Maximum Lawyer

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Are you a lawyer looking for some advice on personal and professional growth? In this podcast episode, host Tyson Mutrux engages in a deep conversation with Christopher Nicolaysen about personal and professional growth. 

Christopher provides some insight on the challenges of achieving both personal and professional goals through fighting through the boring stages of achieving those goals. Whether you are working on your fitness or wanting to open up a firm, it is the boring, everyday tasks that will get you to those goals. For example, eating the boring, healthy food and committing to working out at the gym are the things that will get you to those fitness goals.

As it relates to the legal space, Christopher and Tyson chat about the importance of strong partnerships in a law firm. Blame can be a huge issue that leads to the end of both professional and personal relationships. It is fine to blame no one in some situations so people’s feelings are not hurt and those relationships can stand strong. It is important to assess a situation to determine if blame needs to be made or if something happened as a result of the business.

Take a listen to learn more!

03:03 Data-Driven Approach 

08:30 Long-term Fitness Mindset

11:23 Partnership Breakup Discussion 

14:06 Molding a Partner's Vision 

20:16 Misaligned Expectations 

21:55 Confronting Difficult Conversations

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

Connect with Chris:

• Website 
• Instagram  
• Facebook  
• Linkedin  
• Youtube 
• X 

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking for a cool way to conduct research? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer podcast, host Tyson Mutrux shares an effective research prompt he has been using to gather insights from experts. 

Tyson discusses a good prompt he uses to gather insights from those in the legal space. The prompt is: what are your favorite (lessons, tips and frameworks) from (expert, book, resource) about (topic). This is from the AI tool, Perplexity. The tool will pull aspects of the prompt from the Internet and answer the question for you. Perplexity will also provide links for you to find out more information about the prompt, which can help research various topics.

Listen in to learn more about how to research more about any topic!

1:54 A prompt for gathering insights from experts on various topics

2:54 Utilizing the AI tool Perplexity for effective research and insights

3:53 Essential lessons on law firm management

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

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a lawyer who is looking for some advice on starting a firm? In this episode, Tyson interviews Ashley Garbe Smith, an attorney and founder of AGS Law, which specializes in dental transitions. Ashley shares her journey of starting her law firm during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Ashley provides some insights on the benefits and lessons learned from narrowing a practice as it relates to running a law firm. For Ashley, who used to work in the dental field, niching down in the legal space to do dental transitions was a familiar thing. For those who are hoping to narrow down a practice field, it is good to think about areas you already have expertise in. Did you focus on a specific practice in law school? Did you spend a year articling for a specific lawyer and learned the ins and outs of that field? Play to your strengths when you are thinking about narrowing or niching down your firm.

It is no surprise that lawyers are very busy and suffer from burnout quickly. Ashley and Tyson chat about the importance of self care for lawyers. Most lawyers wear many hats and dedicating time to self care will not only allow you to last longer in the business but have a better outlook on life. Schedule self care into your busy calendar and make it known to your colleagues the importance of it. This can help you stay on track to dedicating time to it and show others that it matters to you so they respect that time.

Listen in to learn more from Ashley!

03:01 Niche Practice Area Dynamics 

04:58 Client Expectations in Niching 

05:50 Benefits of Specialization 

12:04 Challenges in Valuing Law Firms 

13:08 Importance of Self-Care 

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

Connect with Ashley:

• Website 
• Instagram  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn 

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking for ways to make better content? In this episode of Maximum Lawyer, Tyson shares five simple yet effective ways to expand any idea, inspired by writer Dickie Bush. 

Tyson discusses the 5 things that can be used to expand not only an idea, but content. One way is to connect tips with an idea to relate it back to a core thought and propose an action step. The second is statistics and informing people of factual aspects of a topic to make it reliable. The third thing is to break ideas into steps to make an idea more digestible and easier for someone to understand. The fourth thing is adding stories to content, which can make content more memorable. And the last thing is quotes, which can be used to tie an idea back to reality and make it more believable to an audience.

Listen in to learn more!

1:14 Expanding content ideas

2:09 Using reliable statistics to add authority to content

3:57 How stories make content more memorable and digestible

4:49 The effectiveness of using quotes to add credibility to content

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 is thinking about improving how the business operates? In this podcast episode, Tyson chats with Paul Yokabitus, a guest expert in legal and financial planning. They discuss Paul’s journey in building a successful firm.

Building a successful law firm involves understanding the risks that might exist. Tyson and Paul discuss how attorneys should operate when attacking these risks. It involves starting each day with an agenda that is intentional in getting things done and tackling any issues that arise. It is also important to be open to new opportunities as a business owner and preparing for the good and bad of running a firm.

Client and customer service should be of top concern for law firms when it comes to measuring success. In a world where many businesses are using AI, attorneys need to prioritize customer service. This can include ensuring clients understand the legal process or going over documentation. AI should be used to streamline certain processes, so you can free up your time to service customers and clients.

Listen in to learn more!

