After two inspiring days chock-full of learning, the 2025 Game Changers Summit is officially over — and it was an event for the books.
For the past year, the Crisp team worked tirelessly to provide Summit attendees with an unforgettable conference that empowered law firm owners to grow with intention. We embarked on this journey with a commitment to raise the bar — and the 2025 event delivered.
The 2025 Game Changers Summit was a gathering place for some of the most dedicated, forward-thinking law firm owners from around the US, plus business development pros, big-name speakers that electrified the crowd, and more.
This year was the eighth year of the Game Changers Summit, and as Michael Mogill reflected from the stage, “No matter what I do, what I say, you guys keep showing up. We’re back for another one.”
For the second time in the event’s history, we kept the guest list intimate. We knew this was where the future of the legal industry would be written, so we assembled Crisp Coach members who were already implementing growth strategies, building stronger businesses, and living truly action-oriented lives.
Relive Your Favorite Moments
If you were one of the committed law firm owners in attendance, prepare for an in-depth look back at these two impactful days. For those who couldn’t make it to Atlanta for the event, read on to learn about all the dynamic speakers and sessions you missed out on.
2025 Game Changers Summit: Day 1
2025 Game Changers Summit: Day 2
- Day 2 Speakers
- Day 2 Announcements
- The Impact We Made
- Day 2 Awards
- The Grand Prize
- What’s Next for the Game Changers Summit?
Day 1: Wednesday, November 12th
From across the nation, law firm owners converged on Atlanta with one goal: to elevate their practices and transform their futures.
Familiar faces embraced, fresh connections were sparked, and powerful partnerships began taking shape. When the doors opened, the energy was palpable as attendees took their seats for the 2025 Game Changers Summit.
Day 1 Speakers
Michael Mogill
The Summit kicked off with a powerful welcome from the visionary who created it all: Crisp Founder and CEO Michael Mogill.
In his opening keynote, Michael challenged law firm owners to embody three critical mindsets for thriving in an uncertain future: Take Ownership (like Lamborghini, the maker of the iconic namesake car, refusing to “stick to tractors”), Solution Focused (if it doesn’t defy the laws of physics, there’s always a way), and Better Than Yesterday (aging isn’t time passing; it’s the pursuit of comfort).
But Michael’s most powerful insight was when he shared that “average” isn’t a state of being; it’s a consequence. It’s the punishment for choosing comfort over courage. The fact that attendees showed up at all meant they’d already taken the first step toward becoming future-proof.
Robert Herjavec
Shark Tank star and cybersecurity mogul Robert Herjavec next took the stage with a powerful presentation on constant forward momentum and the immigrant mindset that drove his success.
Robert shared his journey from communist Yugoslavia to Canada in 1968, arriving with one suitcase and about $20. His father had escaped jail 22 times for speaking against communism, and his parents sacrificed everything to give Robert an opportunity.
“They made their life infinitely worse to give me an opportunity,” Robert reflected. “How could I not do something when somebody had sacrificed so much for me?”
Walking through his seven-step journey from dirt floors in Yugoslavia to a mansion in New York, Robert revealed a surprising truth: of all his exits — including selling companies for $200,000, $35 million, $500 million, and about $1 billion — the first one at $200,000 had the greatest impact on his life. It freed him from fear and allowed him to start the next company.
But there was hardly a dry eye in the house when Robert recalled buying his immigrant father a Cadillac, the car that represented “making it.” It wasn’t the best thing he ever bought; it was the greatest joy he experienced that came from his wealth.
His message to the room: “There is somebody that sacrificed for you to be here, to give you this opportunity. If you’re not doing it for you, do it for them.”
Dominique Dawes
Later, Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes inspired attendees with a presentation on checking your ego and prioritizing what truly matters.
As a three-time Olympian and member of the legendary “Magnificent Seven” US gymnastics team that won gold in 1996, Dominique has achieved literal and figurative heights most people only dream of. But her message wasn’t about winning medals. She focused on what happens after the applause fades.
