Episode 47: Duke Law to $1.6B in Deals: Eric Pacifici (SMB Law Group) on M&A, AI, and Life

Eric Pacifici has done $1.6 billion in lower middle market M&A deals since 2022, making SMB Law Group one of the top deal firms in the country by volume. He's worked at elite law firms like Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, handling high-stakes transactions for clients such as Amazon. He's been selected five times as a "Rising Star" (2020, 2022–2025) by Super Lawyers for M&A, named "Ones to Watch" (2023-2025) by The Best Lawyers in America, and recognized in the 40 Under 40 by The Orlando Business Journal in 2024. He graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2015 and has over 150k followers on X.In this conversation, Eric broke down the $70 trillion wealth transfer happening from baby boomers to millennials and why it's not as easy as the internet makes it seem. We pulled back the curtain on what actually happens when you buy a small business: the J-curve, managing skeptical employees, navigating stakeholder politics, and why AI can't replace the human element of running a business.We talked about how he built SMB Law Group by actually listening to what clients wanted instead of pushing a product nobody needs, the realities of entrepreneurship through acquisition that nobody talks about, why certain niches will absolutely cook you if you're not the right fit, and some wild stories from the field (including one about a crew member that you won't believe).Eric also got real about his journey from a 2.5 high school GPA to Duke Law to Kirkland & Ellis and the life philosophy that's carried him through it all: "You have to wake up every day with unshakable confidence that everything's going to work out, but you have to get the f*ck after it."This is a masterclass on M&A, small business acquisition, and life.Find Eric: X @SMB_Attorney