Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a law firm owner looking to hire new talent? In this episode of Maximum Lawyer Live, host Tyson Mutrux explores the challenges law firms face when hiring and onboarding associate attorneys. Tyson discusses the need for documented standards, regular feedback, and patience, highlighting that onboarding is a long-term investment in future capacity—not instant output.

Hiring for law firms can be challenging, but it is important to understand onboarding and to have realistic expectations. This includes the concept of output versus capacity. When you hire new attorneys, you are not seeing instant capacity or input. You are buying future capacity. A new associate needs time to understand your core values and both learn and unlearn certain skills and tools. As a law firm owner, it is important to give someone the space to grow into a successful attorney.

Defining success is very important when hiring new attorneys, especially if you want to retain your talent. It is your responsibility to define what success looks like. Think about what it looks like at the 30, 60 and 180 day mark. If this is expressed to your new attorneys, you can work with them to ensure they meet that mark. It is also important to not move the goalpost at all. This can really lead to new hires losing confidence in their ability to do well, causing them to leave to find other opportunities.

Take a listen!

1:19 Expectations of Onboarding
7:08 The First 30 Days in a New Role.
14:14 The “Why” Behind Firm Processes
18:55 Hiring Experienced Attorneys
22:04 The Importance of Defining Success

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a law firm owner who needs advice on leading a team in a crisis? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, attorney and law firm owner Tiffany Webber shares the profound personal and professional impact of her law partner’s sudden passing. She recounts the immediate aftermath, the challenges of leading her firm through crisis, and the lessons learned about resilience, leadership, and preparation.

Tiffany shares her insights on leading a firm amidst losing a loved one. One thing is having the skill to be calm under pressure. You can’t control when someone close to you passes, but you can control yourself and your reaction to something. As a lawyer, people come to you with answers, so it is important to know when to remain calm and collected. Another thing to have is a bias for action. Many people will sit back and analyze. They will wait to make a decision when they have received all the answers. But, in this field, you will never always have every piece of information. Sometimes, you need to make decisions in the moment with what you have.

Having a good leadership team is crucial, especially when you as the owner have a lot of things on their plate. Other leaders in the firm can not only support you by taking on the additional load, but you can lean on them for support. Also, if you don't know something about a topic, having others as subject matter experts can be such an advantage. This also helps with succession planning, so someone can take over while you focus on other things.

Listen in to learn more!

2:06 Survival Guide for a Crisis
4:12 Bias for Action
12:03 Facing Discomfort
18:00 Creating a Good Leadership Team
20:46 Letting the Right People In

Connect with Tiffany:

• Website

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you interested in learning about new changes for Maximum Lawyer? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson and Becca discuss the transformation of their legal entrepreneur community, rebranding from "The Guild" to "The Association by Maximum Lawyer". They highlight improved organization, distraction-free engagement, and enhanced member profiles.

Tyson and Becca discuss the reasons behind rebranding the Guild. The change has come from the changing needs of participants, the online space and how people are interacting and contributing in person. One major change, which is part of the change in name, is implementing quarterly coaches for members. This will allow for members to learn more from experts and develop stronger connections with other lawyers in the space.

One great aspect of this change is the use of Circle, which is an engaging all in one platform for a community of people to share and connect. For The Association, users can DM each other and create in depth profiles. You are able to input as much information about yourself and others can see who you are and what you do. If you are a subject matter expert and people want to learn more, they can reach out through the platform.

Listen in to learn more!

• 3:36 Rebranding The Guild
• 6:37 Quarterly Rotating Coaches
• 14:17 Circle’s Topic Rooms
• 18:48 Member Profiles & Networking
• 23:56 Crowdsourcing From Experts

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a law firm owner looking to create a better atmosphere for both your employees and clients? In this episode of Maximum Lawyer Live, host Tyson Mutrux shares insights on the difference between what you do and how you do it, inspired by a Disney cast member who brought creativity and joy to his work. Tyson discusses the power of employee autonomy, mindset, and workplace culture.

Tyson shares how to implement employee freedom within a firm. Nordstrom is a retailer that is notorious for having amazing customer service, in which their employees are able to go above and beyond for their customers. This is seen in their generous return policy. For Tyson, a great firm is one that gives their employees the opportunity to be the best person for their client. This could be providing them with a gift at the end of the case or being proactive and setting up recurring meetings to keep clients updated. At the end of the day, it is all about making sure the client is taken care of.

Building a culture that fosters magic is extremely important for any firm. It is important to create an environment where people can have the right mindset to thrive. Think about areas you can improve. What areas are you micromanaging? When do you need to step back and let staff have more creative freedom? This will ultimately allow for your firm to function in a healthy way, where people will be excited to work and clients will be excited to trust you with their livelihoods.

Take a listen!

