From Harvard Law to High-Net-Worth Advisor

Like many financial advisors working today, David Hamilton did not grow up expecting to work in the world of finance, and his path to Northwestern Mutual involved a few twists and turns.

Hamilton is an Indianapolis native who speaks fondly of his roots in the Indiana community and his love for coaching basketball on the weekends. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 2011, he began working as a corporate finance attorney, but his dream career was something a little different.

“It was always my childhood dream to work with professional athletes and to be in that world,” Hamilton tells ThinkAdvisor. “After spending a short time in corporate America, I was able to transition and began a career as an NBA certified agent.”

Hamilton says he loved the work and getting to meet and help all different types of successful young athletes. Many of them were the first in their family to earn truly substantial, intergenerational wealth, and it was an eye-opening and gratifying experience to be on that journey alongside the clients.

During his time as an attorney and agent, Hamilton quickly developed a passion for helping his clients accumulate and protect this wealth, such that he often found himself participating in meetings with financial advisors and tax professionals.

“Many of these people were very impressive, while there were also some others who you felt more inclined to steer your clients away from,” Hamilton recalls with a laugh. “Over time, I started to realize what a big impact these advisors could have, and I found that to be really intriguing.”

After eight years and the birth of his first two children, Hamilton says the constant travel demands of the certified agent job started to tell, and it was clear another change was in order.

Naturally, the idea of becoming a financial advisor rose to the surface, and Hamilton took the plunge in early 2020.

An Intriguing and Influential Profession

Some three years into his new career, Hamilton has accumulated close to 200 clients. They come from a wide range of industries and professions, including professional athletes, attorneys, successful small-business owners and medical professionals, and their age range is “all over the board.”

“It’s a diverse set of clients, which I really enjoy,” Hamilton says. “We have people who are starting out as young professional athletes, and we have successful young attorneys, but we also have people who are close to that traditional retirement age, so we get to see the full spectrum.”

Hamilton says he is glad he made the jump, because he feels his impact on the people and the community around him has been amplified. He can see his work have a direct impact not only on the individual clients, but also on their families and their future generations.

“As an advisor, you have a powerful opportunity to get these younger people on the right track to build truly intergenerational wealth that can change the trajectory of their family tree,” Hamilton says. “It also sets them up to have an enjoyable and successful life and retirement. The earlier you start your planning, the better you will be positioned.”