Ellie Bragg & Tee Leitner

This episode explores how Leitner, Bragg and Griffin grew from a close-knit partnership into a regional North Carolina law firm by putting culture, trust, and people first. 

Managing partner Tee Leitner and partner Ellie Bragg share how their firm started with a simple goal: build a place people actually want to work. From there, they expanded across criminal defense, civil litigation, family law, and unique political and local-government disputes.

You’ll hear why they still value general practice, how niche cases like public meetings law and sheriff disputes helped build credibility, and why spouse buy-in, leadership, and Friday-at-2 culture matter just as much as case strategy.

• Build the firm on trust, not ego
• Use general practice as a foundation
• Grow into niche work after the basics are strong
• Hire for culture fit and leadership potential
• Protect work-life balance to improve retention
• Let strong service fuel referrals and reputation

If you lead a law firm or want to start one, this conversation shows why culture is not a soft issue, it is the operating system that drives growth, retention, and client experience.