How To Grow a Law Firm That Makes a Difference With Eric Toscano

Eric Toscano is the Founder & CEO of Tenant Law Group, a California law firm dedicated exclusively to representing renters who have been harassed, discriminated against, or illegally evicted. Under his leadership, the firm has grown into one of the largest tenant rights law firms in the United States. Eric brings over 20 years of entrepreneurial and legal experience to his role and has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer every year since 2021. He is passionate about social justice and is committed to ensuring that all tenants, regardless of financial resources, have access to legal representation.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[1:57] Eric Toscano talks about his early entrepreneurial influences
[13:02] How Eric transitioned from Big Law to starting his own firm with no set plan
[17:10] Discovering tenant rights law and the case that changed Eric’s career path
[23:25] How to manage the unpredictable cash flow of a contingency-based law firm
[25:31] Scaling a remote and international legal team to serve more clients efficiently
[27:46] The role of AI in modern law firms and how Tenant Law Group is integrating AI tools

In this episode…

Building a law firm that truly makes a difference isn’t just about legal expertise; it’s about vision, strategy, and impact. How do you create a firm that not only thrives but also serves a mission-driven purpose? And what does it take to scale while staying true to your values?

According to Eric Toscano, a seasoned legal entrepreneur, success in tenant rights law starts with a deep understanding of clients’ needs and the ability to navigate a contingency-based business model effectively. He highlights the importance of balancing financial sustainability with mission-driven advocacy, ensuring the firm remains profitable while representing vulnerable tenants. Eric’s approach involves leveraging technology, building a strong remote team, and implementing AI to streamline case management. By focusing on scalable systems and data-driven decisions, he has transformed his firm into a leader in tenant representation.

In this episode, host John Corcoran sits down with Eric Toscano, Founder & CEO of Tenant Law Group, to discuss how he built a thriving mission-driven law firm. Eric shares the challenges of managing unpredictable cash flow, the key strategies for scaling a remote legal team, and how AI is reshaping modern law firms. He also talks about how to balance business growth with a strong social impact.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments

“Big Law didn’t vibe with me. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do with my career.”
“The problem has never been finding clients. We must ensure continuous onboarding without recurring revenue clients.”
“AI is a tool that, if wielded properly, can create a massive unfair advantage for law firms.”
“Who wouldn’t want to work in a practice where the problem has never been finding clients?”
“AI, when used properly, gives law firms a massive unfair advantage over those not utilizing it.”

Action Steps

Leverage AI to streamline legal workflows: Automating repetitive legal tasks enhances efficiency, allowing attorneys to focus on high-value client advocacy and case strategy.
Build a remote and international team: Expanding beyond local talent reduces costs while increasing access to skilled professionals, improving firm scalability and service delivery.
Develop a data-driven case evaluation system: Accurately assessing case value and collectibility minimizes financial risk and ensures a sustainable contingency-based business model.
Narrow your firm’s focus to a niche practice area: Specializing in a specific legal field strengthens branding, increases expertise, and attracts a steady stream of clients.
Prioritize financial planning for contingency cases: Predicting cash flow and managing financial reserves is crucial for long-term sustainability in a plaintiff’s law firm.

Sponsor for this episode…

EO San Francisco

This episode is brought to you by EO San Francisco.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 198 chapters in 61 countries.

If you are the founder, co-founder, owner, or controlling shareholder of a company generating over $1 million a year in revenues, and want to connect with other like-minded successful entrepreneurs, EO is for you.

The EO San Francisco chapter enables leading entrepreneurs in the Bay area to learn, grow, and achieve greater success.

The EOSF chapter was founded in 1991, and today we have over 100 members in industries ranging from marketing to agriculture to tech and professional services.

To learn how it works, or to come do a test drive come join us at www.eonetwork.org/sanfrancisco/.

This episode is also brought to you by my company, Pacific Crest Group.

Pacific Crest Group provides outsourced CFO, Controller, and bookkeeping services. You can learn more about us at https://www.pcg-services.com/

Rise25

Want to Start a Podcast?

At Rise25, we’re committed to helping you connect with your Dream 200 referral partners, clients, and strategic partners through our done-for-you podcast solution.

With our proven system, all you need is an idea and a voice — we handle the rest. Rise25 takes care of strategy, production, and distribution, ensuring your podcast drives ROI.

We simplify distribution by sharing your episodes across 11 unique platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Plus, we create episode copy and promote your show on social media.

Co-founders Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran credit podcasting as the best thing they’ve done for their business, connecting them with the founders and CEOs of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, RxBar, YPO, EO, Lending Tree, FreshBooks, and many more. Podcasting builds deep relationships — many guests have become business partners and lifelong friends.

We work only with committed entrepreneurs ready to leverage podcasting for partnerships, clients, and referrals. Ready to launch?