6:55 Implementing Employee Freedom
9:01 Finding Employees with the Right Mindset
14:42 The Trade-Offs of Law Firm Ownership
16:57 Teaching Mindset and Enjoyment of Work
19:57 Building a Culture that Fosters Magic

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking to learn how to grow as an attorney? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim Hacking, an experienced lawyer and law firm owner, shares candid stories of personal and professional failures, illustrating how setbacks can become powerful catalysts for growth. Drawing on lessons from his own career and referencing figures, he emphasizes the importance of resilience, system-building, and learning from mistakes.

Jim shares his insights on the value of failure and how it can be used as motivation. When working in the legal field, you are not going to hit a home run every time. Sometimes you will be successful in winning a case and other times you will lose. This is fundamental in owning or working in a law firm. But, inside every failure is a roadmap to success. There is a silver lining to learn here. That lesson is your response to failure. How you handle it will determine how things turn up for you. It is all about your perception of how you move through your career.

Tyson and Jim talk about how to be content amid the chaos that is a law firm. Running a law firm can be stressful, from cases to managing employees. In the midst of all of that, you need to find some middle ground and be content. You need to be able to find some peace because if not, it can be easy to get lost in everything and become overwhelmed.

Listen in to learn more!

• 1:01 The Value of Failure
• 5:21 Lessons from Missed Opportunities
• 9:07 Focusing After Failure
• 14:58 Contentment Amid Chaos
• 16:48 System Improvements

Connect with Jim:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Linkedin
• Youtube
• TikTok

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking for tips on how to be a good leader? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson interviews Nik Kinley, a psychologist and leadership expert, about the “power trap” and identifying early warning signs. They also discuss the challenges professionals face when moving into leadership roles.

Nik shares the idea of the power trap and identifying signs within people. The power trap is the idea that power changes anyone who has some. When someone has control over something or influence over someone, it is easy to get lost and become someone who asserts dominance in a negative way. Determining a power trap within someone can include people with insecurities, those who are afraid of losing power and those with narcissistic tendencies.

When new leaders emerge, there are some psychological shifts that happen when a lawyer goes from working solo to working with a team to owning a law firm. There is an increase in responsibility which can be exciting or daunting for some. It is important to think about this and figure out how you want to proceed. You need to start thinking like a leader. Do you want to take more risks, give your opinion or be more conservative in giving your opinions. This will help determine what kind of leader you want to be.

Take a listen!

• 1:13 Early Signs of Power Trap
• 10:00 Psychological Shift for New Leaders
• 26:05 Psychological Safety vs. Information Flow
• 53:03 Restraining vs. Surrendering Authority
• 1:02:17 Top Leadership Habit to Change

Connect with Nik:

• Website
• Linkedin

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking for some new law related content? In the first live episode of 2026, Tyson reflects on a transformative 2025, highlighting major growth in law firm management, legal tech, and marketing. He shares favorite episodes, including a candid conversation with his wife, Amy, and discusses the launch of Becca’s List, a new legal vendor review platform.

Tyson shares some of his favourite episodes of 2025. One of them was with Hillary Billings, where they talked about how to turn stories into views. This conversation touched on tips to create content that can generate views and how to market your brand. Another episode was with Becca and it covered vendors who charge too much. For Tyson and his experience, working with vendors can be problematic because they can take advantage of attorneys. This is where Becca’s List originated from.

Tyson talks through some new changes to the Maximum Lawyer Association. Some include new coaches every quarter to help members work through different issues. They will run coaching sessions to provide much needed advice and expertise. There will also be different channels for different topics so people can focus on certain things. Some include AI and automation as well as billing for law firms.

Listen in to learn more!

• 1:21 Format Changes & Gratitude
• 6:31 Favorite Episodes
• 10:41 Creation of Becca’s List
• 12:50 Future Proofing Your Law Firm
• 20:30 Boutique Firm Growth
• 27:15 Association Updates

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a law firm owner looking to surprise and spoil your clients? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson chats with Heather Olson on the strategic use of swag—promotional items—in marketing for legal and professional services. The discussion covers how to select high-quality, practical, and sustainable swag that resonates with your target audience, enhances brand recognition, and boosts community visibility.

Promotional items and swag are a great way to market to your consumers or clients and build trust with them. When creating swag, it is important to understand and identify your target audience. If you are a law firm, your target audience will most likely be individuals who are older or maybe have a lot of money. You can research promotional items that connect with individuals of a certain demographic. Maybe these clients like golf or items that they can use in their kitchens. It is crucial to understand who you are serving.

These items are also great in a personalized way. If you have clients that you are close with or have worked with for a long period of time, personalizing a gift can really strengthen the lawyer-client relationship. Put in the extra effort, especially if it is the holidays or celebrating the end of a case. Think about high end items like Turkish towels or leather wine bags. You can also personalize bulk items for your employees, like glassware or notebooks.

Take a listen!

• 1:32 Identifying Your Target Audience
• 4:19 Working with Promotional Item Distributors
• 8:25 Avoiding Low-Quality Swag
• 12:07 Effective Swag Examples for Community
• 14:58 Personalized Swag and Employee Gifts

Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Connect with Heather:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Linkedin