Twenty-five years ago, the two of us met. Wide-eyed Barnard sisters with an enthusiasm for justice and late-night dance parties, both passionate about finding our place in the world.

A few years later, working in one of the nation’s preeminent litigation firms, our bond solidified. There, we were forged, formed, and hooked. We obsessed about process. We became attorneys. And we were proud. 

Still, we chafed against a system seemingly designed to punish the passion that drove us. We yearned for something our own. There must be a better way. Through visits to the 51st Street smoothie lady and late-night conference room dinners, we dreamed, schemed, joked: Someday we’ll have a popsicle stand of our own. 

Our paths widened and we grew up. Dug in. Thrived. Hannah put Sarah on a plane to Los Angeles to find reinvention (and healing). We both married wonderful men from New Jersey. We became mothers—an experience that deepened our comradery and revealed strengths and ingenuity that made those early trials seem de minimis. 

We flourished, and along the way we began to appreciate a power and capacity we shared yet was undervalued in our professional lives. We saw how the practice of law could be different.

While we were building competent, confident, compassionate, collaborative teams, we watched as the values that led us to this hallowed profession became increasingly sidelined. Integrity, justice, and the righteous awe of the rule of law faded from cherished ideals to quaint ideas. And we witnessed so many brilliant, wonderful people—many women—leave the profession, often faced with a perceived choice of lawyering or being a whole person.

And now, in 2025, we are at an inflection point. Industries of every stripe face unprecedented uncertainty and unexpected challenge. These industries need a new kind of counselor. Never before has the opportunity to create a law firm that adheres to our values felt so clear, present and ripe. And so, we are joyously seizing it with both hands. Here we stand shoulder to shoulder, fierce, fearless and full of hope. Courageously meeting the moment with upright zeal.

A grove is a complex, mutually beneficial network of trees interconnected through mycelium and thousands of tiny roots tethered to a mother tree. Each individual’s competition to thrive helps the whole system flourish. A grove is also a haven. A space of beauty and safety and nourishment.

This is the vision we have set for this new endeavor. A workplace for win-win mutuality, where lawyers are rewarded for finding their authentic strengths and serving our clients’ complex needs with delight, insight, and all our fight.

Sarah & Hannah, July, 2025