Maximum Lawyer Podcast: “Scorecard to Success: Winning with Associate Attorney KPIs”
Host: Tyson Mutrux
Guest (Presenter): Steven McLeland
Date: March 19, 2026
Timestamps reflect Steven McLeland’s presentation: 00:55–21:29
Episode Overview
This episode features a presentation by Arkansas attorney and law firm owner Steven McLeland from MaxLawCon 2025. The focus is on developing and implementing a practical, fact-based system to measure and improve associate attorney performance using KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Steven challenges common law firm mindsets, lays out his three-category approach to KPIs, and shares actionable strategies and tools for firm owners wishing to move from gut-feeling management to a data-driven, growth-focused culture.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Shifting the Mindset: From Cost to Investment
[01:31–03:25]
- Many law firm owners see staff, especially associates, as a cost rather than an investment.
- Steven emphasizes the need to view team members—particularly associates—as investments that should earn money for the firm and help more people.
- “Get beyond the call cost mentality and think of your team as an investment.” (Steven McLeland, 01:52)
2. Vulnerability, Lessons Learned, and Implementation
[03:25–05:45]
- Steven recounts how his own team changes left him feeling inadequate before the presentation, but he highlights that lessons learned during tough times are most valuable.
- KPIs should be implemented incrementally, especially with new staff, to foster buy-in and avoid overwhelm.
- “If you have a ton of accountability thrown at you all at once, it’s just a little bit overwhelming.” (SM, 04:25)
3. Defining & Using KPIs: Facts Over Feelings
[05:45–07:55]
- Clear definition of KPIs (“Key is crucial to success”)—they must pinpoint what matters most for the role.
- Performance must be measured against defined expectations, enabling management decisions based on facts, not feelings.
- Steven advises using a third party (like a legal secretary) to track certain metrics for added reliability and to prevent self-reporting bias.
- Analogy to support point: “Money is to a bank as your KPIs are the treasure you hold in your vaults… so you’re not relying on your feelings.” (SM, 07:35)
4. The ‘Zone of Tolerance’ and The Butterfly/Caterpillar Analogy
[07:55–09:30]
- KPIs establish a “zone of tolerance” between adequate and desired performance.
- With no KPIs, you end up tolerating anything, making it impossible to distinguish if someone is worth keeping (a butterfly) or must go (a caterpillar).
- “You can’t talk butterfly language to a caterpillar.” (SM, 02:30)
5. The Three KPI Categories for Associates
[09:30–21:00]
A. Production
- Weekly Attorney Points: A system that scores associate activity types (e.g., client meetings, signings, court appearances) to track whether they’re focusing on core responsibilities.
- Typical target range: 17–24 points per week.
- Points are correlated with the time/value of the activity.
- Monitoring for Burnout: High weekly “points” can indicate impending burnout; low points indicate underutilization.
- “If their attorney points are 29 and yours are 35, then you realize you really need to have another attorney.” (SM, 12:50)
- Using the intake team to fill out activity logs, enhancing reliability and reducing the workload on attorneys.
- Post-Initial Consultation Forms: Associates fill out a short report after every consultation, documenting details critical for tracking conversions and identifying improvements.
- Conversion Rate Metrics: Using the initial consult form to track conversions—too high may signal pricing issues, too low is a problem.
- Revenue-to-Salary Metric: Associates should generate at least 3x their salary in revenue to justify their cost to the firm.
- “If they just make what you’re paying... it’s actually costing you money to keep them.” (SM, 17:10)
- Post-Signing Error Reviews: After case closure, attorneys note any mistakes encountered, reviewed quarterly to drive process improvements.
B. Client Satisfaction
- After every initial meeting, a feedback text is sent with three short questions (satisfaction, attorney met, would recommend).
- Prompt resolution of issues: Intake staff follow up to resolve lingering concerns before they escalate.
- Aggregating positive experiences: Tracking net promoter scores and encouraging reviews for the firm.
- “Without differential quality... a company has few if any non-pricing options when competitors cut their price.” (SM quoting, 19:20)
C. Professional and Personal Growth
- Quarterly meetings: Ongoing personal/professional check-ins to address the associate’s life goals, personal issues, or challenges.
- Core Values Quiz: Offering $100 to staff who can correctly recall all six firm core values during meetings—highlighting a fun, but sobering, engagement test.
- “I have $100. If you can tell me all six, you get this hundred bucks. And I am not $100 less.” (SM, 20:23)
- Culture-fit questions: Asking, “How have you maximized or optimized the firm?” to encourage a sense of ownership.
- Mentorship: Encouraging associates to mentor others to promote a strong team culture.
- “If you have an attorney or you’re thinking about an attorney, I think it’s very simple. Just get a piece of paper, write their name down, write down the three categories and three things you want to track. That’s it. Don’t make it too complicated…” (SM, 21:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “It’s all about having a better focus and the idea of this is that we help. We don’t want our team members… to be distracted all the time.” (SM, 13:30)
- “The currency of success is not measured by ideas. It’s measured by execution.” (SM, 09:11)
- On transparency and authentic leadership: “I am a girl dad. I have three daughters. And I just want to say that if you have any advice on raising daughters, please text them or email them to me because I need all the advice I can get.” (SM, 21:10)
Important Timestamps
- 01:31: Steven McLeland introduction and session context
- 03:25: Lessons from failure and incremental KPI implementation
- 05:45: What are KPIs and why use them
- 07:55: “Zone of tolerance” and importance of facts over feelings
- 09:30: Laying out the three KPI categories
- 10:45: Weekly associate points and activity tracking
- 12:50: Using data to prevent burnout and inform capacity decisions
- 15:30: Post-initial consult form and conversion rates
- 17:10: Revenue metric—triple salary threshold explained
- 18:00: Post-signing error tracking for continuous improvement
- 19:05: Client satisfaction tracking and net promoter scores
- 20:23: Core values “test” anecdote
- 21:00: Simple approach to starting KPI tracking
- 21:10: Lighthearted sign-off, “girl dad” advice request
Actionable Takeaways
- Start simple: Don’t overcomplicate KPI systems. Choose three categories and define one or two metrics for each.
- Focus on execution: Shift quickly from planning to taking action.
- Make it about growth: Use KPIs not for punishment, but as a roadmap for associates to develop and invest in your firm.
- Involve your team: Use intake/ops staff for data tracking to ensure objectivity.
- Culture matters: Track not just the work, but the associate’s impact on firm culture and team growth.
This summary captures the core teachings, practical examples, and distinct tone of Steven McLeland’s session, providing a roadmap for law firm owners seeking to implement associate attorney KPIs for business growth and better team accountability.