March 23, 2026

16. Brian Colón: Building a Values-Driven National Firm by Leading with Authenticity

1 hour 1 minute

This episode features Brian Colón, the Managing Partner of Singleton Schreiber's New Mexico offices. Brian oversees a rapidly growing practice for a national firm that has recovered over $3 billion for clients. He shares a powerful story of personal and professional resilience, from a hard-fought loss in a race for Attorney General to finding his purpose at a firm that truly aligned with his values. Brian reveals why, before accepting the partnership, he insisted on seeing the standard employee agreement—and how its contents, including 100% healthcare coverage and childcare reimbursement, sealed the deal. He offers a masterclass in authentic leadership, explaining how his firm fuses fearless legal advocacy with deep commitments to philanthropy and public policy, and why they've invested in a full-time social worker to support both their team and their clients. This is an unfiltered look at what it means to build a law firm on a foundation of service, gratitude, and unapologetic conviction.

Show Notes:

(0:00) Introduction: Brian Colon's journey through public service and private practice.

(1:40) The Firm's 8X Growth: How Singleton Schreiber maintains a client-centered and diverse culture.

(2:49) The Righteous Case: Taking on environmental justice cases for communities without a voice, even if they aren't profitable.

(6:45) A Leader's Philosophy: "I work for my team."

(8:28) The Three Pillars: Integrating philanthropy, public policy, and the law into the firm's DNA.

(10:41) The Aftermath: The devastating emotional toll of losing the Attorney General primary.

(12:32) The Turning Point: How the book Untethered Soul and the mantra "Be open" created a floodgate of opportunities.

(14:43) The Ultimate Litmus Test: Why the employee agreement was the real deal-closer for joining the firm.

(15:40) What True Values Look Like: Child care reimbursement and a $1,000 nonprofit match for every employee.

(18:44) The Roots of Resilience: How growing up in poverty and personal tragedy shaped his drive.

(20:19) The Bonus Round: Brian's passion for mentoring the next generation of leaders.

(27:25) A Radical Investment in People: Why the firm employs a full-time social worker for staff and clients.

(30:21) Scaling Culture: How to keep everyone aligned with the mission during rapid expansion.

(37:28) Unapologetic Advocacy: Why being transparent about his political values is a magnet for the right clients and talent.

(46:56) The Problem with "Inventory": How to manage mass torts cases without dehumanizing clients.

(54:30) The Future of Law: Why attorneys who don't learn to use AI will be the only ones to lose their jobs.

Contact: (505) 270-2154

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By Legion