Next time you find yourself eager to negotiate a parking ticket or wondering if a certain someone actually broke the law, you may want to seek counsel from the internet’s favorite legal expert, Attorney Tom, first.
Houston-based lawyer Tommy John Kherkher (aka Attorney Tom) is arguably the internet’s most famous lawyer. He’s quickly—perhaps even accidentally—become a viral sensation, thanks to his unique approach to deconstructing complex legal concepts that the rest of us can only hope to grasp. With nearly 2 million followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, he’s captured the internet’s attention and become the legislative expert for a new generation. But if you ask him (which we did), this all happened by chance.
“When I started my own law firm, I had no money,” he admits openly during an interview with us. “Instead of having to pay for advertising, which I couldn’t afford, I decided to make videos to try and hopefully get exposure for my law firm. Flash forward a few years later and it has snowballed into a whole beast of its own.”
His first video didn’t move the needle. But it didn’t take long for someone to notice what he was making and reach out. “I made a video covering [the news], giving my legal analysis, [and then] the news called,” he remembers. “They said, ‘Hey, we saw your video, we’re doing a news segment on it. Can I interview you?’”
He went on the news as a legal expert, and it opened up a slew of doors for his business. His firm took on a cornerstone case that he likely wouldn’t have worked on had he not been putting himself out there.
“We represented this family and, you know, it really proved to me that what I was doing was working and meaningful and gave me the fortitude to keep making videos.”
That settled it. Tom was making content.
How he got his start
Tom began his career in Texas as a trial lawyer, working on high-profile cases that involved personal injury and product liability. It was only after he started sharing his legal expertise on social media that he became who he is today: Attorney Tom.
He found success as a creator by doing what he does best—educating everyday people on simple law practices. And that’s why people connect with him. He’s honest and easy to understand. “I think a lot of people are obsessed with trying to go viral rather than refining your skills and getting better,” he adds.
How becoming creator changed his business
Today, in addition to running his own firm and taking on major suits like this one against CryptoZoo, he’s become one of the internet’s top attorneys, and if you’ve checked out any of his content or read any of his interviews online, you know that he’s incredibly likable, too. While things started as a YouTube experiment to promote his firm, it’s become a bona fide business, and he takes his role as a creator just as seriously. “We spend more time trying to curate stories than we do actually producing the content,” he shares. Creating is in his blood now.
“I think everybody has realized that creating content is a necessity whether you are a content creator or a law firm owner.”
To manage the added responsibilities, though, he built a smart team and put key partnerships into place that have become pivotal, like joining the Jellysmack Creator Program. As we do with many of our creator partners, we built and now manage the Attorney Tom Facebook page, which, he admits, wasn’t a place he even realized he could expand to and monetize.
“Before working with Jellysmack, I didn’t even know Facebook was a video platform. I had no idea of the possibility there.“
He’s happy with how things are going, and who he’s trusted to help him Go Bigger. “Jellysmack really knows what they’re talking about,” he shares during an interview with Jellysmack when asked about the partnership. “They’re creator-driven and understand the numbers and how to push things.”
What’s next
Tom’s career is on an obvious upward trajectory, however, he remains humble and grounded, always looking for ways to improve and make a positive impact in his field. As he looks to the future, he admits that his biggest goal isn’t a case; rather, working with one creator in particular: “Get me with MrBeast.” Out-of-this-world challenges with personal injury analysis does sound kinda cool.
Want more Attorney Tom? Catch a fun rapid-fire Q&A we did with him on Instagram @jellysmack.