1. Introduction: A Milestone Worth Celebrating
Fifteen years ago, Craig Sanford found himself trapped in the endless cycle of long hours and high-pressure demands. Working over 60 hours a week, he missed watching his kids grow up, sacrificed family time, and set aside passions that once brought him joy. Amid the grind, one thought kept resurfacing: There had to be a better way to practise law.
That realisation became a turning point, and Craig made the bold decision to leave behind the prestige of being a partner at a large successful law firm. In March 2010, Sierra Legal was born.
Fast forward to today, and that initial dream has become reality. Since making the first hire in 2011 (Mike Jeffery, who is still with us 14 years later), Sierra Legal has grown into a close-knit team of 10 dedicated, experienced and highly skilled lawyers.
As we mark this 15-year milestone, we reflect on the journey – where it all began, the lessons learned, the people who shaped our success, and what the future holds.
2. Looking Back: How It All Began
Sierra Legal was founded with a simple yet ambitious goal: to deliver high-quality legal advice with greater flexibility and balance. After nearly 2 decades at Middletons (now K&L Gates), Craig realised that while this environment provided him with great experience and a solid grounding for his legal career, the traditional law firm model no longer aligned with his career and life aspirations.
Starting his own practice was a leap into the unknown. The first 6 months were tougher than expected, and Craig quickly learned that running a business required an entirely different skill set. A key moment came in 2011 when Sierra Legal hired its first employee, Mike Jeffery, who at the time was a Senior Associate at McCullough Robertson. This was a significant step - both financially and in terms of responsibility - but one that laid the foundation for Sierra Legal’s future.
Craig recalls:
“The biggest risk we took at Sierra Legal was probably hiring our first employee 14 years ago. At the time, it was a massive step in terms of cost, as well as the commitment and responsibility that comes with having an employee. But I would make the same decision again, as it was the starting point for building a great team.”
Mike, now a Director at Sierra Legal, reflects:
“I was never nervous about leaving a large firm in 2011 to join Sierra Legal as its first employee. Having worked previously with Craig for many years, I knew we made a great team and could achieve something special together.”
Since then, Sierra Legal has steadily expanded. While the firm has evolved, its core values remain the same: delivering high-quality work, fostering a supportive team culture, maintaining flexibility, and always prioritising clients. Looking back, Craig has no regrets about making the leap:
“I have great memories from my time at Middletons/K&L Gates, and I still consider it a fantastic firm. However, Sierra Legal has been a truly rewarding journey. I am incredibly proud of what we have built and grateful for the team and clients who have been part of it.”
3. Embracing Remote Work Early
From the outset, Sierra Legal adopted a remote-first model - long before it became a necessity for many businesses in 2020. While traditional firms remained tied to physical offices, Craig saw an opportunity to work differently. This approach attracted top legal talent, eliminated unnecessary overheads, and allowed for a more agile, client-focused service offering.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the legal industry to adjust to remote work, Sierra Legal was already ahead of the curve. While others scrambled to adapt, business largely continued as usual at Sierra Legal, reinforcing the strength of the model that had been in place since the firm’s inception.
4. Reflecting on the Last 5 Years: Progress and Growth
Five years ago, during Sierra Legal’s 10-year anniversary celebration, Craig was asked about the firm’s future. His response was optimistic:
“I’d like to keep the business going in its current direction, working with an awesome team and continuing to act for great clients doing high-quality, rewarding, and profitable work. I’m also really excited by the opportunities involved with our new automation service offering, Arreis Automation. I can see this side of the business growing considerably over the next few years.”
That vision has now come to life. The team has grown, services have expanded, and new technologies have been embraced. One of the most exciting developments has been the success of Arreis Automation - Sierra Legal’s innovative document automation service offering. Designed to streamline legal processes, Arreis enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and simplifies complex contractual drafting. Over the past few years, many clients have benefitted from Arreis, reinforcing Sierra Legal’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve through innovation and a client-first approach.
5. Lessons from 15 Years in Business
Reflecting on the journey of building a firm from the ground up, Craig shares some key lessons learned:
• Success Requires Hard Work and Discipline: Starting a business is far more challenging than it first appears. The key is having a relentless discipline of staying focused, being consistent, and working extremely hard over the long haul.
• Know Your Numbers: A successful business isn’t built on good intentions alone. Staying on top of financials is crucial to making informed decisions and ensuring sustainability.
• Clients Come First: Building genuine partnerships with clients has been central to Sierra Legal’s success. For our clients, we have always gone out of our way to provide exceptional legal services, hit deadlines, take a commercially focused approach, be friendly and approachable, and generally just “go the extra mile”. Prioritising clients in this way helps build trust and long-term relationships.
• Remote Work Works: A remote-first model can be a major advantage, but it works best when the entire team is fully remote, ensuring consistency, collaboration, and a strong sense of connection. Hiring the right people in the team, trusting the team and giving them a high level of autonomy, and maintaining regular communication and engagement among team members, are also keys to success of a remote working model.
• Be Discerning in Business Relationships and Watch your Back: Unfortunately, some people out there are driven by greed or some other form of personal interest, or otherwise can’t be trusted or relied on. Trusting your instincts, conducting due diligence, and being cautious have been invaluable lessons.
• Take Measured Risks: Growth requires stepping outside the comfort zone. Whether it’s expanding services, hiring staff, or adopting new technologies, calculated risks can help drive progress.
6. The Heart of Sierra Legal: People & Clients
Sierra Legal’s success is rooted in the incredible people who make up the firm. Director Stacey Noonan, who joined Sierra Legal in 2022, shares her perspective:
“I joined Sierra Legal because my instincts told me that the people were genuine and committed to delivering excellent work for clients without the ‘fuss’ that often comes with big law firms. I am pleased to say that my instincts were right! Constantly improving and finding better ways to help our clients is central to life at Sierra Legal and means that I am always challenged from a professional perspective. But the best part about Sierra Legal is that all of my teammates are smart, kind, interesting, and fun!”
Sierra Legal is incredibly grateful to the clients who have supported the firm over the years. From the very beginning, longstanding relationships with valued clients such as Simoco Wireless Solutions and Terri Irvin (formerly at Pact Group and now at Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools) have played a crucial role in the firm's growth. Today, Sierra Legal continues to work with a diverse group of clients across corporate and commercial legal matters, including Bingo Industries, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Clark Rubber, CreativeCubes.Co, Cybe, Edison Growth Fund, Energy Power Systems Australia, Medibank, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, Simoco Wireless Solutions, TMX Transform, and Uniting Church.
7. Looking to the Future
So, what’s next for Sierra Legal? Director Kenneth Gitahi offers his perspective:
“15 years is a remarkable milestone. We are grateful to our team, clients, and supporters who have contributed to Sierra Legal’s success. Over the next five years, we look forward to expanding our team, strengthening client relationships, and making Arreis Automation a key part of our service offering. Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do, and we’re excited to continue evolving to meet the needs of our clients.”
8. Closing Thoughts
Reaching 15 years is a significant achievement, but the journey is far from over. Sierra Legal’s success has always been built on strong relationships, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. With an incredible team and a growing client base, the firm is well-positioned for the future.
A big thank you to our clients, team members, and everyone else who has been part of this incredible journey. Here’s to the next chapter of Sierra Legal!