“Success is a journey, not just a destiny,” she shared. “It’s our journeys in life that truly shape us.”
The real turning point came when Dominique discussed her most important team: her family. She challenged attendees to check their egos, particularly with the people in their lives who matter most. Your ego will find fault with everything. Maybe your house isn’t big enough, your spouse didn’t clean up, or your kids are too loud. But if you set aside pride, you’ll realize you’re grateful for the roof over your head, the partner who supports you, and the noise that means your children are healthy and present.
In one powerful moment, she disclosed what motivated her to bring in business partners for her gymnastics academies: when her oldest daughter said, “You work too much.”
“Time is the greatest gift that you can give anyone,” she concluded. “Make a concerted effort to check your ego with your most important team.”
Steve Carse
Next, King of Pops founder Steve Carse delivered an unconventional presentation about building a business that’s actually fun to work in.
Steve shared that on his first day in business (April 1, 2010), he stood behind a pushcart with zero customers. When a woman finally bought his first popsicle and stared at him while eating it, Steve thought she might be from the Department of Health or the Michael Jackson estate (the “King of Pops” name was always “a little bit iffy”). But she came back.
“I want to buy five pops,” she said. “I want to share this with my friends and family.”
Steve sat on that corner for three years straight. “It was the most fun that I had ever had,” he shared.
But as King of Pops grew, Steve realized he’d created a business where people weren’t as engaged as he’d hoped. That’s when he discovered the “fun equation,” built on three principles:
- Ownership. Give your team space to run with something
- Tension. Running a business is harnessing chaos, and tension is where growth happens
- Pride. Once your team earns it, pride becomes a superpower
Steve’s most powerful plea: “If you’re okay with not having fun because you’re making a shit ton of money — do it for the people that you love, that you have to come home to. Show them that you can be that person that’s having fun and bring that fun home and let everybody be a part of it.”
Jessica Mogill
Following an afternoon break, Crisp’s Head of Coaching Strategy Jessica Mogill delivered a provocative presentation that made every firm owner in the room uncomfortable in the best possible way.
Her topic: Is your firm ready for the future? And more specifically, are the people on your team growth-ready, or are they secretly sabotaging your future?
“74 percent of companies struggle to achieve value from AI,” Jessica said in her opening. “The firms ahead of the curve are getting 40 percent more cost savings and double the revenue. But here’s the thing: This is not a technology problem. This is actually a business-readiness problem.”
Jessica revealed that business readiness comes down to something silent and invisible: whether your people are capable of growth. During the 2020 pandemic, when Crisp’s production team lost their ability to travel for their work overnight, the company didn’t furlough them. Instead, they turned them into an in-house marketing team.
“Mike, who was our production lead, knew nothing about personal branding, nothing about a podcast, nothing about marketing strategy, but he was willing to learn,” Jessica shared.
Within weeks, they launched The Game Changing Attorney Podcast and built Michael Mogill’s brand from scratch.
Jessica then highlighted several common blind spots that hold firms back, especially when it comes to evaluating the people they rely on most. She explained that many owners misjudge who is truly prepared to grow with the business and who may be unintentionally limiting its future.
She also walked attendees through a set of practical tests designed to reveal whether someone has the capacity to evolve, adapt, and take on greater responsibility as the firm scales.
“The question is not whether you can identify them. You just identified them,” Jessica challenged. “The question is, what are you going to do about it? And are you committed to making your future greater than your past?”
Kyle Maynard
Closing out day one’s lineup, athlete, mountaineer, and motivational speaker Kyle Maynard delivered a powerful message that cut straight to the core: There are no excuses.
Kyle opened by sharing a photo of himself at 20,000 feet on Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America. Born with a congenital condition that left him without elbows or knees, Kyle walks on the ends of his arms. His first hiking shoes were bath towels duct-taped around his arms. The climb took nearly two weeks, but when weather forced a plan change, Kyle had to do twice as much in one day as he’d previously done. For five to six hours, his guide stayed behind him, chanting, “Up, Kyle, up, keep climbing.”
