Matthew is a University of Kentucky College of Law Graduate and currently works as the Chief Commercial Officer at Priori.
This episode with Matthew Wheatley was truly one of the favorites I’ve ever had on this podcast. I always tell my guests to keep things as informal as possible, and Matt took that to heart. This was less of an interview and more of a genuine conversation between two guys who just clicked. Matt is a University of Kentucky College of Law graduate who went from making $55K as a lawyer in Kentucky to taking a huge risk and moving to New York City to chase the dream of living in the big city, working as a legal recruiter, and making $60K. From there, he worked his way through the alternative legal services space and is now the Chief Commercial Officer at Priori, a legal tech company that helps lawyers practice on their own terms.
What stands out about Matt’s story is his honesty about not having that “blue chip” background and not following the traditional path that so many lawyers feel locked into. He looked where others weren’t looking, committed to the alternative legal services world, and built a career where there was far less competition because nobody else was trying to do what he was doing. His insight that your pedigree stops mattering once you get into the real world and that it’s the small things, like genuinely caring and making the people around you better, is something every law student and professional needs to hear.
This was a fantastic, wide-ranging conversation covering everything from bacon, egg, and cheese to Plato’s cave allegory.
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewwheatley
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