Jeffrey Hughes: The Legal Grinder
Profile
Jeffrey J. Hughes’ business card is printed in a conservative font—with black ink, of course—on nice, white card stock. It looks distinguished, like he’s someone who will come to court in a pinstriped suit and rescue you, if need be.
But he’s not wearing a suit today. If he were, the espresso machine he’s operating might blow steam on it.
Hughes, 43, owns Legal Grind, a Santa Monica, Calif., coffeehouse/storefront law office on a major beach-community thoroughfare. Drinks there are free and the legal advice is reasonable. For $45 you get 20 minutes with a lawyer; specific tasks—like a restraining order—can be had for $150.
“We used to have free counsel and you paid for the coffee. Once that model broke down, we switched it around,” says Hughes of the ivy-covered store that once housed his grandfather’s awning shop.
The business is still a family one. Hughes’ wife, a paralegal, does contract work for him, and often their kids—three under the age of 6, whom he refers to as “my lovelies”—come to the cafe too.
Hughes’ ride is a Nissan Armada that sports the license plate LGL CAFE. He’ll tell you that it seats eight and can transport his stepdaughter’s volleyball team in a pinch.
An employee describes Hughes as “intensely laid-back.” He’s personable with clients but, like many solo and small-firm practitioners, doesn’t have a ton of time for hand-holding. Somehow he manages to convey that while dressed in golf shorts and a button-down, short-sleeve oxford, sunglasses tucked in at his neckline.
View a video produced for Hughes as part of a reality TV show pitch.
BEGINNING OF A BRAINSTORM
It takes Hughes a while to explain how he got the idea for his business, and the story includes information about his grandma, his parents’ divorce, moving with his dad to nearby Orange County, busboy work at the age of 12, and helping his brother on construction projects after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
At that point he’d already graduated from Los Angeles’ Loyola Law School and was applying for legal positions. California was in recession and there were far more candidates than openings.
“I would probably pick someone other than myself if I was making the decision,” Hughes says, “for several reasons, and the first one would be grades.”
When construction work dried up, Hughes spent a few years in San Francisco substitute-teaching, doing contract legal work and checking out coffeehouses. His grandfather had died by then, and the awning shop space was available.
“Since nothing was happening, I decided to open my cafe,” says Hughes, whose goal from the start in 1996 has been to create better legal access for the middle class, and to show there’s more to the law than litigation. Along with Hughes, 10 other lawyers handle consultations at Legal Grind. The referral service is certified by the State Bar of California, and if a consultation turns into paid work, Hughes gets 20 percent of the fees generated.
“I created something that could appeal to both lawyers and the public, and it wouldn’t be undignified for a lawyer to be there,” says Hughes. He describes himself as a risk-taker, but qualifies it with “calculated.”
In the next year Hughes wants to take the Legal Grind idea to law schools, and a deal with the University of Maryland School of Law is in the works. (His other current site, in Inglewood, is run by a paralegal and only offers document preparation.) The college project will likely operate in conjunction with the school’s legal clinic, and solo practitioner alums looking for business will play a large role.
Another Hughes project is a social networking site for lawyers, Legal Cafe. According to Hughes, it will focus on access-to-justice issues, and match lawyers and clients according to location and legal need.
Still, the past few years haven’t been easy. One of his best attorneys, who did family law and generated about $50,000 a year in referral fees, left to join a small firm. And the country’s credit crunch and mortgage crisis cut deeply into clients’ abilities to come up with cash retainers, even if they want to.
“It’s a lot of hard work, and I don’t know if you can make enough money to make it worthwhile,” Hughes says. “But with the law schools, I know my model can survive into the next century.”
Photos by Max Dolberg
Updated Aug. 25 to correct the make of Hughes' car. Hughes drives a Nissan Armada.
Share this profile
Comments
Report Abuse
Posted by Stanley Majka - 6 months, 1 week, 5 days, 19 hours, 2 minutes ago
Great idea, Jeff. Inspiring story. I’m archiving this article to keep the idea of an accessible legal practice with an appealing life style in mind for after my graduation and bar exam next year.
