Upon earning his Juris Doctor from University of Missouri-Columbia in 2004, he didn’t take the easy, well-established route. The generally agreed upon practice among attorneys, he says, is to land a good job out of law school, get on the partnership track, land some big clients and specialize, define a niche and increase rates.
“In short, strive to make more money serving less people,” Piatchek says of the process. “However, over the last 12 years, it seems I have been doing the exact opposite of many other attorneys, and have been breaking many of the above rules in the process.”
For starters, he opened his own firm just months after finishing school and following a brief stint with Curran Law Firm in Springfield.
He also strives to defend clients somewhere in the middle of affluence and those requiring pro bono work.
“Some thought this foolish and thought that I would never make it,” Piatchek says. “However, what I lacked in experience, I seemed to make up for with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to learn, help my clients and make a real difference.”
It wasn’t easy.
The Piatchek Law Firm LLC, which also does business as Affordable Legal Services LLC, started in a one-room, basement office. The firm provided such legal aid as wills and trusts, business creation, uncontested divorce and traffic tickets.
“I was literally a bargain-basement attorney,” Piatchek says. “However, things began to catch and we have grown over the years, and we are still growing.”
The firm now employs four attorneys and generally employs 10-12 overall. Piatchek says over the years he’s focused on building more efficient systems and procedures. This allows the company to serve more clients and continue to offer flat fees.
Today, the company continues its work to keep retainers low and now utilizes payment plans.
“We are taking many of the cases that the other attorneys may pass up on, and we are helping many clients who may not otherwise have an easy time finding or affording an attorney,” he says. “It is not always glamorous, and we work long hours, but I would not have it any other way because I love what I do, the clients we help and the people I work with.”
Piatchek – a member of the Missouri Bar, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and the Greene County Estate Planning Council – believes his firm’s humble approach is beneficial to his clients.
Beyond his legal duties, he’s also not afraid to give clients general business advice on such matters as bookkeeping software, marketing strategies, and dealing with problematic clients or employees. After all, he’s been there.
“I think that knowing that I am also a business owner and that I can truly understand what they are going through instills a certain confidence and comfort level with my clients,” Piatchek says. “I tell clients the mistakes I have made in my own business and can help them spot pitfalls that they should avoid.”
