2026 c-suite small private companies : CHARLES D. HATLEY

Revenue growth of more than 7,000% over four years is the kind of number that demands an explanation. At Melone Hatley, a Virginia Beach-headquartered family law and estate planning firm, Hatley is responsible for much of this growth. He joined the firm as a litigation partner in 2020 and became its CEO in 2024, and in that time, he helped scale the practice from $200,000 in annual revenue to more than $15 million a year, as well as growing from a single attorney to more than 100 associates in five states.

In 2023 and 2024, Melone Hatley made the Inc. 5000 annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The company ranked third on the 2025 Law Firm 500 list of the fastest-growing U.S. firms.

A University of Toledo College of Law graduate, Hatley credits the firm’s success to building scalable systems for everything from manager training to metrics dashboards, while taking care to maintain a culture of care and accountability. He also helped implement AI-powered tools to streamline intake and enhance search engine optimization through online content.

Hatley also co-founded and co-hosts “The Business Blueprint” podcast for entrepreneurs.

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