Sara Stock “gets it.”
Stock, CEO and founder, Stock Legal, a corporate and estate planning law firm, said, “We have all been there . . . an employee does not perform, a manager quits, that perfect new hire does not turn out to be the person you thought.”
She said that leaders must ask themselves: “How do I need to grow?”
“What could I have done differently, maybe not even in the moment, but 6 months ago to set the tone, train or mentor?”
Involved in family business from a young age, Stock saw the ins and outs of the triumphs, but also the struggles of a small to mid-sized business very early on. Eventually becoming an equity partner at a large firm, she gained valuable experience and a line of sight, holistically, into what business owners really need. She left the said firm in 2017 and created Stock Legal LLC.
Today, the firm generates over $2 million in revenue annually. Stock said only 4.2% of women-led companies generate more than $1 million in annual revenue. Also the founder of multiple other companies, including Legal Back Office, Stock sees continual success.
“We have aggressive plans to continue to grow Stock Legal and Legal Back Office. I plan to continue to invest in early-stage companies and real estate. I have ideas for founding new companies,” she said.
Stock Legal is positioned to be a premier corporate law boutique in the nation in the next 5-10 years, Stock said. “The firm is always openly hiring talented attorneys who are creative problem solvers that engage relationally with our clients. We hope to expand our geographic reach throughout the country.”
She added that because the firm is almost exclusively paperless, “it allows us to be ahead of the curve in the legal field. We plan to continue to utilize technology paired with approachable attorneys to keep us on the cutting edge of legal providers. We plan to use this advantage to stay ahead of the curve and expand despite living in a post covid world.”
Active in the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section where she serves as the vice-chair for the Middle-Market and Small Business Committee, Stock’s accomplishments include Small Business Monthly’s Best Bosses 2021. Stock Legal is proud to be on St. Louis Business Journals List of Largest Law Firms (by revenue), and the 2020 Guest Speaker, Legal Aspects: Launching a Tech Startup.
“Additionally, I’m participating in FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis program,” Stock said. “This program builds strong leaders, and I hope to use what I’ve learned to continue to elevate the region.”
Known as a titan in the male-dominated legal industry, Stock pointed out that there are very few women who have stepped away from the big firms to create their own firm, let alone those who succeed in building a brand. Making the leap and succeeding, she continues to be a shining star.
A committed leader to her companies and community, Stock shares her best advice on success and failure:
“It’s easy to place blame outside yourself, but a good leader looks inward first.”