05:19 Mindset of Successful People

12:26 Differentiation in a Crowded Market

13:32 The Importance of Client Service 

16:55 Pivoting in Legal Practice 

17:39 Finding the Right Team 

24:21 Overcoming Failures 

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

Connect with Paul:

• Website 
• Instagram  
• Facebook 
• Linkedin
• Youtube  
• X

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a lawyer who is hoping to run their own firm in the future? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson Mutrux delves into the often overlooked realities of being a law firm owner. 

Running a law firm is not an easy task and it is not made clear in law school or in the early years of being a lawyer. One of the realities is making and abiding by the boundaries of being a boss. In general, you should not be friends with your employees to avoid heartbreak and not making good decisions because of feelings. 

Another reality is to know how to lead people. It is one thing to start a law firm and be the boss. It is another thing to actually lead a team effectively and be successful. Leading a team also involves hiring the right people to take control of certain aspects of a firm. This comes in handy when you want to take some time off. You need to be a good leader who builds staff up to take on important roles when you need it most.

Take a listen!

1:03 Importance of maintaining professionalism and boundaries with employees 

3:08 Need for effective leadership to create a desirable workplace

5:13 Encouragement to keep processes simple 

6:22 The isolating nature of being a law firm owner 

8:08 The need for continuous learning and personal growth as a law firm leader

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

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer, host Tyson Mutrux interviews Jim Hacking for the very first time as a guest! They talk through Jim's transition from co-host to guest, their long-standing partnership and Jim's contributions to the podcast and community.

Jim shares personal stories about his high school struggles, therapy, and Overeaters Anonymous, highlighting his journey of self-discovery, growth, and change. 

They discuss the challenges of running a law firm, the importance of authenticity, and the impact of their work on the legal community. This episode highlights the value of personal growth, community support, and meaningful connections.

Listen in. 

01:27 Change and New Beginnings 

08:13 Triggering Event for Change

11:13 Navigating Changes

18:41 Niche Marketing Strategies 

27:00 Focus and Singular Purpose 

31:36 Podcast Beginnings 

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

Join the Guild to grab our Case Roadmap.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a law firm owner looking for guidance on how to better run your firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, host Tyson reflects on significant changes, notably the departure of longtime co-host Jim Hacking.

With the departure of Jim, Tyson speaks to the mission that Maximum Lawyer strives to achieve and the upcoming changes to the podcast. He also reiterates the common fear many lawyers have when it comes to failure. With change comes uncertainty and that fear heightens. Tyson encourages lawyers to put their all into their work and their goals and to go out with a bang if things don’t go as planned.

Maximum Lawyer has and always will continue to help law firm owners grow and succeed through the sharing of stories and practical tips. This will continue through new resources, guides, events and high quality content. Running a successful law practice is not easy, but Maximum Lawyer is here to help along the way.

Take a listen to learn more about the upcoming changes to Maximum Lawyer!

02:28 Embracing Change

05:25 Upcoming Resources and Changes

12:07 Future Opportunities for Connection

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

Resources:

• Join the Guild Membership
• Subscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube Channel
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join the Facebook Group
• Follow the Facebook Page
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you a business owner who is struggling with taking a vacation? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim and Tyson discuss law practice management with guest Brian Manning, a political asylum lawyer who talks about fears of leaving a law firm in the hands of colleagues to take a well deserved vacation.

As a law firm owner, taking time for vacation can be stressful. This can be due to the anxiety of leaving work in the hands of colleagues or employees and not being sure if things will get done on time or effectively. Brian speaks to the things law firm owners should consider before vacation to ensure you are not stressing during a time they should be relaxing. It is important to tell your staff that you want limited communication while on vacation. This will allow teams to inquire about everything before vacation begins to mitigate any potential issues and ask important questions.

Having a competent leadership team is crucial to ensuring the necessary tasks are completed during a vacation. There needs to be people who can be trusted to tackle urgent issues when they come up. For Brian, he has 2 dedicated staff members who can fill in for him to not only take on the work but also act as a leader when other staff need support or guidance.

Take a listen to learn more!

Jim’s Hack: Have employees who complement your strengths. 

Brian’s Tip: Have non-attorney salespeople conduct consultations.

Tyson’s Tip: Use a feature on the iPhone 16 where you can pause a video and record when you are ready again.

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

06:53 Emergency Protocols for Travel

09:42 Managing Staff Communication 

10:43 Mindset Before Travelling

14:35 Building a Leadership Team

17:20 Maintaining Boundaries While Away 

Connect with Brian:

• Website 
• TikTok 
• Youtube 

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE

Are you looking for a way to let go of negative comments? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson Mutrux discusses strategies for managing difficult interactions, particularly within the legal profession. 

Managing difficult conversations is a tough aspect of working in the legal space. This is the case with colleagues, clients or strangers. While chatting with a fellow colleague, Tyson came across an interesting tactic for dealing with difficult people. The trick is to understand that people are not arguing with you but their own imagination. This is more so for those that make comments on social media. Most people who do this are trying to get their dopamine hit by getting a reaction out of you. If you understand this concept, small comments or moments of disrespect will not bother you.

Take a listen.

02:14 Understanding Rude Comments

03:25 Mental Trick for Reframing 

04:25 Recognizing Attention Seekers

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