In 2019, Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh, PLLC was founded with a simple belief: you can build a successful law firm without losing your values, your culture, or your soul.
At the time, we didn’t have scale. We didn’t have systems. What we had was conviction—conviction that if we focused on people, preparation, and principles, the rest would follow.
That belief carried us further than we ever imagined.
This is the story of how we grew from a small startup firm to Keller Swan, and why joining forces with TopDog Law represents the most exciting chapter yet.
The Early Years: Learning, Failing, and Growing Fast
The early days were marked by speed and struggle.
Every role overlapped. Every win mattered. Every mistake showed up immediately. We were lawyers, marketers, managers, and operators—often all in the same day.
But that environment forged something important: adaptability.
We learned how to solve problems quickly, how to make decisions with imperfect information, and how to lead through uncertainty. Most importantly, we learned that growth without structure eventually breaks people—and we refused to let that happen.
That mindset shaped everything that came next.
From Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh to Keller Swan
By 2023, it was clear that the firm had outgrown its original identity.
The work was bigger.
The team was larger.
The responsibility was greater.
Keller Swan wasn’t just a rebrand—it was a recommitment. A recognition that if we were going to keep scaling, we had to do it intentionally, with clarity around vision, culture, and leadership.
We invested heavily in infrastructure, people, and process. We focused on building a firm that could sustain growth without sacrificing the client experience or burning out the team.
And it worked.
But success has a way of raising new questions.
The Question Every Growing Founder Eventually Faces
At a certain point, founders have to confront a hard truth:
Just because you can keep building alone doesn’t mean you should.
The question becomes:
- How do you create long-term stability?
- How do you protect the culture as you scale?
- How do you expand impact without multiplying risk?
- And how do you build something that lasts beyond any one person?
Those questions led us to TopDog Law.
Why TopDog Law
This wasn’t about selling a firm.
It was about choosing a partner.
TopDog Law is building at a level few firms ever reach—national scale, disciplined operations, serious investment in people and litigation, and a clear long-term vision for the future of personal injury law.
What stood out immediately was alignment:
- alignment on values,
- alignment on standards,
- alignment on the belief that scale should elevate quality, not dilute it.
Joining TopDog Law allows us to do more of what we do best—at a higher level and with greater support.
What This Means for Clients and the Team
For clients, this means access to deeper resources, stronger litigation support, and a platform built to go the distance on complex, high-stakes cases.
For the team, it means opportunity:
- clearer growth paths,
- better tools,
- stronger leadership development,
- and the stability that comes from being part of a best-in-class organization.
Change always brings uncertainty—but this change is rooted in strength, not necessity.
We didn’t make this move because we had to.
We made it because it was the right next step.
My Role Moving Forward
As part of this transition, I’ve stepped into the role of Managing Partner and Head of Litigation.
My focus is singular: excellence in litigation.
That means building elite teams, raising standards, developing leaders, and ensuring that every case entrusted to us is handled with the preparation, strategy, and care it deserves.
This role allows me to do what I love most—lead, mentor, and compete at the highest level—while leveraging a platform that makes sustained excellence possible.
Closing Thoughts: Growth With Intention
Every chapter of this journey has required evolution.
2019 was about survival.
2023 was about scale.
Today is about longevity.
Joining TopDog Law isn’t the end of the Keller Swan story—it’s how the story continues, stronger and more intentional than ever.
I’m incredibly proud of where we started, grateful for everyone who helped us get here, and energized by what’s ahead.
The mission hasn’t changed.
The platform has.
And the future is wide open.
To the moon.