Kyle’s disturbing thought: “I literally wanted to take my ice spike and stab it into his shoe.” That’s when he recognized the “monkey mind” — the voice trying to sabotage you at your breaking point.
When his friends were told to summit without him because he wasn’t moving fast enough, Kyle made a decision.
“I want to find out if it was possible. That’s the only thing that matters to me,” he shared. He blocked everything out, focused on the three feet in front of him, and repeated: “Not dead, can’t quit.”
Kyle’s challenge to the audience: “I genuinely hope that, even if you fail in the next five to 10 years, that you’re able to look back and say, ‘It’s not because I didn’t try. It’s not because I couldn’t have done something differently to make this work.’ Genuinely, there are no excuses, and it’s just up to us to go out there and find these moments for ourselves.”
The Day 1 Awards
Year after year, the Game Changers Summit has evolved into the legal industry’s premier stage for honoring outstanding firm owners.
Once again, Michael and Jessica Mogill dedicated time throughout both days of the Summit to celebrate the most committed Crisp Coach members whose transformations and achievements this year were nothing short of remarkable.
These coveted honors are collectively known as the Crisp Game Changer Awards.
Each winner earned their recognition through rigorous evaluation based on documented results, unwavering commitment to their vision, and measurable impact within their firms and communities.
The Firm of the Year Awards for ELITE, PREMIER, SELECT, and CrispX programs took center stage on Day 2, while Day 1 showcased four exceptional firms honored for Excellence across four different categories.
Excellence in Visionary Leadership
Leading off the awards, Benson Varghese and Anna Summersett earned the Excellence in Visionary Leadership Crisp Game Changer Award! Varghese Summersett earned this distinction for elevating their team, expanding across Texas, and generating powerful results that extended far beyond the courtroom.
Excellence in Client Experience
As Day 1 continued, Viles & Beckman were named the Excellence in Client Experience winners! This CrispX firm’s values truly shine through in the investments they make in providing clients the absolute best representation and experience.
Excellence in Community Impact
The next honor went to Groth & Associates, who took home the Excellence in Community Impact award to celebrate the meaningful impact they make in the community they serve.
The Groth team not only participates in monthly engagements with non-profits around Toledo, but they’ve also established the Survivors Speak: Moving Forward Through Hardship Scholarship, a $1,000 annual scholarship for students who have experienced significant hardships. The scholarship recognizes that adversity often builds the resilience and character that make exceptional leaders, professionals, and community members.
Excellence in Firm Culture
Closing out the first wave of Crisp Game Changer Awards, Carnell Johnson and Elaine Nicholson of JN Abogados | Attorneys won the Excellence in Firm Culture award! JN Abogados | Attorneys is remarkably committed to empowering their team, delegating decision-making, and building a culture that puts impact over accolades — and it shows.
The Private Concert
To cap off the night at the 2025 Game Changers Summit, Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Jon lit up the stage with a private concert that took the energy to another level.
Law firm owners sang, danced, and celebrated together, leaving with lasting memories and the momentum to take bold action.
Day 2: Thursday, November 13th
When the sun rose the next morning, law firm owners returned ready for another full day packed with exceptional speakers, game changing insights, and unparalleled networking opportunities.
Day 2 Speakers
Jesse Itzler
To open Day 2, entrepreneur, author, and former rapper Jesse Itzler brought the energy with stories about building a life that balances the financial side of business with what he calls the spiritual side.
Jesse introduced SIPPS, which is an acronym senior living facilities use to grade overall health and happiness: Social, Intellectual, Physical, Purposeful, and Spiritual.
“Nowhere in that acronym do they talk about how many Instagram followers you have, the car you drive, the watch you wear. Financial wasn’t even a category,” he said.
While there are 750 billionaires in the United States, Jesse was raised by a different kind of billionaire: his father, a “spiritual billionaire” who owned a plumbing supply house.
“There are two sides to business,” Jesse explained. “There’s the financial side, which obviously we all want — super important. But then there’s the spiritual side. What kind of culture did you build? Were you kind to your customers? Were you philanthropic? If you have a billion dollars and your spirit is zero, a billion times zero is zero.”
