If you’re a law firm owner, chances are you’ve faced your share of uncertainty, sleepless nights, and moments where it feels like you’re flying by the seat of your pants. Maybe you’ve wondered if you’re making the right moves or if you’ve really got what it takes to build something lasting—not just profitable, but truly meaningful.
That’s exactly why you’ll want to tune in to this week’s episode of The Lawyer Millionaire. Host Darren Wurz takes listeners behind the scenes of Nike’s legendary rise as chronicled in Phil Knight’s “Shoe Dog.” It’s not just about sneakers or sports—it’s about how one scrappy entrepreneur started with a wild idea and a $50 loan, and built a business empire. And trust me: the takeaways for law firm owners are both practical and powerful.
Darren discusses:
The importance of starting before you are ready
How to overcome imposter syndrome
The three phases of law firm growth
Why profitability and cashflow are the two lifelines of business.
How to use systems to manage your cash flow
How hiring for passion over pedigree can create a loyal and winning team culture
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.
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
Everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence (AI), but most lawyers are unsure where it actually fits into their practice or if it’s worth the headache.
On this week’s episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, I sat down with Travis Easton, the youngest partner at his family-run California law firm and founder of AI Demand Pro. Travis shares how his team went from spending days drafting settlement demands to getting it done in less than half an hour, thanks to their innovative use of AI.
You’ll hear real stories of overcoming skepticism, what it was like to launch a legal tech startup with zero tech experience, and practical insights about where AI is headed in the everyday law practice.
If you’re skeptical about AI or wondering how it can genuinely help your business, this episode delivers the clarity you’ve been waiting for.
Travis discusses:
Why AI is the reigning buzzword at legal conferences?
The biggest myths preventing law firm owners from adopting AI.
How adopting AI tools can help small firms outpace bigger competitors.
How to cut your legal prep time from days to minutes.
The generational gap in AI adoption and lawyer apprehension.
Lessons learnt about building ownership and the iterative nature of tech products.
Travis Easton is a co-managing partner at Easton & Easton and has been selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Best Lawyers, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. As a practicing personal injury attorney, Travis has supervised Easton & Easton’s prelitigation department in recent years, helping to lead the firm to acquire more than $150,000,000 for its clients in the past four years alone. Travis has also been instrumental in many of the in-house innovations the firm has made over the past decade to improve the efficiency and efficacy of its function to acquire the best results possible for the most clients possible. As part of his efforts to improve the law firm’s operations, Travis shepherded the development of an AI demand writer for the law firm that would eventually become AI Demand Pro. Now, as CEO, he continues to oversee AI Demand Pro’s development into a tool that will revolutionize law firms across the nation.
With AI dominating the headlines, it’s easy to feel unsure: Is this another fleeting trend, or the key to scaling your firm and building real, lasting wealth? If you’ve asked yourself, “How do I avoid being left behind while making smart, profitable choices for my practice?”—you’re not alone.
On this week’s episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, we welcome Jonathan Lomurro, a nationally recognized trial attorney and true legal tech trailblazer. Host Darren Wurz and Jonathan get real about what it takes to embrace AI (without compromising your integrity or your clients’ trust), sharing hard-won lessons from the courtroom and the boardroom alike.
Darren and Jonathan discuss:
The major cultural barriers that is slowing down the adoption of AI in law firms.
The role of AI as a strategic assistant not a replacement for critical human expertise.
How to ensure your client data and reputation is protected while using AI tools.
How judges are using AI to tackle case backlogs and drive faster decisions.
Legal processes and workflows that are ripe for AI-powered improvement?
If you’re a law firm owner striving to build not just a profitable practice, but one with real impact and staying power, this episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast delivers both inspiration and actionable strategy.
Darren Wurz sits down with guest Heather O’Connor shared how her $5M+ family law firm grew by focusing on something most firms overlook: purpose-driven innovation. By hiring team members with personal connections to divorce and offering clients access to a complimentary life strategy coach, Heather transformed not just her firm’s results, but her clients’ lives as well.
Heather discusses:
The importance of aligning your business with your passion and purpose.
Building a law firm culture centered on transformation, not just transactions
Leveraging holistic client support, including providing a full-time life strategy coach.
How to manage your team effectively.
Investing in your growth and surrounding yourself with the right mentors.
On this episode, host Darren Wurz gets candid about the real-world pros and cons of hiring a financial advisor—especially for independent, high-achieving attorneys and law firm owners. No sales pitch. No jargon. Just honest perspective from someone who’s seen it all (the good, the bad, and the “I really wish you’d called me sooner”).
Darren breaks down why so many lawyers choose the DIY route, the hidden costs of going it alone, and how professional advice might be the leap from “just getting by” to lasting wealth. He also shares exactly what to look for (and what to run from) when choosing an advisor, plus the red flags that could cost you big time.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Do I need a financial advisor?”—or felt a twinge of shame or hesitation around your money management—you’re not alone. This week on The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, we’re cutting through the noise to help you make the smartest call for your future.
Darren discusses:
DIY vs, Delegating: Understand when managing your own finances makes sense- and when it may actually be holding you back.
The top reasons lawyers hesitate to seek professional financial help and how to overcome them.
The essential qualities of a trustworthy financial advisor.
How having external accountability can change your approach to saving, investing, or setting financial goals?
What top attorneys and world class athletes have in common?
The red flags to watch out for when choosing a financial advisor.
For most law firm owners, managing unpredictable income and the never-ending demands of the practice often means that saving becomes an afterthought. You might find yourself waiting for a “good month” or hoping there’s something left over at the end, only to realize those moments are rare.
On this episode, Darren lays out the psychological and practical barriers facing law firm owners when it comes to saving. Most of us prioritize immediate needs—firm expenses, payroll, and recurring bills—while treating savings as optional. However, your future self has real, unavoidable bills coming: healthcare, retirement, family obligations, and more.
By making savings as mandatory as rent or mortgage payments, you build a habit that removes emotion and inconsistency from your financial life. Darren doesn’t just talk theory—he provides direct examples from his own experience and those of his clients, and recommends straightforward tools to make saving automatic and sustainable.
Darren discusses:
The psychology behind making savings a priority.
How to overcome the hurdle of irregular income.
Why law firm owners struggle with savings?
Practical strategies for automating your savings.
The downside of treating savings as an afterthought
The importance of paying yourself first, in business and personal finances.
How smart banking tools can transform your financial future.
Are you a law firm owner looking for smart tax strategies and proven business tips? In our latest episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with Tyler Dahl, founder of Dahl Law Group, to break down powerful tax tactics, estate and succession planning essentials, and law firm growth lessons every attorney should know.
Darren and Tyler discuss:
Why sticking with a sole proprietorship can seriously hurt your bottom line?
The impact of changing administrations and political climate on tax policy.
Simple strategies to boost your firm’s wealth.
Why 15% of tax returns prepared by professionals contain costly errors.
The role of technology in running an efficient and successful law firm.
Attention, law firm owners. Are you noticing your profits slipping away each month with no clear explanation? This is a common concern among law firm owners, but the path to clarity and control is simpler than you might think.
Darren shares practical, real-life examples and tools that have empowered law firm owners to turn their financial situations from strained to successful. By adopting strategic spending habits, you can avert unexpected financial pitfalls and direct funds toward meaningful objectives, propelling you toward financial independence.
Darren discusses:
Find hidden wealth in your budget and redirect it towards your goals! 🎯
How small expenses accumulate rapidly
Why most people underestimate their spending?
Simplify discipline with tech tools that make tracking your spending effortless. 📱
Why you need to review your weekly spending?
A transformative case study highlighting the journey from financial mess to financial success.
For many law firm owners, achieving financial independence isn’t just about generating a high income; it’s about how you manage what you earn. Are you unconsciously sabotaging your wealth-building efforts by letting lifestyle inflation creep up on you? In this week’s episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz invites you to reconsider the foundation of your financial strategy with a focus on a crucial yet often ignored rule: Spend less than you make.
Darren discusses:
How to combat lifestyle creep.
The golden rule of financial success.
Differences between real wealth and perceived wealth.
Why you don’t need to build an 8 figure law firm to become a multi-millionaire.
How to automate your savings as a non-expendable expense.
Common societal pressures that encourage increased spending, and how can lawyers combat these pressures effectively?
