Speakers
We are excited to start announcing speakers for The Summit 2025! While we’re still finalizing our full lineup, we’re thrilled to share some of the top-tier experts who will be joining us. The Summit will feature innovative and inspiring speakers, including thought leaders, Atticus members, and our team, all dedicated to helping you build a thriving practice and life.
Our speakers bring not only expertise but also real-world experiences—sharing their challenges, successes, and game-changing ideas. Stay tuned as we reveal more remarkable voices leading up to the event!
Keynote Speakers & Game Changers
Barb Betts
KEYNOTE
How to Become Unforgettable: Build Relationships, Gain Referrals, and Unlock Reliable Revenue
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In a world full of noise, being unforgettable is your edge. Barb Betts teaches how to move beyond transactional tactics and build authentic relationships that generate consistent referrals, repeat business, and real results. This keynote unpacks her proven BUILD Framework—a powerful approach to accelerating trust, investing intentionally in your network, and delivering value that keeps clients talking about you and coming back.
About the presenter
Dre Baldwin
KEYNOTE
Work on Your Game: Apply the Pro Athlete Mindset at Work & in Life
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Dre “DreAllDay” Baldwin started playing basketball at age 14. Didn’t make his high school team until his senior year — and spent that season on the bench.
5 years after his final high school game, which he watched from a great seat on the bench, Dre signed his first professional basketball contract, beginning a 9-year pro career. Around that same time, Dre published his first of over 8,000+ videos, creating a new genre of personal branding and the “Work On Your Game” brand that is now synonymous with the highest level of the Mental Game.
In this engaging and inspiring keynote, you will learn the Mental Game keys Dre learned to go from a benchwarmer to a professional that apply at work, in the gym and in life.
You will learn to:
- Maximize Productivity on “The Third Day”
- Leverage “Separation Days” To Distance Yourself From Competitors
- Unlock Your Highest Level Of Confidence with “The Super You”
- Prepare Like The Top 1% Of Achievers
- Condition Yourself to Win Like the Champion Athlete
About the presenter
Dre Baldwin is CEO and Founder of Work On Your Game Inc. He has given 4 TEDxTalks and has authored 40 books.
Dre’s content has been consumed over 103 million times. His daily Work On Your Game MasterClass has amassed over 3,200 episodes and over 7.5 million listeners.
Dre had a 9-year professional basketball career, playing in 8 countries. Dre’s Work On Your Game framework is a “roadmap in reverse” to help 6-figure professionals systematize & scale their businesses to 7 figures.
You can listen to Dre’s podcast “Too Stupid to Quit” with Steve Riley here.
Matthew Emerzian
KEYNOTE
Human-Centered Leadership: How to Prioritize Mental Health, Increase Well-Being, and Mitigate Burnout Across High-Performing Teams
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In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, we’re witnessing an unprecedented rise in mental health challenges that, with the right guidance, can be mitigated and overcome. With burnout, anxiety, and poor well-being sweeping the nation, leaders today need a new playbook that helps them better equip themselves and their teams to these new and evolving challenges. This playbook is called The Mattering Mindset.
Matt Emerzian personally battled with these mental health and wellbeing challenges and has dedicated the last two decades to changing the conversation about mental health via his four best-selling books and his non-profit organization, Every Monday Matters (EMM). EMM serves over 4 million people through elements of the Mattering Mindset playbook where he helps every person he connected with understand that they matter and make a difference in the world.
About the presenter
Matthew Emerzian delivers a personal, interactive, and transformational keynote based on his experiences of working with countless individuals and organizations to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and loved. He believes that profitable growth is only achieved through personal and professional growth. And, when people know how much and why they matter, everything in their life levels up.
Gorham "Rory" Clark
KEYNOTE
33x Growth: The Money Moves That Multiplied Our Revenue—Without Burning Out
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Over the last 11 years, Rory Clark and his team didn’t just grow—they 33x’ed their revenue, doubling it five times using a bold mix of strategic innovation, mindset shifts, and operational precision. In this candid, fast-moving session, Rory will unpack several of his unconventional “money moves” behind their explosive growth—including scalable staffing through non-attorney consults, creating 24-hour firm capacity with off-shore talent, adding recurring revenue through client maintenance plans, and taming the “High-I” to close more business. Whether you’re in growth mode or rebuilding, you’ll walk away with a high-impact checklist and the clarity to think—and lead—like a CEO.
About the presenter
A native of Virginia with deep roots in his community, Rory has more than 30 years’ experience practicing elder law, estate planning, asset protection, Medicaid planning, veterans’ affairs, and special needs planning. In addition to having a deep understanding of law firms, especially Elder Law and Estate Planning practices, he knows what it takes to grow a great firm. He has experienced every aspect of building a successful law firm. From time management, finding and retaining talent, to marketing and turning a profit, Rory knows how to quickly identify the problems in a firm and more importantly, how to fix them. Rory is a member of the Executive Committee and currently serves as Vice President of the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA). He is the current Chairman of VAELA’s Strategic Planning Committee and is the former Co-Chairman of the Member Relations and Communications Committee. A longtime resident of Loudoun County, Rory has served on the Loudoun County Zoning Board of Appeals since 2005 and has been the Board’s Vice Chairman since 2020. Rory is one of only five attorneys in Virginia to hold the designation of “Qualified Master Counselor in Trusts and Estates.”
