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Burn the Partner Track: How One Law Firm is Redefining Everything (Ep. 117)

Burn the Partner Track: How One Law Firm is Redefining Everything (Ep. 117)

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Are you running your firm the way it’s always been done—climbing the partner track, chasing origination bonuses, and operating within a strict hierarchy—only to find it creates more stress and less satisfaction? Or maybe you feel that, despite your best efforts, the structure of your firm is holding you and your team back from truly thriving. If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a more collaborative, rewarding way to grow your practice and build wealth, we have an episode you don’t want to miss.

On this episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with Tara Jalali Malek: a former federal prosecutor and current co-owner of Smith + Malek, a trailblazing law firm redefining what it means to build a successful legal practice.

Tara’s firm has eliminated the traditional partner track, dropped origination bonuses, and built a supportive, people-first workplace. The result? Not just happier attorneys and better work-life balance, but big wins for the business and their clients.

Tara openly shares her journey, insights, and lessons learned—not just about shaking up the old model, but about empowering people, clarifying your firm’s mission, and understanding how culture drives the bottom line. If you’re a law firm owner who feels the tension between tradition and innovation, this conversation offers a practical, inspiring roadmap to making real change.

Tara discusses:

  • How to build a culture that attracts top talent and keeps them engaged.
  • Practical strategies for eliminating internal competition and stress.
  • Why Smith + Malek offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave for all staff.
  • How to make your workplace more productive without compromising productivity or service quality?
  • The benefits of offering flexibility in work location choices.

 

Resources:

 

Connect with Darren Wurz:

 

Connect with Tara Jalali Malek:

 

About our guest:

Tara is an Idaho licensed attorney and Smith + Malek, PLLC co-owner. With vast experience in civil and criminal law, Tara practices in state and federal court in business and commercial litigation.

Previously, Tara worked as a Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor, a Special Assistant United States Attorney, and an Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office in Boise. Tara’s most significant career accomplishments include a reversal of a jury verdict in federal court and reinstating a college president after an unlawful suspension.

Tara is a first-generation Iranian American who is fluent in both Farsi and English. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Arizona in Tucson. In 2008, Tara moved to Idaho to attend the University of Idaho College of Law where she graduated with her J.D. in 2011.

Tara’s personal ‘why’ is the pursuit of justice. She believes that lawyers can change the world for the better by pursuing justice on behalf of clients.

She’s a frequent legal pundit on national shows regarding criminal cases across the U.S. and teaches trial advocacy to law students at the University of Idaho College of Law, her alma mater.

When not in court, she serves on several boards, including Mountain West Bank, Building Hope Today, Idaho Contraceptive Education Network, Idaho for All, Your Health Idaho, and the University of Idaho Law Advisory Council. In her free time, Tara enjoys volunteering in her community, backpacking, hiking, skiing, and fly-fishing with her spoiled dog, Tequila.

BAR/COURT ADMISSIONS

  • Idaho

EDUCATION

  • J.D., University of Idaho College of Law
  • B.A., University of Arizona

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Idaho Women Lawyers Notable Achievement, 2024
  • North Idaho Business Journal Top 40 Under 40, 2024
  • Idaho Business Review Idaho’s Women of the Year honoree, 2017, 2018, 2023
  • Soroptomists Women of Distinction, 2022
  • Kootenai County Young Professionals Top 30 Under 40, 2021
  • Leaders in Law, 2019

 

 

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