Jesse went on to share lessons from running ultramarathons with Navy SEAL, and former Game Changers Summit speaker, David Goggins, including three critical rules:
- Never give your pain a voice. Once you speak those words, you give them power.
- Never die in the chair. Never quit because it’s hard.
- Be grateful. After every loop, say one thing you’re grateful for.
But the most powerful moment came when Jesse shared about his father’s battle with Alzheimer’s. For the first time in his life, Jesse beat his dad at checkers, but his father didn’t know who he was. When his father was in hospice, Jesse held his hand during the night shift.
“I poured my soul into this relationship, and so did my father,” he remembered, “and at the end of the day, the very end of the day, if you empty your tank and you pour your soul into a relationship, you have no regrets.”
Chris Voss
Former FBI hostage negotiator and best-selling author of Never Split the Difference Chris Voss next took the stage to share negotiation strategies that can transform how law firms communicate with clients, opposing counsel, and their own teams.
Chris opened with a simple but powerful concept: There’s one thing that powers your negotiations (positive momentum) and one thing that holds it back (friction you inadvertently create via negative emotions).
“You could put your foot on the gas and press harder and harder on the power, but if you got flat tires, no matter what happens, you’re going to get there slowly,” he told the Game Changers Summit audience.
The key principle Chris taught was tactical empathy. Essentially, he described how not to agree with someone but demonstrate you understand their perspective. He shared a powerful example: What do defense attorneys typically say when a new client walks in? “How are you?” or “How can I help you?”
As he said, “Somebody walking into a defense attorney’s office is one of the worst days of their life. You don’t know that?”
One attorney transformed his struggling practice simply by changing his opening to: “I know this is the last place on earth you want to be.” That shift — demonstrating understanding rather than asking obvious questions — took him from bankruptcy to flying Chris to LA on a private jet.
Chris also shared the story of negotiating for an American hostage held by Abu Sayyaf terrorists who demanded $10 million as “war damages” for 500 years of colonial oppression. After being stuck for months, Chris’s team summarized the terrorists’ entire worldview without judgment, then went silent. The terrorist’s response? “That’s right.” The ransom demand disappeared, and three months later, the hostage simply walked away.
“This is the way you will leave everyone when they feel understood by you,” Chris explained. “This is the way you will leave your clients when they talk about you to other people. ‘I felt understood.’”
Fireside Chat with Tony Hawk and Michael Mogill
In a standout moment of the Summit, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk sat down with Michael Mogill for an intimate fireside chat that revealed the mindset, resilience, and constant forward momentum that built this athletic icon.
Tony opened with a humble observation about his recognizability: “Usually people think, ‘That old guy?’ But I actually went to the skate park this morning before I got here. There was one kid there trying to learn a trick, and I gave him some pointers. He had no idea who I was, and then later someone told him and he’s like, ‘You mean you taught me pop shove-it?'”
Michael dove into Tony’s journey from starting skateboarding at age 9, turning pro at 14, and becoming the best competitive skateboarder in the world by 16. But Tony was quick to point out he wasn’t a natural.
“I didn’t have natural style, I didn’t have natural ability, but I definitely had determination,” he said, “and that’s what set me apart because I was willing to really put my body at risk just to get to that next level or that next technique. I really put in my 10,000 hours. That’s the secret.”
After enjoying incredible success in his teenage years, skateboarding crashed in the early ‘90s.
“I found myself in my early 20s with two mortgages, a child on the way, and my income was dropping by half every month because it was all royalties. And then I just kept skating and rode it out.”
Tony also shared lessons about family, revealing his biggest challenge was finding balance during the heyday of his career.
“I had lived so long struggling to get any kind of acceptance or income that I felt like, ‘How could I say no to any of this stuff?’ and I got lost in it,” he reflected. “I didn’t have a healthy balance of work and family life.”
Tony also discussed The Skatepark Project, his foundation for public skate parks in underserved areas, which has given away over $20 million and helped fund over 900 skate parks. “It’s definitely my proudest work,” he said.
