Maximum Lawyer Podcast – Detailed Summary
Episode: How to Build a High-Impact Internship Program
Host: Tyson Mutrux
Guest/Speaker: Adam Rossen
Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode, a recording from MaxLawCon 2025, dives into the evolution and structure of a high-impact internship program developed by law firm owner Adam Rossen. Drawing on 15 years of hands-on experience, Adam shares how he progressed from offering ad hoc intern opportunities to building a formal, curriculum-based program that greatly benefits both interns and the law firm. The talk is approachable, tactical, and filled with real-world takeaways for law firm owners looking to attract, train, and leverage future talent intentionally and effectively.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Days: The Intern “Hang Out” Era

• Adam started his firm at 26 in 2008. New lawyers are often asked to host interns, leading to unstructured experiences.
• Internship v1.0: “Come hang out, let’s see what you can do.” Interns mostly observed, handled minor tasks, and got “a taste of real practice.”
• Quote (03:10): “You’re providing a great experience for somebody, but how can you make it better?” – Adam Rossen

2. Personal Twist: When Interns Lead to Life Changes

• The program paused for a year or two after Adam ended up marrying a former intern (with a humorous take on workplace romance).
• Quote (04:34): “We just make sure we have a lot of interns, so there’s witnesses so I don’t get in trouble.” – Adam Rossen

3. Intentional Growth: Developing Structure & Scale

• From 2018–2019, Adam started taking 2–3 interns at a time, fueled by feedback from masterminds and mentors.
• COVID-19 dramatically accelerated the program. Adam brought on 13 interns (more than the number of employees at his firm!), emphasizing resilience and community responsibility.
• Quote (10:36): “If we are the community builders and pillars that we say we are, then it’s our moral and ethical obligation to say yes to everybody.”

4. Innovative Intern Projects: Real-World Learning

• During COVID-19, Adam organized practical, challenging projects—such as a mock law school exam on the George Floyd case—across high school, college, and law students.
• Interns participated in Zoom depositions, prepared legal memos, and handled tasks with real stakes, fostering friendly competition and substantive feedback.
• Quote (12:10): “Number one was a law student. Two and three were high schoolers.”

5. Measurable Impact: Interns Driving Business Growth

• Intern-created SEO content exploded site traffic, going from ~600 to 10,000+ views per month and directly supporting the firm’s rapid growth in revenue and team size.
• Quote (14:20): “This is one of maybe three or four key factors that allowed me to triple my firm in 2021 in revenue and double in size.”

6. Curriculum Evolution: Building a Formal, Competitive Program

• By 2022, the program became curriculum-based—featuring book clubs, national speakers (including federal judges), active mentorship, and court visits.
• Applications are now highly competitive (300+ applicants for a handful of spots).
• Quote (17:40): “Now, with 25 people in the firm…branding is a big, important thing. I want us known as a law firm that really stands up for people and social justice initiatives.”

7. Niche Focus & Community Partnerships

• The program has narrowed its focus to criminal justice, partnering with organizations in the field and attracting higher quality, more committed interns.
• Strategic partnerships led to media attention, backlinks, and enhanced branding—creating a lasting legacy through an “Intern of the Summer” award with a permanent office plaque.

8. Accessibility & Inclusion: Creating a Paid Mentorship Track

• Acknowledging the program’s elite, unpaid nature, Adam is launching a separate paid, hands-on mentorship for those with nontraditional backgrounds and barriers to entry: GED holders, those with past criminal justice involvement, etc.
• Quote (21:07): “Maybe they want to be a paralegal… but no one will ever give them a chance… Best case, they come and become a full-time employee. Worst case, they now have new skills and we can help open the door.”

9. Practical Advice: Start Simple, Act Intentionally

• Start with one intern, make a concrete plan (who manages, daily structure, clear projects).
• Prioritize onboarding, give interns real tasks, and avoid leaving them idle.
• Leverage the creativity of legal professionals in internship design, just as they would with legal work.
• Quote (22:46): “Keep it simple, go slow, be intentional, and everybody here can have a great program.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Community Impact:
  “We have a counter up in our office…every time we close a case, it goes up…We say that is the impact, because that’s how many people’s futures we’ve helped, that’s how many families we’ve helped.” (09:40)

• On Intern Projects:
  “We graded them and we gave feedback. My wife helped me with it. It was tons of fun. And the next year…we did Bill Cosby’s trial as the same project.” (12:48)

• On Diversity in Intern Backgrounds:
  “You either need to have a tie to South Florida or have the money, or both, to be able to work an unpaid internship for the entire summer.” (18:30)

• On Law School Hypocrisy:
  “One thing that really bothers me is the hypocrisy of law school, that they won’t give school credit for this.” (24:43)

• On Value of the Profession:
  “Running a law firm is amazing. What we do creates so much value.” (26:12)

Noteworthy Timestamps

• Intro to internship program history – [01:52]
• Personal story: marrying a former intern – [03:58]
• COVID transformation: 13 interns, Zoom innovation – [09:55]
• Mock legal project (George Floyd case) – [11:33]
• SEO & business impact from intern projects – [14:24]
• Curriculum structure & competition – [17:06], [24:58]
• Pivot to criminal justice focus, community partnership – [19:24]
• Launch of paid mentorship track – [21:12]
• Actionable advice for starting a program – [22:37]
• Q&A on curriculum, credit, and intern outcomes – [24:19]
• Closing: value of legal profession and encouragement – [26:12]

Actionable Steps & Takeaways

• Start with what you can handle: Even one well-supported intern is valuable.
• Be deliberate: Define responsibilities and projects before onboarding interns.
• Invest in relationships: Use internships to build talent pipelines, foster community goodwill, and develop future hires (and sometimes lifelong connections).
• Integrate learning: Mix practical tasks with academic components, guest speakers, and competitive elements to keep interns engaged.
• Increase accessibility: Consider ways to support nontraditional candidates through paid mentorship or adjusted program structures.
• Emphasize your firm’s brand and community impact through the way you design and publicize your internship program.
• Iterate and improve: Programs should evolve with your firm, your needs, and the changing professional landscape.

Final Thoughts

Adam Rossen’s journey from informal internships to a robust, intentional program demonstrates the deep impact intern programs can have—on law firm growth, community reputation, and the lives of future legal professionals. No matter a firm’s size or resources, building an effective internship program is possible with thoughtful planning, creativity, and a willingness to learn from each iteration.

Contact/Follow:

• [Adam Rossen on LinkedIn]

This summary covers all key content and discussion points. Timestamps and quotes are provided for context and reference, omitting non-content sections and advertisements for clarity.