and Financial Stewardship
Our values remain unchanged.
We continue to refuse confidentiality demands in settlements because our principles are not negotiable. Values are only real when they guide decisions that come with a cost.
Financially, the firm remains strong.
In 2025, we achieved a long-term objective by beginning the deferral of legal fees over the next 10 years. This strategic smoothing of revenue allows us to reduce volatility, strengthen long-term planning, and build a more resilient business.
Strong finances create optionality. Optionality creates freedom.
Challenges and Opportunities in 2026
The road ahead remains exciting—and demanding.
We still have meaningful upside in truck wreck and construction accident marketing. These remain strategic priorities that require greater intensity and sharper execution.
Our experiment with a remote workforce in the Philippines did not yet meet our standards. But intelligent failure is still progress. We remain committed to learning, refining, and pursuing leverage wherever it can improve service and scalability.
The most significant strategic challenge ahead is succession.
The true test of a great institution is whether it can outlive its founder.
My goal remains to identify the next generation leader—a younger lawyer with both exceptional talent and a deep passion for protecting the rights of the disabled. While our first national recruiting effort did not produce the right fit, we remain patient and optimistic.
This transition will matter more than any single verdict, office opening, or growth milestone.
We are also actively exploring a Managed Services Organization (MSO) structure as part of the next evolution of our platform.
2026 Priorities
Looking ahead, our priorities for 2026 are disciplined, ambitious, and aligned with the long-term durability of the firm.
First, deepen our referral network. While 1,000 referral partners remains a milestone, the real objective is to continue earning trust through responsiveness, transparency, and extraordinary results.
Second, accelerate strategic practice growth. Truck wreck, construction accident, and birth injury litigation remain high-conviction areas where our reputation and systems can continue to compound.
Third, scale intelligent systems. Our investment in Eve and AI-enabled workflows is still in its early innings. The next phase is to transform these tools into force multipliers for client communication, litigation preparation, and operational excellence.
Fourth, strengthen leadership depth. Succession is not a single hire—it is the deliberate building of the next generation of owners, operators, and trial leaders who can steward this business for decades.
Finally, protect the culture that got us here. Systems can scale. Offices can expand. Revenue can grow. But culture remains the invisible architecture beneath everything we do. Preserving our standards, humility, and mission-first mindset will remain our highest responsibility.
Closing Thoughts
As I look at where we stand today, I feel two things above all else: gratitude and responsibility.
Gratitude for our team members, whose daily excellence makes this firm worthy of trust.
Gratitude for our referral partners, whose confidence continues to compound over time.
Gratitude for our clients, who allow us into the most difficult chapters of their lives.
And responsibility—to keep building something worthy of all three.
The scoreboard matters, but stewardship matters more.
Our story has never been about what we achieved in a single year. It is about building an enduring law firm rooted in values, systems, trust, and people.
I believe our best years are still ahead.
With humility and gratitude,
John H. Fisher