The Day 2 Announcements
Michael Mogill
In his final keynote of the Summit, Michael Mogill returned to deliver what may have been his most game changing presentation yet. He described a bold vision for the future of law firms and an unprecedented offer to ensure Crisp Coach members have everything they need to get there.
Michael opened by redefining what it means to be a lawyer, then moved straight into the realities facing the industry today: intense competition, VC- and private equity-owned firms, rising acquisition costs, alternative business structures, and AI disruption. Yet when asked who was genuinely excited about their future, the room responded with overwhelming positivity.
“If there’s one thing you take away from what we’re going to talk about today, it’s that you always need to have something to look forward to,” Michael emphasized. “Because when you don’t have something to look forward to, it’s a very dangerous place to be.”
He introduced the concept of transformative vision — one that’s impactful, big enough to fit everyone else’s vision inside it, and gets you excited. Crisp’s vision? To help 10,000 law firms grow their revenue by $10 million each, which equates to a $100 billion impact on the industry. The key is building a self-managing firm that doesn’t depend on you to run and grow.
The choice was clear: become future-proof or become obsolete.
Crisp’s Upgraded Product and Service Suite
During his day-two keynote, Michael unveiled several groundbreaking innovations and enhancements coming to Crisp’s services in 2026. The theme of his presentation centered on helping law firms become “Future Proof” — building firms capable of thriving no matter what challenges lie ahead, whether it’s private equity competition, AI disruption, or unforeseen market shifts. He walked through Crisp’s comprehensive ecosystem, revealing how the evolution of each service line works together to help firm owners build a self-managing firm that can grow with or without them.
Crisp Video helps law firms differentiate themselves in a heavily saturated, overly commoditized market by telling their story in a way that ideal clients can’t ignore and competitors can’t match. Michael revealed the next generation of Crisp Video — ReelAI, our AI-powered enhancements that allow for object replacement, people replacement, custom B-roll development, audio and video upscaling, and more.
Crisp Marketing helps law firms become the best known firm in their market by providing a relentless multi-channel marketing solution that puts your firm everywhere your ideal clients are, working 24/7/365 to build your brand and stay top of mind. Michael unveiled the next generation of digital marketing that expands across more platforms for social (Reddit, Nextdoor, TikTok), more channels for streaming (Netflix, Hulu, expanded live sports), and new precision targeting that ensures your firm is seen everywhere your ideal clients spend their time — making you the best known firm in your market.
Crisp Coach helps create transformational law firm growth by helping the most committed law firm owners become better leaders, break through to their next level, and build a self-managing firm. Crisp’s unique approach to coaching has created a powerful closed-door community of firm owners, all dedicated to making their futures greater than their past. Michael revealed the next generation of law firm coaching — Crisp Coach 2.0 — designed to help law firms adapt, scale, and lead through three core pillars that define the future of leadership: tech-enabled agility, next-level leadership, and strategic collaboration. These enhancements span the entire coaching ecosystem, including evolutions to Crisp Coach, Crisp Experience, Crisp Academy, Crisp Focus Retreats, and the introduction of new Crisp Execution Labs that amplify collaboration and implementation across the community.
Crisp Recruit solves one of law firms’ most critical challenges: finding and retaining top talent in a limited candidate pool without the lengthy, expensive hiring process that drains existing team resources. In an exciting reveal, Michael announced an expansion to Crisp Recruit, Crisp Recruit Global, a completely offshore hiring solution that allows your law firm to scale efficiently, increase capacity, and maintain quality. Crisp handles everything from sourcing to onboarding, plus a 90-day guarantee that ensures you’ll love your new hire.
A final noteworthy update was Mogill.AI. This new AI tool is available exclusively at the Summit and is trained on hundreds of hours of Michael’s teachings across every podcast, presentation, book, and coaching call he’s created.
“It’s like me in your pocket basically,” Michael explained.
