Delighted to have spent an hour in the presence of James d’Apice, he is a man with many talents, he’s host of two popular podcasts, he’s a rapper (!), author, social media celebrity and yet he still finds the time to be a leading commercial litigator, business owner, husband and father of 3!

James shares his unconventional journey through law — from spending his informative lawyer years with the highly respected Makinson D’apice (MakDap) which has of course, strong family ties to James, to then forging his own career path, driven by his litigation specialism and desire to challenge the status quo, resulting in James launching his own firm Gravamen in 2023.

We discuss his career pivots, the early seeds of Coffee and a Case Note, as well as the importance external mentors have played in James’s career across law and marketing.

Inside This Episode:

• Why James resisted being part of the family firm for the long term— and what changed his mind
• The origin of Coffee and a Case Note and its surprising slow burn success
• How radio, rap, and rigorous case law came together to build his personal brand and shaped his marketing strategy
• The reality of starting your own firm, balancing professional ambition and family ambition, and the values that drive his new business Gravamen
• Why brand doesn’t equal revenue (at least not at first) — and how that shifted over time

James gets candid about, privilege, branding, his definition of “bricks and mortar” and finding your lane in a changing legal landscape. If you're in professional services, this is a must-listen….

And yes, he’s as good a bloke in person as he comes across on camera!