Suwanee Man Takes Law Career Into His Own Hands

Nik Makarenko, of Groth and Makarenko Attorneys at Law, didn’t originally think about pursuing an entrepreneurial path with his career. But he definitely considers himself one now, after launching a law practice with Paul Groth in July 2007.

Groth and Makarenko specialize in civil litigation but spend the majority of their time working insurance defense.  In this type of law, insurance companies hire defense attorneys to represent a client of the insurance company that is sued. The defense attorneys will represent the insured in areas such as medical, personal injury, liability, and damages.

In 2007 Makarenko came upon an opportunity to start his own law firm and Groth left a salaried job with State Farm to join him. The partners inherited a set of existing work from Makarenko’s previous law firm as well as added new work. “It was like starting in a sprint,” Makarenko says.

It was also at this time that Makarenko had to learn how to become an entrepreneur. Suddenly he had more than civil law litigation to consider. The to-do list was filled with things such as rent, utilities, business insurance, payroll, new client acquisition, bank accounts, LLC registrations, tax IDs, and business licenses. Makarenko admits that he spent time talking to other small business owners for advice on how to navigate all these new considerations.

“We didn’t have a traditional business plan to start.” Makarenko says. “We really started as a running business with existing client work. Our start was tough because there was so much that needed to happen in the first year to establish the business. But it’s rewarding because you do see a benefit to the hard work. I know if I work more, then I will make more.”

Makarenko completed undergraduate studies at Birmingham Southern as a history major. He decided he wanted to try law as a career and was accepted into the law school at the University of Georgia. After graduation, he worked for a judge in Decatur as a law clerk to get some experience with courtroom civil cases.

The courtroom experience opened the door for his next job as an associate with a firm in Cobb County.  It was here that Makarenko started specializing in insurance defense and performing trial cases. That experience led to a job working for an insurance company as a defense attorney and then to a partnership with a firm specializing in insurance defense from 1999-2007.

Then in 2007 Makarenko found himself with a chance to start his own firm and he found a partner in Groth. He and Groth originally met in 1982 while playing in a tennis tournament and had worked briefly together in the past at State Farm insurance.

Both partners are actively involved in the Suwanee community. They have volunteered their time in helping coach youth athletics in the Suwanee area and sponsor school events and activities in both the North Gwinnett and Peachtree Ridge clusters.

Groth and Makarenko, LLC now has three lawyers and four full time support staff. They currently help to represent nine different insurance companies. For more information, see GrothandMakarenko.com