Michele Fuller
KEYNOTE
From Dumpster Fire to Domination: The Great Life Focus Fire Extinguisher
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When everything felt like a dumpster fire, Michele used the My Great Life Focus as her lifeline. In this powerful Game Changer session, she shares how the tool became more than just a planner—it became her anchor for clarity, leadership, and self-care.
You’ll hear how she used it to prioritize what mattered most, navigate chaos with intention, and guide her team through tough seasons—without losing herself in the process. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, off-course, or just plain tired, this session will remind you what’s possible when you focus on what truly matters.
About the presenter
As a Practice Advisor, Michele works with attorneys to develop practical strategies to find and maintain balance in their lives. She helps attorneys identify tasks that are not the best use of their time both at home and in the office, freeing them to focus quality time on what matters most.Recognized by colleagues for her compassion and communication skills, Michele enjoys the opportunity to support other attorneys as they grow their law firms and works with a limited number of coaching clients to provide them with her focused attention. She is also the founder of Michigan Law Center, P.L.L.C., specializing in elder law, special needs planning, and asset preservation for individuals with disabilities. She also serves as President of Advocacy, Inc., a non-profit organization. Michele was recently appointed Special Assistant Attorney General to assist in settlement planning for the Flint Water cases. A leader in her field, she has held key positions in organizations like the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP) and National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).Michele is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the 2018 State Bar of Michigan Unsung Hero Award and multiple Super Lawyers nominations. While client service and advocacy are key priorities in her life, they share the spotlight with a dynamic home life. In partnership with her husband, Michele parents four active children.
Carl and Brent Doré
KEYNOTE
The Turnaround Blueprint for Revenue and Profitability: Reinventing a Law Firm with Grit, KPIs, and Heart
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What happens when a well-established law firm hits bottom just two years after its best year ever? In this honest, fast-paced 20-minute talk, father-son duo Carl and Brent Dore share the inside story of how they rebuilt and expanded their firm from a post-pandemic crash into a thriving, multi-office operation—hiring 7 attorneys in 6 months, creating firm-wide KPIs that actually work across billing models, implementing new technology and leveraging a foundation built through 20 years of Atticus and five Double Your Revenue workshops. With transparency, humility, and a touch of humor, they’ll show how tough conversations, bold hiring decisions, and investing in the right infrastructure and people helped them turn chaos into clarity—and scale for the future.
About the presenters
Carle Doré
After working for a decade as a petroleum engineer, Carl established a law firm practice more than 35 years ago that focuses on Real Estate and Oil and Gas, as well as litigation in those areas. He frequently writes and speaks on legal developments impacting business decision-makers and entrepreneurs. Many of these same business folks sought out Carl to help in other areas of law, including estate planning, probate, and lots of transactional work. As a result, our firm routinely helps form new limited liability companies and other corporate structures. Carl’s experience in commercial collections and lien preparation for contractors and oil & gas service companies is second to none. Clients rely on his varied business background for all types of out-of-the-box advice. Carl and Tamra also own Katy Budget Books, a local Katy fixture for 40 years. That small business experience colors much of what we do and how we do it in this law firm. Carl truly believes he is the luckiest guy around!
Brent Doré
Brent prides himself on solving problems for our clients–whether figuring out a contract issue or resolving a business dispute. He previously worked for Harris, Finley & Bogle PC in Fort Worth. Brent is an experienced litigator, including oil & gas disputes and complex fiduciary litigation. He also oversees the firm’s estate planning & probate section. Brent’s mom has owned Katy Budget Books for nearly 40 years and raised him with a book in his hand and a love for small businesses. Brent approaches each legal issue he faces with the belief that with enough creativity and commitment, any problem can be solved–even if the problem borders on sci-fibrin focuses on serving our clients in West Texas, North Texas, and Oklahoma. He has lived and worked in Fort Worth for two decades with his wife, Julie, and their three kids. Brent proudly serves on the Board of Directors of Fortress Youth Development Center, Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County, and the Texas Aggie Bar Association. Since his wife is the PTA President of their kids’ school, Brent also has the “privilege” of being the PTA First Gentleman. When not helping his clients, he can be found coaching youth sports, camping, hiking, reading, or continuing his quest to find the best BBQ in Texas.
