Why Storytelling Beats Billboards: Sean Olson on Building a Multi-State Personal Injury Firm
Wed Feb 04 2026
Sean Olson, an Emmy-winning photojournalist turned trial lawyer, shares his journey of building a multi-state personal injury firm and balancing the roles of CEO and litigator. Sean details the single case that convinced him to leave his decade-long practice defending law enforcement and dedicate his career to helping the injured. He offers a masterclass on building a firm from the ground up, including how to develop a marketing engine based on storytelling, why most lead-gen services are a trap, and the critical importance of creating systems to ensure a premier client experience.
(0:00) From Emmy-Winning Photojournalist to Trial Lawyer
(1:17) An Overview of Olson Personal Injury Lawyers
(2:08) The Intentional Strategy Behind a Multi-State Practice
(5:01) The Pivotal Case That Changed a Career Path
(7:49) Red Flags: How to Spot Client Exaggeration During Intake
(8:30) Why No Honest Lawyer Can Tell You What Your Case is Worth in the First Call
(14:40) Learning to Run a Business and Hiring the First Employee
(16:36) How to Build a Marketing Engine Without a Big Nest Egg
(17:58) The #1 Red Flag to Watch for in Marketing Vendors
(22:06) Why Storytelling is the Most Effective Marketing Strategy
(25:26) Systematizing the Firm for a Premier Client Experience
(26:52) Getting Lawyer Buy-In: How to Enforce Processes by Explaining the "Why"
(33:04) The Core Challenge: You Can Be a Trial Lawyer or a CEO, But Not Both
(38:48) Sean's Take on AI and Its Inevitable Impact on Law Practice
(41:42) Where to Find and Contact Sean Olson
Contact Sean Olson: protectingthewest.com
Want to join the show as a guest? Email us: zihao@legion.law
Join our Facebook community to connect with other founding attorneys
This podcast was brought to you by Legion: Actually Reliable Litigation drafting — at AI speed.
Tired of litigation busy work? Get court-ready pleadings, serve-ready discovery, and battle-ready motions — in 30 minutes or less.
Visit legion.lawMusic: lofi type beat "flower market" by snoozy beats.
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Sean Olson, an Emmy-winning photojournalist turned trial lawyer, shares his journey of building a multi-state personal injury firm and balancing the roles of CEO and litigator. Sean details the single case that convinced him to leave his decade-long practice defending law enforcement and dedicate his career to helping the injured. He offers a masterclass on building a firm from the ground up, including how to develop a marketing engine based on storytelling, why most lead-gen services are a trap, and the critical importance of creating systems to ensure a premier client experience. (0:00) From Emmy-Winning Photojournalist to Trial Lawyer (1:17) An Overview of Olson Personal Injury Lawyers (2:08) The Intentional Strategy Behind a Multi-State Practice (5:01) The Pivotal Case That Changed a Career Path (7:49) Red Flags: How to Spot Client Exaggeration During Intake (8:30) Why No Honest Lawyer Can Tell You What Your Case is Worth in the First Call (14:40) Learning to Run a Business and Hiring the First Employee (16:36) How to Build a Marketing Engine Without a Big Nest Egg (17:58) The #1 Red Flag to Watch for in Marketing Vendors (22:06) Why Storytelling is the Most Effective Marketing Strategy (25:26) Systematizing the Firm for a Premier Client Experience (26:52) Getting Lawyer Buy-In: How to Enforce Processes by Explaining the "Why" (33:04) The Core Challenge: You Can Be a Trial Lawyer or a CEO, But Not Both (38:48) Sean's Take on AI and Its Inevitable Impact on Law Practice (41:42) Where to Find and Contact Sean Olson Contact Sean Olson: protectingthewest.com Want to join the show as a guest? Email us: zihao@legion.law Join our Facebook community to connect with other founding attorneys This podcast was brought to you by Legion: Actually Reliable Litigation drafting — at AI speed. Tired of litigation busy work? Get court-ready pleadings, serve-ready discovery, and battle-ready motions — in 30 minutes or less. Visit legion.lawMusic: lofi type beat "flower market" by snoozy beats.