Mogill.AI gives Crisp Coach members 24/7 access to Michael’s expertise, strategies, and frameworks, allowing them to get instant guidance on their toughest challenges without waiting for the next coaching call or workshop.
The Impact We Made
This year’s Game Changers Summit charity partner was No Kid Hungry, an organization with a simple but powerful mission: to make sure no child starts their day on an empty stomach.
As Michael shared from the stage, “Every dollar donated over the next two days, including 100% of the proceeds from the Summit Swag Shop, are going to go towards No Kid Hungry. Somewhere around $50 buys 500 meals.”
By the time the 2025 Game Changers Summit came to a close, attendees had raised $23,770 for No Kid Hungry — and Crisp matched that donation to make the total contribution a powerful $50,000 check to help ensure no child in America starts their day on an empty stomach.
The Day 2 Awards
Day 2 brought the most prestigious announcements of the Summit: the official 2025 Firm of the Year Awards for every tier of the Crisp Coach program — ELITE, PREMIER, SELECT, and CrispX.
ELITE Firm of the Year
Opening the Day 2 awards, dePaz Cabrera Immigration Law was named the 2025 ELITE Firm of the Year! Laura dePaz Cabrera and Waldemar Cabrera transformed their immigration law practice from operational chaos to excellence, implementing their innovative human impact initiative that sends personalized gifts for clients’ life milestones.
They also built comprehensive systems that create continuity even as team members change and helped Laura learn how to demand the best from her team while showing authentic vulnerability that inspires genuine connection.
PREMIER Firm of the Year
Following closely behind, Khamo Law won the prestigious PREMIER Firm of the Year Award!
After navigating significant financial and operational challenges, Koro Khamo turned his firm around completely, growing 40 percent in 2024 and positioning himself to become a top 10 personal injury firm in Michigan while pioneering AI implementation and never losing sight of serving his underserved Chaldean community.
SELECT Firm of the Year
The celebrations continued as Richmond Vona earned the title SELECT Firm of the Year!
Since opening their doors in 2019, John Richmond and Keith Vona have built a national powerhouse based in Buffalo, New York — earning spots on the Inc. 5000 list twice, ranking as the 4th fastest-growing law firm in the country, and recovering over $200 million for injury victims while building one of only six law firms in America named to Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces list.
CrispX Firm of the Year
And bringing the awards to a powerful close, Meyer Wilson Werning were crowned the 2025 CrispX Firm of the Year winners — the perfect culmination of two days full of inspiring missions, unforgettable stories, and well-deserved awards
David Meyer transformed his investment fraud firm from a founder-driven practice that succeeded on grit alone into a scalable powerhouse with a true leadership structure. He also empowered partners Matthew Wilson and Courtney Werning to lead alongside him while elevating client experience, expanding community impact, and building an intentional culture where talented people thrive together in pursuit of justice for wronged investors.
The Grand Prize
By the end of Day 2, the moment everyone had been anticipating finally arrived. It was time to award the stunning Lotus Emira that had captured everyone’s attention throughout the Summit…
Every firm owner who attended automatically received an entry to win, and when the anticipation reached its peak, Michael and Jessica Mogill returned to the stage to reveal the winner…
Edward T. Mazzu of Mazzu Law!
The 2025 Game Changers Summit Feedback
The 2025 Game Changers Summit is not just an event for us at Crisp. It’s an experience carefully and thoughtfully designed from start to finish to honor the law firm owners in attendance and provide a truly transformational experience.
After receiving an influx of hundreds of 10/10 ratings, glowing reviews, powerful praise, and positive comments across social media, it’s safe to say the 2025 Summit delivered.
But don’t just take our word for it…
What’s Next for the Game Changers Summit?
Next year’s Game Changers Summit will offer even more opportunities to connect with top attorneys, learn from leading thinkers, and be part of an experience you won’t find anywhere else.
The best way to secure a seat is to be a Crisp Coach member.
For those ready to join the coaching program that’s revolutionizing law firms nationwide, your journey begins at crispcoach.com.
Gaining entry to the Game Changers Summit represents just one of countless transformational advantages you’ll unlock!
