In this episode, Josh sits down with Michael Thompson, a rising star in Georgia’s legal community and a double-Dawg with deep UGA roots. Fresh off a weekend together at the SEC Championship, Josh and Michael dive into a wide-ranging conversation—law, golf, mentorship, building a practice, and, of course, the brand-new 12-team College Football Playoff.

Michael shares how growing up in northeast Georgia, studying agriculture at UGA, and working his way through college as a bartender shaped his work ethic and approach to clients. He talks openly about losing his father while in school, discovering his passion for law through a Congressional Ag Fellowship in Washington, and the professional growth he experienced clerking for both plaintiff lawyers and appellate judges.

The episode digs deep into Michael’s transition from insurance defense to high-stakes plaintiff litigation at the MacArthur Law Firm—what he learned, what surprised him, and why he believes excellence and integrity will always have a place despite Georgia’s new tort reform landscape.

Michael also gives candid advice for young lawyers finding their footing, including how to create your identity in a law firm, how to work with partners, how to learn by doing, and how to build a career through relationships and service.

Finally, the guys break down the brand-new 12-team playoff bracket—who got lucky, who should be nervous, and why Georgia fans still feel some PTSD from the Alabama rivalry despite finally getting over the hump on Saturday.

A fun, insightful, high-energy episode with one of the sharpest young lawyers in the state.

📝 Show Notes

1. Opening + SEC Championship Weekend Recap

• Josh and Michael reflect on their weekend together at the SEC Championship.
• Celebrating finally beating Alabama and the emotional history that comes with the matchup.
• How the expanded 12-team playoff changes the meaning of conference championships.
• Comparing fan bases, stadium environments, and the chaos of college football weekends

2. Michael’s Background: From Toccoa to Athens

• Growing up in northeast Georgia and playing competitive golf in high school.
• Studying Agribusiness at UGA — why he switched from engineering, how the ag program gave him real-world tools, and how agriculture influences most Georgia businesses.
• How an Ag Congressional Fellowship in Washington, D.C. sparked his interest in law and policy.
• Choosing to stay in Athens for law school (a theme listeners know all too well).

3. Surviving & Thriving in Law School

• The challenge of adjusting to law-school-style writing.
• The importance of learning from practitioners early—clerking with Billy Jones, Carl Varnado, and Judge Ellington.
• How writing briefs for real lawyers reshaped his exam performance and legal thinking.
• Why experience outside the classroom matters more than students realize.

4. Starting Out as a Defense Lawyer — Learning the Foundation

• Why beginning in insurance defense teaches discipline, procedure, and volume-based case management.
• Working under Duke Groover and handling a wide range of cases—from auto torts to business litigation.
• Learning how partners develop business, how client relationships work, and what it takes to earn trust.
• How watching senior partners manage files helped Michael understand the business side of law.

5. Making the Jump to Plaintiff’s Work

• How a conversation with Jessica and Nate Edmonds opened the door to the MacArthur Law Firm.
• What changed immediately when he switched sides—more pressure, but more meaning.
• Early d