The Founding of DK Law

People First. Always.

DK Law began with one car accident, one disappointing experience with a lawyer, and one belief: people should always come before process.

What started on a single MacBook in a small apartment has grown into a team of 350+ people — all driven by the same mission: radical transparency, real communication (no disappearing after you sign), and elite results powered by smart technology.

Founded by Daniel and Mina Kim, the firm has evolved into DK Law — a name that reflects more than two initials. It reflects a movement: clear communication, ethical advocacy, and real impact in the communities we serve. We’re here to protect people, fight for what’s fair, and give back.

This is our story and our promise: think big, execute relentlessly, and put people first. Always.

The DK All the Way Podcast

The DK All the Way Podcast is a candid look inside DK Law — how it started, what drives it, and what it really takes to fight for injured people and their families. Hosted by founders Daniel and Mina Kim, the podcast goes beyond case results and headlines.

Stay tuned for more episodes!

Read the full transcript of Episode 1 below.

Introduction

Daniel:
I tell people this all the time: the people make the firm. Without the people, there is no DK.
This entire law firm started on one MacBook. We’ve always said “dream big,” but for me it wasn’t just about dreaming big — it was about dreaming in a concrete, specific way. Being able to see what could actually happen.

I never wanted this to be about one person’s name. I wanted it to be about a group, about a movement, about a shared vision. I believed that would serve clients best. DK Law is about full transparency. This is a big deal — it’s a big rebrand for our company.

Hi, I’m Daniel Kim, founder and managing partner at DK Law, and this is Mina Kim, my better half. She’s our Chief Visionary Officer. And this is the DK All the Way Podcast.

Even though we’re experienced in the law, this is our first time doing a podcast. We’re nervous, but excited. We’ll get better with time.

How It All Started

Mina:
Can you tell the story of how we even started the law firm?

Daniel:
It started with my accident.

At the time, you were in your first year of law school. In the middle of class, I called you in a panic — I had just been in a serious crash. You ran out of class, drove to where I was, and came to the scene.

That accident changed everything for us.

We hired a lawyer, and honestly, it wasn’t a good experience. We didn’t get updates. We didn’t understand what was happening. It dragged on for over two years, all the way through law school and into the start of your career. And at the end of all of that, we were basically told, “Here’s $500.” No explanation. No breakdown of medical bills. No transparency.

It felt completely wrong.

Mina:
I remember thinking, “How is that possible? After years of treatment and stress, how do we walk away with $500 and no answers?” I was angry, and I told you: You should do this yourself. You should handle cases the way people deserve.

Daniel:
I remember calling your mom and telling her I didn’t know what to do. I had no experience, no money, nothing. And she just said, “Do it. Go do it.” That encouragement — from you and from her — is really why DK started.

Starting With Nothing

Mina:
Let’s talk about how hard it was in the beginning. People see where the firm is now, but they don’t know what it took to survive those first months.

Daniel:
We had no money. There was basically nothing in our bank account. I even asked a family member if I could borrow money so we could afford basic marketing. We calculated we needed $8,000 to get started — and we didn’t have $8,000.

It was honestly heartbreaking at first, because we were trying so hard to just get something off the ground.

We were working out of our apartment. We didn’t have an office yet. We gave out an address in Anaheim that I don’t even want to say out loud because it was honestly embarrassing. We were barely covering rent. It was long nights, so much uncertainty, and nonstop pressure.

We had just had our first child. You had just passed the bar. And we were sitting there asking, “Do we try to get a job somewhere, or do we take the risk and build this firm?” We chose the risk.

Mina:
It got so tough financially that I actually had to take our baby to stay in Korea with family for a few months so we could save money while you tried to get the firm stable. That’s how serious it was. We were literally in survival mode.

Daniel:
Yeah. That was one of the hardest parts of my life — you leaving with our baby so I could stay here, work, and try to build something from zero.

The First Hire

Mina:
Do you remember when we hired our very first employee?

Daniel:
Of course. We had no family here to help once we had our daughter, and you were about to give birth. We realized you couldn’t keep doing everything alone. So, one week before our daughter was born, we hired our first employee.

We rented one tiny office room just so that person would have somewhere to sit and work. That was the entire “firm.” One room.

From that one hire… now we’re at around 350 people.

