Daniel Goodrich

Tell us your story. What kind of law do you practice? How did you get to where you are today?

I have been practicing corporate, transactional, and business law for 7 years, and I am licensed in California, Hawai'i, District of Columbia, and New York (pending).

During that time, I transitioned from the in-house legal team for a multi-national telecommunications organization to become a founding team member and General Counsel of a healthcare career development tech start-up. My current venture is scaling @VirtualCounsel.

@VirtualCounsel spawned from a desire to provide comprehensive corporate counsel to an underserved market: the purpose-driven entrepreneur. Many smart businesses do not have the resources to hire "big law," and therefore try to do it on their own. That seems crazy to our @VirtualCounsel team, who are entrepreneurs at heart and understand the struggle!

I consider myself a "recovering corporate attorney" who is an entrepreneur, conservationist, and humanist at heart (hence the constant progression away from the trappings of corporate life)! I surf, ski, and ocean lifeguard in San Diego.

Why did you want to become a lawyer?

Truth is, I always saw law school as a way to skip rungs on the ladder. Quick history here: I was working in the music industry in New York in my early 20's . . . very cool even though I was low on the totem pole. One Wednesday morning, I noticed my boss popping champagne with a newly-signed rapper, so I asked him how to get where he was.

My boss told me that if I'm not going to be spitting rhymes, then law school will catapult my career. He explained to me that he never practiced law per se, rather his ability to read people and analyze a deal structure was invaluable to his rise in the industry.
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I want the entrepreneur to succeed and make an impact, which is why I started @VirtualCounsel.

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I had a major change of heart in California, seeing that socially/environmentally-driven entrepreneurs are in great need of legal and business advisors, so I began to help out those who help others.

I never envisioned being in the courtroom or in "big law," which is why I never tried! I want the entrepreneur to succeed and make an impact, which is why I started @VirtualCounsel.

Was it a smooth road becoming a lawyer and getting to where you are now? If not, what are some of the struggles you encountered?

No roads are smooth when you start your own business. The biggest obstacles I have encountered are those of comparison. Many of my friends and colleagues in and out of law have chosen highly profitable career paths that may be inconsistent with my ethos. Many others have chosen completely altruistic paths that I support, yet they struggle to pay rent. Balancing your heart and your books remains to be one of the greatest challenges for many entrepreneurs.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer? What sets your practice apart from others? What do you love the most about what you do?

I am proud that I have never compromised my ethics to make a buck. My practice is different from others because I charge a premium to be a trusted strategic advisor to my business clients, not just a technician who churns out legal documents.

I am proud that I have never compromised my ethics to make a buck.

I also provide unlimited communication to my clients for a low monthly membership to support entrepreneurs who need advice but can't stand the traditional law firm hourly billing model. I end up "giving" away hours of free legal and strategic business advice, providing incredible value to my clients who are really lifelong business partners, which turns out to be what I LOVE most!

If you could change, improve or disrupt one thing about the practice of law, what would it be?

The traditional billing model. Clients resent paying by the hour, and I have figured out a way to build a successful practice without having to bill that way. It's a win-win and a total disruption to the status quo.

What are you doing when you're not lawyering?

I surf year-round, ski when it's snowing, and find as much time as possible to ocean lifeguard in San Diego. I've been lifeguarding since I was a teenager . . . saving lives on the beach fills my cup more than just about anything in the world.