#75: How GenAI Could Totally Change BigLaw’s Talent and Comp Structure - With Keith Maziarek
Release Date: 06/04/2025
#76: Entering or Re-entering BigLaw as a Lateral Partner: What Experienced Lawyers Can Overlook
Big Law Life
Making the decision to pivot to or re-entering Big Law after time in a smaller practice—whether solo or at a boutique firm—is not a decision to make lightly. In this episode, I lay out what every experienced attorney should evaluate before making the leap to a large firm. From navigating equity status, benefits and health insurance costs, to understanding the real expectations around origination credit, profitability metrics, and collaboration—you’ll hear what questions to ask and areas to do your due diligence on now to avoid misalignment later. I also cover what internal...
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#75: How GenAI Could Totally Change BigLaw’s Talent and Comp Structure - With Keith Maziarek
Big Law Life
As the legal industry reckons with the growing influence of generative AI and automation, law firms are facing far more than just new tools—they’re confronting a fundamental shift in how talent is managed, work is structured, and value is delivered. In this episode, I’m joined by Keith Maziarek, a Big Law expert in strategic pricing and legal project management, to talk about how AI is reshaping the legal talent model and how firms will measure and track value—from flattening the traditional associate pyramid to forcing firms to rethink hiring, development, and retention strategies....
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#74: How to Differentiate Yourself in a Crowded Legal Market
Big Law Life
When it feels like you’re one of thousands of lawyers competing for the same clients, even within your own firm, differentiation becomes critical. In today’s episode, I talk about how to stand out when everyone around you seems to have the same credentials, practice area, and experience. I walk through tangible steps you can take—starting today—to position yourself as a go-to expert by identifying what makes your legal practice different and making that difference obvious to clients, partners, and prospective business. From narrowing your niche to using specific language that paints a...
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#73: What Lawyers Wish They Knew Before Picking a Practice Area
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I walk through one of the most important—but often rushed—decisions in a legal career, choosing a practice area. Whether you're a junior associate deciding where to start or a mid-level lawyer rethinking your long-term fit, this episode lays out ten insights lawyers frequently wish they'd heard before committing to a specialty. I unpack what day-to-day work in different practice areas actually looks like (not just what it sounds like on paper or in theory), the types of clients and stressors you can expect, and how to think about exit options, marketability, and...
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#72: How to Assert Yourself in the BigLaw Sandbox
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I dive into the complex dynamics of self-advocacy inside Big Law firms—especially when you know stepping up may trigger pushback or quietly harm your reputation. I talk about what it really feels like to raise your hand in an environment where power dynamics are murky, and how to do it strategically so you're not sidelined for asking for what you've earned. Whether you’ve been burned in the past or you’re simply unsure how to assert yourself without risk, I break down practical ways to navigate firm politics, advocate for your own advancement, and shift how...
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#71: Succeeding in BigLaw Without Origination Credit
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I tackle one of the most frustrating challenges lawyers face as they move up the ranks in Big Law: how to demonstrate value when you don’t have origination credit. I’ve seen far too many talented attorneys get left out of compensation conversations, passed over for opportunities, or feel stuck because they seemingly rely on others to bring in work—even when they’re the ones clients actually trust. I break down real-world strategies to change how you’re perceived inside your firm and with recruiters, even if you’re not the billing or relationship partner...
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#70: Navigating a Down Market as a BigLaw Attorney
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I’m diving into how to stay strategic when the legal market slows or your practice area begins to shrink. These shifts are inevitable in any long-term legal career but how you respond can define your next chapter. I walk through how to assess whether you’re facing a temporary dip or a deeper structural change, and how to use that insight to proactively adapt. Whether you’re exploring a pivot within your firm, aiming to future-proof your practice, or quietly preparing for a move, this episode gives you a clear roadmap to act with confidence rather than panic. I...