Mina:
It’s wild. Back when we had 10 or 20 people, we knew everyone’s name. We ate lunch together. We celebrated every birthday. As you grow, you lose some of that closeness, and honestly, I miss that sometimes. But the responsibility has also grown. It’s not just “our little office” anymore — it’s a real organization with real reach.

Dreaming Bigger

Mina:
Did you ever imagine we’d be here — hundreds of employees?

Daniel:
No. No way.

But you — and your mom — always pushed me to think bigger. You both kept telling me, “Dream big. You can do this.”

I remember on weekends, when we could barely pay rent, I’d take you and our son and we’d drive through really nice neighborhoods in Orange County. No guarded gates — so we’d just drive in. I’d say, “Let’s look at these houses. One day we’ll get here. Let’s build that future.”

That wasn’t about showing off. It was about having something specific to work toward. Something real.

Why We Rebranded as DK Law

Mina:
Let’s talk about the rebrand. Why was it important to become “DK Law”?

Daniel:
The name change was intentional.

I wanted to build something that wasn’t about one person’s name. I wanted something that belonged to a team, a movement, and a shared vision. DK Law represents that.

For me, the core is transparency. A lot of injured clients feel like their lawyer just disappears. They’re left in the dark. They don’t know what’s happening with their case. They don’t get updates. Sometimes, the silence hurts more than the injury.

DK Law is built to end that silence.

We want clients to see every step. See what’s happening. Feel heard. Get real answers.

Mina:
And it’s not just about growth inside the firm anymore. We’ve become something bigger than a small office. We’re part of the community. “All the Way” isn’t just about how we treat cases — it’s also about giving back.

We’re involved in community programs, charity events, local drives, helping families who need support. We want to serve people who are underserved. That’s part of this identity too.

Where We’re Going Next

Daniel:
Looking ahead 5 to 10 years, I see two things:

1. Expanding nationally.
2. Expanding into other practice areas.

And we’re doing it differently. DK Law is technology-centered. The legal field and the tech world are merging fast. AI, automation, data — that’s the future.

I keep thinking: In 10 or 15 years, people are going to look back at how law was traditionally practiced and say, “That was from the dinosaur era.” I don’t want us to be dinosaurs. I want us to build like it’s already 10 years from now.

We’re already hiring engineers alongside legal talent. We’re designing systems for communication, transparency, and speed. That’s not normal in law — but it’s where this industry is going.

The Hardest Part

Mina:
What has been the most difficult part of this journey for you?

Daniel:
People. Relationships.

When we first started, we had no family support network here. We were alone. We tried so hard to build real friendships, real trust, and sometimes that trust got broken.

We went through betrayal — even by people we considered close. That hurt more than the money problems, honestly.

But on the other side of that, we’ve met some incredible people. Right now, I’m more confident about our future than I’ve ever been, because of the people who are here today. We have some of the sharpest minds I’ve ever seen in my life. The good outweighed the bad, and that’s why we’ve made it this far.

Mina:
Exactly. There were people who made things incredibly hard, but there were even more people who believed, stayed, and built this with us. That’s why we’re here.

I used to feel lonely. I don’t anymore. We’re surrounded by a team we trust. I’m grateful for that — and grateful we get to do this in California with our team.

What It All Means

Mina:
When you think about the past, the present, and the future — what does it mean to you?

Daniel:
The past is where we learned.
The present is something I’m really trying to appreciate and stay present in.
The future is hope.

I believe our people are going to be movers and shakers in this industry. I believe we’re going to create a positive ripple effect — not just in legal results, but in real lives. Community events, outreach, helping people who don’t have a voice — that matters to me.

Final Message to Clients and the Community

Daniel:
Here’s what I want people to know:

When I say I’m on your side, I mean it. We’re a team of incredibly resourceful people, and when we take on a case, we listen to your story. We make sure it’s told the right way. We fight for you.

We want to be the people you can lean on, the people you can trust, the people who will actually show you what’s happening — not just tell you, “Don’t worry about it.”

For me, this is bigger than the practice of law. That’s why I joined the military — it was never about me. It was about service and protecting people. Now I’m using the platform of this firm to keep doing that: serving the public, standing up for people who need help, and giving back to the community.

Mina:
That’s who we are. That’s DK Law — all the way.