Episode Overview

Podcast: Maximum Lawyer
Host: Tyson Mutrux
Episode Title: Why Most Law Firm Hires Fail in the First 90 Days
Release Date: January 31, 2026

This episode addresses a common pain point among law firm owners: attorney hires that don’t last. Tyson Mutrux dives into the root causes behind early attrition, especially in the first 90 days, and explains why “failure of expectations”—not lack of talent—is the biggest culprit. Tyson offers practical advice on reasonable onboarding benchmarks, managing expectations (especially around capacity and output), and actionable steps for both preventing early departures and rethinking what success looks like at each stage of a hire’s integration.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Core Problem: Expectation Misalignment

• Immediate Output vs. Future Capacity (03:35):
  Tyson emphasizes that many law firm owners expect new hires to immediately increase firm output, when in reality, "you're buying future capacity, not instant output."
• Staggering Attrition Rates (04:15):
  "Fifty percent of employees leave within 18 months. That is an absolutely insane number," citing broader workforce statistics, with law firms being no exception.

Onboarding: What Reasonable Expectations Look Like

First 30 Days (09:22)

• What to Expect:
  • Learning firm systems and case flow.
  • Understanding the firm’s decision-making structure.
  • Getting clarity on quality benchmarks—i.e., what “doing a good job” looks like in practice.
  • Asking lots of questions (prompt this actively if needed).
  • Tyson suggests, "If they're not asking lots of questions, you need to be prodding and encouraging them." (13:17)
• What NOT to Expect:
  • Full independent decision-making.
  • Anticipation of unwritten preferences or internal “rules.”
  • Any meaningful reduction in personal workload.

    "In the first 30 days, you should expect zero meaningful reduction in your workload. That's just how it is." (15:46)

30–90 Days (16:35)

• What to Expect:
  • Supervised execution: starting to handle tasks, but with oversight.
  • Drafting motions or pleadings for review.
  • Narrow, well-defined responsibilities.
  • Begin understanding the “why” behind processes—not just the “how”.
• What NOT to Expect:
  • Speed or efficiency.
  • Perfect judgment or autonomous case management.
  • Full file ownership.

Six Months (20:07)

• Expect competence with systems, fewer corrections, routine issue spotting, and ownership of some work categories (not all).
• Owner-level judgment, risk management, or margin protection are still out of reach for most.

  "Most people don't have [owner-level judgment]. Some never get it. Expecting them to have that same level ... is not reasonable." (21:45)

Skill Gaps vs. Expectation Gaps (22:00)

• Tyson’s Admission:
  "We hire people with experience and we expect the skill. Our expectation is high, but their skill isn't nearly as high as what we were expecting."
• Solution:
  Document standards, model behavior, and reinforce with positive feedback.

  "You tell them what they're supposed to do, you show them how to do it, and then you watch them do it." (23:30)

Clarity, Structure, and Feedback Loops (24:07)

• Don’t overwhelm hires; minimize simultaneous demands for faster learning.
• Referencing Brené Brown:

  "'The clearest kind is kind. Unclear is unkind.' The clearer you can make it for them, the simpler you can make it for them. That's the kind way of doing things." (24:51)

• Moving targets and role ambiguity create anxiety, paralysis, and early departures.
• Success must be clearly defined at every stage (30, 90, 180 days).
• Feedback cadence is essential.

Onboarding Failures Are Leadership Failures (25:47)

• "Failed onboarding is a leadership failure plain and simple ... If you don't have good onboarding, it's on you as the leader, okay?"

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Outputs:
  “You’re not buying instant capacity. ... You’re hiring for something in the future.” (03:44)

• Attrition Reality:
  “50% of employees leave within 18 months. That is an absolutely insane number.” (04:30)

• Onboarding Is Planting a Tree:
  “Onboarding and really hiring is planting the tree. ... If you want some sort of long term leverage, you need to accept that short term friction.” (26:15)

• On Moving Goalposts:
  “If you’ve noticed you’re having associates leave, or you’re having to terminate associates, some of this may have to do with you having moving targets. That creates a lot of anxiety and paralysis.” (25:00)

• Defining Success:
  “Make sure you are taking ... responsibility of defining what success looks like at the 30-day mark, the 90-day mark, and the 180-day mark.” (25:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:35 – Output vs. capacity: don’t expect immediate results from new hires.
• 04:15 – Employee attrition stats.
• 09:22 – Expectations for the first 30 days.
• 13:17 – Encourage question-asking in onboarding.
• 15:46 – No reduction in owner's workload in first month.
• 16:35 – What to look for in days 30–90.
• 20:07 – Six-month benchmarks.
• 21:45 – Addressing owner-level judgment.
• 22:00 – Skill and expectation mismatches.
• 23:30 – Documenting and modeling standards.
• 24:51 – Clarity is kindness (Brené Brown reference).
• 25:00 – The danger of moving goalposts and role ambiguity.
• 25:25 – Defining and communicating success.
• 25:47 – Leadership responsibility in onboarding failures.
• 26:15 – The “planting a tree” model of hiring.

Actionable Takeaways

• Create and follow a structured onboarding process.
• Define clear, reasonable milestones for 30, 90, and 180 days.
• Communicate and document your standards; reinforce with feedback.
• Expect an initial increase in your workload—relief and leverage come later.
• Minimize simultaneous new demands on new hires; prioritize clarity and simplicity.
• Remember: If onboarding fails, it’s usually a leadership failure—be proactive.

Episode Summary

Tyson Mutrux pulls no punches in outlining why most law firm hires fail early and what firm leaders can do to prevent it. The take-home message: Successful onboarding is an intentional, structured process that demands clear expectations, open feedback, and patience. By resetting benchmarks and supporting new attorneys through structured training and realistic milestones, firms can break the cycle of fast failure and set themselves—and their hires—up for success.