Starting your own law firm is one of the biggest risks an attorney can take. For Joshua Padron and Mark Lopez, that leap of faith turned into one of the most exciting chapters of their careers.
In this episode of Legally Exhausted, Abe Ovadia sits down with the founding partners of Padron & Lopez-Trigo, P.A. to discuss how they left established legal careers, opened their own personal injury practice, and quickly built a firm that’s already making an impact across South Florida.
Joshua shares how he made the first move—leaving his firm in December 2024 to launch the practice in January 2025—while Mark later joined him as they officially opened the firm’s doors in September 2025. Together, they reflect on the challenges, uncertainty, and excitement of building a law firm from the ground up.
The conversation goes beyond legal strategy and dives into the personal side of being an attorney. Joshua and Mark talk about growing up in Miami, attending law school, meeting as Assistant State Attorneys, adapting to the legal profession during COVID, and how courtroom experience shaped the lawyers they are today.