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#69: Stuck at Your Law Firm? How to Stay Strategic Until You Can Move
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I talk about something many lawyers experience but rarely discuss: what to do when you’re ready to leave your law firm, but you haven’t yet found the right opportunity. Maybe the market’s slow. Maybe your book isn’t portable. Or maybe nothing else feels like the right fit yet. Regardless, being stuck in limbo is frustrating—and it can quickly tank your motivation, reputation, and future options if you’re not intentional. I share what to focus on now, even if you’re in survival mode, to preserve your professional standing and prepare for your next move. From...
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#68: Five Misunderstandings That Hold Back Lawyers in Big Law
Big Law Life
In this episode, I share the top five misconceptions I see lawyers make—even the most brilliant ones—about working in Big law firms. These aren’t just abstract ideas. They’re real misunderstandings that I’ve seen derail careers, slow down progress, and create unnecessary frustration for talented attorneys. Whether you're aiming for equity partnership or trying to better understand the business side of firm life, this episode will help you avoid common pitfalls and make smarter decisions. I unpack why revenue doesn’t automatically equal profit, why strong legal skills alone won’t...
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#67: Even More Questions Associates Are Asking About BigLaw
Big Law Life
In today’s episode, I discuss more of the pressing questions and challenges that associates in BigLaw frequently face, including how much you should be checking in when you're out on vacation; how much face time is enough; what to consider before requesting a transfer to another office; and whether you should stay in your law firm if you're less than thrilled with life in BigLaw after less than a year. At a Glance: 00:00 Introduction: Big Law Associate Advice 01:19 Should you check emails while on vacation? 03:25 Why even a 5-minute daily check-in matters 03:52 How often should you be in the...
info_outlineAs the legal industry reckons with the growing influence of generative AI and automation, law firms are facing far more than just new tools—they’re confronting a fundamental shift in how talent is managed, work is structured, and value is delivered. In this episode, I’m joined by Keith Maziarek, a Big Law expert in strategic pricing and legal project management, to talk about how AI is reshaping the legal talent model and how firms will measure and track value—from flattening the traditional associate pyramid to forcing firms to rethink hiring, development, and retention strategies.
Keith and I dive into what this means for lawyers and business professionals alike, and why this is likely to mean that law firms will need fewer—but more specialized—junior lawyers, how non-legal professionals like data scientists will be essential to client service, and the ways in which the future of legal work will demand both new skillsets and new incentives. If you’re a senior lawyer navigating firm leadership, or thinking about how to future-proof your career, this episode is essential listening.
At a Glance:
00:00 Introduction and why Big Law isn’t ready for what’s coming
01:20 Keith Maziarek returns to share insights on generative AI’s disruption of legal work
03:01 How automation changes the leverage model and firm economics
05:13 Why the traditional associate-heavy pyramid is changing
06:21 The shift toward a rectangular org chart and what that means for firm structure
07:26 Shocking stat: 80% of associates leave by year five—and why that’s unsustainable
08:50 Future associates will need a new skillset law schools still aren’t teaching
10:07 Why firm recruiting, professional development, and retention must evolve now
11:20 Non-lawyer experts—data scientists and technologists—are becoming central
12:40 Firms rely on lawyer-only profit-sharing, but this may not be sustainable
14:03 Hiring fewer lawyers doesn’t cut costs but will shift them to expensive specialists
15:34 Investigations and data science: where collaboration is already essential
16:26 How embedded data teams are unlocking new revenue and client insights
17:32 Can firms fairly compensate non-lawyers generating economic value?
18:07 Rethinking pricing: how to quantify the value of data-driven insights
20:53 True value-based pricing is possible—when noise is removed by data teams
22:19 Why most firms still aren’t prepared to sell or price non-legal services
24:23 The market isn’t ready—and clients struggle to evaluate unfamiliar services
25:23 Why this creates opportunity for innovation in both delivery and monetization
26:04 Keith shares details on upcoming Legal Value Network events
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Ways to reach Keith Maziarek
www.legalvaluenetwork.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/legal-value-network/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithmaziarek/
Interested in doing 1-2-1 coaching with Laura Terrell? Or learning more about her work coaching and consulting?
Here are ways to reach out to her:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralterrell/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraterrellcoaching/
Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast