The Solo & Small Firm Issue
Attorney at Law Magazine is proud to introduce its 2026 Legal Leaders Special Issue celebrating the leaders of small law firms and solo practitioners.
Long before Jackie Houser ever stepped into a courtroom, she was a little girl sitting quietly inside the office of her family’s attorney. She remembers watching people arrive carrying burdens. More importantly, she watched them leave carrying something entirely different. Answers.
I wake up, brush my teeth, and I divorce people.” In his own succinct and candid style, family law attorney Russell Knight captures both his singular focus and the depth of immersion that has defined his career.
“The values I learned growing up represent the lawyer I am today and the personal injury law firm I am building for the future,” says Andrew Kryder, founder of the Chicago-based personal injury firm, The Kryder Law Group, LLC. The lawyers at the firm apply what Kryder calls small town values in a big city setting. Kryder grew up in
AALM: What inspired your career shift from commercial real estate development to law? SN: My early career was in multifamily acquisition, land redevelopment, and syndications. I loved chasing deals and pooling investor capital, but I quickly realized the entire industry moves on paper. I saw brilliant syndications and developments derailed by poorly drafted contracts or aggressive adversaries using legal ambiguities
Rooted in family tradition and built upon generations of hard work and entrepreneurship, Sycamore Law is a reflection of attorney Benjamin Scheel’s belief that lasting success begins with strong values. Long before choosing his career path, Scheel’s parents recognized a seemingly innate talent for presenting well thought-out arguments, convincing enough that the young boy frequently changed their minds. It was
When Jason Wiggam founded Wiggam Law, like many attorneys starting a firm, he wore every hat. “I handled cases, built relationships, managed operations and made every major decision. That approach works in the early stages, but it isn’t a sustainable model for long-term growth or the best way to serve clients facing increasingly complex legal challenges.” Today’s tax disputes involve
Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Karl Amelchenko, an attorney with Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay to discuss the firm’s ongoing collaborations with smaller law firms in the pursuit of justice. AALM: Tell us a bit about the firm and your role within the firm. KA: Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay launched in May 2025 as a national plaintiff’s law firm,
Long before Jackie Houser ever stepped into a courtroom, she was a little girl sitting quietly inside the office of her family’s attorney. She remembers watching people arrive carrying burdens. More importantly, she watched them leave carrying something entirely different. Answers.
I wake up, brush my teeth, and I divorce people.” In his own succinct and candid style, family law attorney Russell Knight captures both his singular focus and the depth of immersion that has defined his career.
“The values I learned growing up represent the lawyer I am today and the personal injury law firm I am building for the future,” says Andrew Kryder, founder of the Chicago-based personal injury firm, The Kryder Law Group, LLC. The lawyers at the firm apply what Kryder calls small town values in a big city setting. Kryder grew up in
AALM: What inspired your career shift from commercial real estate development to law? SN: My early career was in multifamily acquisition, land redevelopment, and syndications. I loved chasing deals and pooling investor capital, but I quickly realized the entire industry moves on paper. I saw brilliant syndications and developments derailed by poorly drafted contracts or aggressive adversaries using legal ambiguities
Rooted in family tradition and built upon generations of hard work and entrepreneurship, Sycamore Law is a reflection of attorney Benjamin Scheel’s belief that lasting success begins with strong values. Long before choosing his career path, Scheel’s parents recognized a seemingly innate talent for presenting well thought-out arguments, convincing enough that the young boy frequently changed their minds. It was
When Jason Wiggam founded Wiggam Law, like many attorneys starting a firm, he wore every hat. “I handled cases, built relationships, managed operations and made every major decision. That approach works in the early stages, but it isn’t a sustainable model for long-term growth or the best way to serve clients facing increasingly complex legal challenges.” Today’s tax disputes involve
Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Karl Amelchenko, an attorney with Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay to discuss the firm’s ongoing collaborations with smaller law firms in the pursuit of justice. AALM: Tell us a bit about the firm and your role within the firm. KA: Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay launched in May 2025 as a national plaintiff’s law firm,
