When Florida attorney Daniel Tighe first met a homeowner whose storm-damaged roof had been denied by her insurance company, he realized something bigger was at play. What should have been a straightforward claim became a drawn-out battle.
“She had purchased that policy for exactly this situation, and they weren’t honoring it,” Tighe recalls.
That realization pushed him to create a law practice centered on defending policyholders. Over a decade later, his firm has grown into a national advocate for property owners, commercial clients, and community associations.
The Early Struggles of Building a Practice
Like any entrepreneur, Tighe’s early days were marked by trial and error. “I went from being one lawyer solving problems to scaling a very large organization,” he explains. Adversarial legal battles with insurance carriers added another layer of challenge.
The solution was building strong processes that turned one-time victories into repeatable, scalable systems. “We reminded ourselves that we’re here to serve and help. That kept us focused.”
When Hurricanes Changed the Game
Years of quiet preparation paid off when Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Irma (2017) struck Florida. “We were ready,” says Tighe. “All the lessons and systems we’d built were tested—and they worked.”
The firm suddenly found itself handling high volumes of cases, recovering millions for clients at a critical time.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Tighe’s advice for others starting out:
-
Be authentic
-
Work with good people
-
Do good, work hard, and have fun
“It’s easy to chase money or status, but your north star matters more,” he says.
Expanding to Nationwide Impact
Today, Tighe’s firm has pivoted to focus on complex, large-loss commercial projects across the U.S. His team collaborates with restoration professionals and manages multi-million-dollar claims where expertise makes all the difference.
For property owners and professionals alike, his firm’s resource hub at patighepa.com offers practical guidance and insights.