Posted by Laurel Edgeworth - 6 months, 1 week, 3 days, 4 hours, 44 minutes ago
Congratulations, Jeff from your fellow Rebel! When we at LCC were first interviewed we had no idea the Legal Rebel movement was being launched by the ABA. It is wonderful to be in such esteemed company, and the ABA deemed us worthy to lead the articles. What a unique idea your Legal Grind is! We truly do have to bring legal access to the public in a less intimidating atmosphere. You bring back so many memories of my hand wrapped around a tall paper coffee cup for sustenance and hopefully inspiration. We will be sure to look you up when we can get to Santa Monica! If you are going to the California Bar Annual Meeting, look for us in booth 617! Near the coffee bar.
Posted by Hong - 6 months, 1 week, 1 day, 10 hours, 42 minutes ago
I met with Jeff this weekend to discuss his innovative business model. He is an approachable, down-to-earth and friendly individual with a great idea of how to make quality legal services accessible to all. Its populist ethos is inspiring and I look forward to working with him in the near future in legal and business capacities.
Posted by Audrea Barnes - 5 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 19 hours, 31 minutes ago
Comment removed by moderator.
Posted by Jeff - 5 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 16 hours, 10 minutes ago
Sad. So sad. Yeah, I see my primary care physician at her Dunkin Donuts.
Posted by Jim Orland - 4 months, 1 week, 5 days, 12 hours, 34 minutes ago
Not only does Jeff run the Legal Grind and provide legal access to those who normally couldn’t afford it, but he also is an excellent practicing attorney. Jeff does some works for my firm and does an excellent job for our clients. He is a wonderful person and brings a unique and refreshing perspective to the practice of law.
Posted by Dave Gordon - 1 month, 1 week, 3 days, 2 hours, 17 minutes ago
You do realize that this is not really a totally new or original idea. In fact, for many years there has been an attorney in the San Fernando valley that has a hot dog type restaurant where he provides free legal services to his customers a few days a week. They even showcased the guy on the ‘California Gold’ TV show with Huell Howser a few years back. Same concept..providing legal services to those who can’t afford it and making it accessable to the masses in a non-threatening relaxed environment. I do tend to agree with the Sharks when they said that you would be better off just having a storefront that shows that you specialize in highly discounted legal services. You said on the tv show that your business is all word-of-mouth, so your legal services business when advertised as that specifically, is likely to grow even faster and be easier to find. Further more, it would likely have a more professional image (for most people). Undoubtedly, there is a small segment of the population that would prefer your idea and that’s who you cater to. Those are people who are not handy with a computer and need your approach. The other problem is that you are putting out a clear signal that is sure to bring in the least desirable customer base. I’m not saying all of those who are low-income fit into that category, so don’t get me wrong. I have been in business for many years and there is that 10% of customers that are the cheapest and give you 90% of the headaches in any business. Your business unfortunatly is a magnet for those types of people. Your best idea is somehow rounding up a bunch of poor legal students who would be willing to gain some experience working with your coffee sippers, so that you keep your overhead down. Good luck!
Posted by Jeffrey J. Hughes - 1 month, 1 week, 2 days, 6 hours, 47 minutes ago
Dave. Don’t compare us to Law Dogs. Law Dogs, and its founder, deserve favorable recognition as a business that brings law to the people. That said, Legal Grind is more than a hot dog stand with a back room that people wait in line to get free legal advice. Our advice comes with a $45/35 price tag, and anything in life that is “free” comes with a much higher price tag as my property professor, Prof. Guideon Kanner told me in my 1st year at Loyola Law School. In addition, Legal Grind offers attorneys that dedicate their practices to specific areas of the law, and Legal Grind offers a California State Bar certified lawyer referral service.
Legal Grind, introduces customers to lawyers with good “bed side manner” in a comfortable atmosphere, and who are willing (most are) to change their traditional law practice billing practices to accommodate the middle class consumer who lacks the discretionary income or legal knowledge to hire a lawyer on a “full faith” retainer basis.
Our clients are not the cheapest, nor do they give us 90% of the headaches. Some are needy, and without resources, but at the very least we will help them find the resources that are available to them through our society’s safety nets. (dial 211 in Los Angeles County)
Jeff Hughes, Founder & Attorney
Legal Grind, Inc.