Day 2 Workshop Speakers
Loretta “Lori” Goetz
Growth Strategies for a Great Practice and Great Life
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Patti Paz
The Team Leader Advantage: Elevate Your Role, Enhance Your Life
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Valerie Peterson with guest Matthew Emerzian
Building a High-Performance Law Firm: Cultivating a Winning Culture
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Valerie is the Chief Executive Officer of Atticus, LLC. Prior to joining Atticus, Valerie served as the Chief Executive Officer of ElderCounsel, LLC.
Valerie graduated from Washburn Law School in 1997. After law school, Valerie practiced law in Manhattan, KS, and later Miami and Ft. Lauderdale where she was the owner of Peterson Law Office, P.A., and later Fisher & Peterson, P.C., a firm specializing in the areas of elder law and estate planning. Valerie sold her practice to join ElderCounsel in 2008.
Valerie speaks nationally on topics ranging from elder law and veterans benefits to practice building and business management. Valerie has taught for numerous national organizations, including the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), various state bar associations, WealthCounsel, Krause Financial Services, and Strafford Webinars.
Valerie previously served as an adjunct professor for Stetson Law School where she taught the Veteran’s Benefits Course to Elder Law LL.M. students.
Valerie lives in Evergreen, CO, with a very spoiled cat, Maisey.
Lori Pulvermacher
Beyond the Practice: Designing Your Next Chapter
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Speakers
Mark Powers
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Mark Powers, President of Atticus, has been coaching attorneys for nearly thirty years. He is the founder and developer of the first personalized training program dedicated to teaching attorneys the lasting skills and habits necessary for practice development. These skills include strategic planning, client development, customer service, prioritization, time blocking, managing interruptions, financial management, staffing, and delegation.
Mark is an internationally recognized expert in the legal field with a long list of accomplishments.
He is a prominent public speaker who has presented to thousands of attorneys in multiple venues across the world, such as The American Bar Association and The Law Society of Scotland. He has also spoken to bar associations in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina, and Texas, and has delivered presentations to law organizations such as The Fund, Wyoming Trial Lawyers, the Dallas INBLF, and Tennessee Trial Lawyers.
Mark has also co-authored The Making of a Rainmaker: An Ethical Approach to Marketing for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners, published by The Florida Bar and been featured in publications such as Lawyers Weekly USA, Money magazine, American Bar Association Journal, Florida Bar News, and Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal.
Before Atticus, Mark served as the chief executive officer and president of a multi-million-dollar, privately held company, and as a corporate manager in a Fortune 500 company based in Connecticut. A native of Massachusetts, he has a master’s degree from Northeastern University in Boston and his undergraduate studies include a bachelor’s degree in economics and criminal justice.
His mission at Atticus is to keep attorneys focused on what is really important in their lives, to provide them with the training and skills necessary to build and maintain sustainable practices, and, finally, to provide a structure of accountability and support for achieving their goals.
Steve Riley
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Steve Riley has coached attorneys for more than 20 years. His one-on-one coaching focuses on a limited number of top producing attorneys committed to taking their practices to new levels of excellence, profit, and personal success. He also presents at group coaching workshops around the country for individual law firms, state bar associations, and other legal organizations.
Steve has a way of getting attorneys to see where they might be “stuck” in running their practices and guiding them through a process of self-discovery to implement impactful, sustainable change.
He knows their unique path because he walked it.
Steve first practiced law as a trial attorney, acquiring a decade of experience trying more than 100 cases, including multiple jury trials. Balancing trial work with the rigors of running a practice gave Steve a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by firm owners. After 10 years of litigation, Steve transitioned his practice into estate planning and elder law and through referral-based marketing strategies built a thriving, large practice.
The firm’s dramatic growth prompted other lawyers to seek Steve’s mentorship on growing their own practices, and he quickly became the go-to advisor for many successful practitioners. To further pursue that passion, he sold his practice and joined the nation’s premier law practice management consulting firm, Atticus, as a shareholder.
At Atticus, Steve created innovative coaching programs, including the Double Your Revenue™ workshop (featured in LawyersUSA), the Practice Growth Program®, and Dominate Your Market®. Hundreds of satisfied attorneys have successfully completed his programs and are actively building more successful firms with what they gained. He is also the host of the Great Practice. Great Life.® by Atticus® podcast.
Steve is a highly sought-after presenter and speaker for legal association events nationally. He wrote ‘The Busy Lawyer’s Guide to the Laws of Practice Growth” and “The Busy Lawyer’s Guide to the Domestic Assistant Advantage” and is a contributing author to six additional books, including Basic Estate Planning for the Florida Bar. He was also a national columnist for CCH magazine on practice management. In 2006, Steve won the National Small Law Firm Practice Innovation Award.
Join Us at The Summit to Elevate Your Practice and Life
Unlock the opportunity to connect with the most successful law firm owners, attorneys, and industry leaders. Discover groundbreaking strategies, transformative insights, and actionable takeaways to enhance both your professional and personal life. Be part of this exclusive event that will empower you to elevate your practice to new heights.