Three months ago, Ari Tuchman walked away from Milbank and billion-dollar deals to hang his own shingle. What he's learned about saying no, building a brain trust, and protecting his mornings is a masterclass for any lawyer who feels stuck on someone else's track. In this episode, Gary sits down with Ari Tuchman, founder of Tuchman Law, APC in Beverly Hills. After more than five years working on nine and ten-figure transactions at Milbank, Ari made the leap into solo practice with intention. This is a candid conversation about what it really takes to bet on yourself, why saying no is an act of freedom, and how to build a law firm that serves your life instead of the other way around. Key takeaways: Recognize the difference between external authority (accolades, prestige, the next milestone) and internal authority (confidence built from within your own competence and character).Build your own brain trust of solo practitioners and peers when you leave a big law bench behind.Filter clients through two lenses: the person and the substance. Trust is the foundation of every attorney-client relationship.Understand how AI is reshaping transactional practice, and why boutiques stand to benefit as the middle gets squeezed.Protect the breaks. Some of your best thinking happens when you step away from the desk.Take one concrete step this week: write down ten qualities of the lawyer you want to be, then check whether your practice reflects them.About the guest: Ari Tuchman is the founder of Tuchman Law, APC, a boutique transactional firm in Beverly Hills advising businesses, real estate investors, and family offices. He previously spent over five years at Milbank LLP in New York, where his work included a $700 million casino portfolio sale, a $1.2 billion take-private acquisition, and a $7 billion LNG joint venture. He holds a J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown Law. If this episode moved you, subscribe to The Free Lawyer, leave a review, and pick up a copy of Breaking Free on Amazon. You'll find twelve prisons of the mind and twelve keys to unlock them, including the one Ari names so clearly in this conversation. Learn more at garymiles.net. [00:00] — The accomplished lawyer's trap[01:59] — Deciding to leave Milbank[05:11] — What he left behind[09:35] — Inside a boutique firm[10:53] — Turning work away[13:42] — AI and the road ahead[17:17] — Building his brain trust[26:36] — What freedom looks like[29:19] — One step this week Ari Tuchman is the founder of Tuchman Law, APC, a boutique transactional firm in Beverly Hills advising businesses, real estate investors, and family offices on M&A, joint ventures, real estate transactions, and startup financings. He serves clients who want large-firm capability paired with the responsiveness only a single-principal firm can offer. Before founding his firm, Ari spent over five years at Milbank LLP in New York, where his work included a $700 million casino portfolio sale, a $1.2 billion take-private acquisition, and a $7 billion LNG joint venture. He founded Tuchman Law to build a practice that serves his life rather than the other way around. You can find The Free Lawyer Assessment here- https://www.garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Would you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call Would you like to learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy? https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Access this free tool to identify your productivity time drains and move to purposeful strategy- https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Check out the Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity
