Building a Great Law Firm Team Part 2: How to Keep Great People with Chris Murphy & Aaron Rothert | Ep 182

In Part 2 of this two-part series on Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley brings Chris Murphy and Aaron Rothbart back for a fast-paced, competitive conversation on one of the toughest challenges in law firm growth: keeping your best people.

Framed as a friendly "tips showdown," this episode gets real about what actually drives retention. Chris makes the case for long-term onboarding, real relationships, and helping team members see a future inside your firm. Aaron counters with hiring right from the start, creating a strong day-one experience, and building a culture of clarity, accountability, and ownership.

Different approaches. Same goal.

The takeaway is clear: retention is not about paying more. It is about building a firm where people feel challenged, supported, and committed to growing with you.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why onboarding should last longer than a week or two
• How first impressions shape whether a new hire sees a future with your firm
• Why real relationships matter more than most leaders think
• How to make new team members feel like they belong from day one
• Why team members need to see a growth path, not just a job description
• How clarity, accountability, and feedback help people take ownership of their success
• Why money matters, but is usually not the main reason great people stay

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If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Chris Murphy, Attorney and Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/chris-murphy/

Aaron Rothert, Attorney and Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/aaron-rothert/

Ep. 181: Building a Great Law Firm Team Part 1: How to Find Great People with Chris Murphy & Aaron Rothert https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/building-a-great-law-firm-team-part-1

Ep. 171: Law Firm Growth through Group Coaching with Aaron Rothert and Chris Murphy https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/law-firm-group-coaching-for-growth/

Ep. 117: Onboarding as a Competitive Advantage: 7 Essential Tips for Law Firms with Lori Pulvermacher https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/strategic-onboarding-for-law-firms/

Ep. 118: The Shortcut Lawyers Need: A Guide to Seamless Onboarding with Lori Pulvermacher https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/the-shortcut-lawyers-need-a-guide-to-seamless-onboarding/

Build My Great Team https://buildmygreatteam.com/

In-Person Workshop: The Practice Blueprint https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-practice-blueprint/ (discount code PODCAST100 for an additional $100 off)

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

Email Steve at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com to let him know who won the showdown.

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

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