AGG Alumni Spotlight: Glenn Hendrix

For more than 40 years, Glenn Hendrix played a pivotal role in shaping AGG — leading as managing partner, building the firm’s Healthcare and International practices, and mentoring generations of attorneys. Recognized by Chambers & Partners as a “hugely respected litigator” with an “impressive track record in complex cross-border business disputes and federal False Claims Act litigation,” Glenn’s work has spanned high-stakes litigation, government investigations, and international arbitration.

A two-time Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Atlanta for both Healthcare Law and International Arbitration and the founding president of the Atlanta International Arbitration Society, Glenn has been widely regarded as a leader in his field — both at AGG and on the global stage. Today, he continues to channel that expertise as an arbitrator and mediator, combining intellectual challenge with the freedom to design the next chapter of his career.

Read on to learn more about Glenn’s accomplishments, advice for younger attorneys, and favorite memories from his tenure at AGG.

AGG: After more than four decades at AGG, what inspired your transition into arbitration and mediation?

Glenn Hendrix: It was just time. I have contemplated the possibility of transitioning to an arbitrator role after “retirement” for almost as long as I have practiced law. I started to actually lay the groundwork about 15 years ago. I enjoy sitting as an arbitrator. It is as intellectually stimulating as counsel work, but it comes with less stress and a more flexible schedule. It is also an occupation that draws more on crystallized intelligence and experience than fluid intelligence, as befits this 67-year-old. Thinking optimistically, I would like to do arbitrator work for another decade or so, and it made sense to embark on that path while still having the energy and enthusiasm to build a new practice.

AGG: Looking back, what are you most proud of from your tenure at AGG?

Glenn Hendrix: Introducing some swagger to the firm’s public image. I used to hear partners say we were the “best kept secret in town.” I wanted the firm to have an external brand and stature that matched the high quality and sophistication of our legal work. We have made great strides in that regard.

AGG: Over the years, you surely mentored many lawyers — what advice did you most often give to younger attorneys?

Glenn Hendrix: Here are a few:

• The successful “lone wolf” lawyer is a myth. Most truly successful lawyers work in teams. I love the scene near the end of My Cousin Vinny when the Joe Pesci character is whining that he needed some help to win his first case. The Marisa Tomei character, Mona Lisa Vito, responds, “You know, this could be a sign of things to come. You win all your cases, but with somebody else’s help, right? You win case after case after case, and then afterwards you have to go up to somebody and you have to say … ‘thank you.’” She then exclaims sarcastically, “Oh my God, what a f**king nightmare!” Most of my litigation successes have involved help from others with skills that complemented mine or who offered insights that I might have missed. I am with Mona Lisa Vito – saying “thank you” to your colleagues after a big win is hardly a “f**king nightmare.”
• While there is more than one way for lawyers to generate business, the easiest way for me was to become immersed in an industry. Industry niches are somewhat tribal. People within a given industry have their own lingo, join the same trade associations, read the same newsletters, wrangle with and whine about the same regulators, and attend the same trade shows and conferences. They belong to a community. When they change jobs, they tend to go to other companies in the same sector. As a lawyer who wants to serve those clients, you also need to become part of that community. You can build relationships with industry professionals by becoming involved in their trade associations, writing articles for trade publications, and hanging out at industry conferences and association meetings. When they approach you with an issue, you’re more likely to understand it because you know their business and the regulatory environment. And when one of your client contacts leaves to join another company in the same space, you gain a new client. For me, personally, engagement in industry groups has yielded much higher ROI than other client development activities. The key is to view yourself not just as a lawyer serving an industry, but as a member of that industry who happens to be a lawyer.
• Some of my most important lessons came, oddly enough, from coaching my sons’ and grandson’s baseball teams. H.A. Dorfman’s book, The Mental ABC’s of Pitching, framed how I mentally approached oral advocacy. Just as a baseball pitcher must be focused in the moment on executing his next pitch – blocking out whatever else has already happened in the game, his ego, and anxieties about the stakes of the outcome (for him personally and the team) – once an advocate starts speaking, he or she must be centered in the moment and focused solely on executing their “pitch.” As Dorfman says, “when the pitcher stands on the rubber, … his head should be clear of all thoughts but three – pitch selection, location and target.” If other thoughts intrude, he should step back from the pitching rubber and clear his head. When you’re standing in front of a judge or jury, it’s easy to worry about whether they “like” you, or about what your client sitting at the back of the room might be thinking about your performance, or the terrible things that could happen to your client (or your reputation) if you lose. When those thoughts intrude, I try to “step off the rubber,” so to speak, block all that out of my head, and remind myself that it’s not about me, but rather about delivering “the pitch” or the message.
• The foregoing bullet highlights the importance of having interests and engagement outside of work. Beyond the inherent importance of outside interests to a life well-lived, you will pick up skills and insights that transfer to your professional life. Looking back, I doubt I’d have felt comfortable taking on the managing partner role at AGG without first having served in a series of non-AGG roles, starting with president of my sons’ Little League park.
• Whatever happens – good or bad – there is something to learn from it. As the saying goes, you did not fail; you succeeded in figuring out what does not work. (Or as another saying goes, everything that happens in life makes for either a good time or a good story.)

AGG: What are you most excited about in this new phase of your professional journey?

Glenn Hendrix: One word — freedom.

AGG: Do you have a favorite memory or tradition from your time at AGG?

Glenn Hendrix: The Gathering.

AGG: How do you enjoy spending your time when you are not working?

Glenn Hendrix: Spending time with family, hiking, live music, hitting the gym, traveling (in the past 12 months — Berlin, Isle of Skye, Istanbul, Jordan, London (twice), Mexico (twice), Puerto Rico, Toronto, and Tuscany. Next up, South Africa).

AGG: When you look back on your legacy, how would you like to be remembered?

Glenn Hendrix: As a strong forward in foosball tournaments at firm retreats.

Glenn’s story is a testament to the power of curiosity, commitment, and courage to grow at every stage of a career. From leading AGG through a transformative era to representing the firm in international legal circles, his legacy is one of elevating both the practice of law and the culture of the firm. We are grateful for the energy, vision, and mentorship he brought to AGG — and we look forward to watching his next decade of work, travel, and (yes) foosball victories unfold.