Before You Hire: How to Know What Your Law Firm Really Needs, with Bernadette Harris

Most law firm owners know what it feels like to need help. But needing help and being ready to hire are not always the same thing. In episode 625 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett sits down with Bernadette Harris to talk about the timing, planning, and clarity required to make a successful hire. Bernadette shares why the biggest hiring mistake is not always choosing the wrong person. Sometimes, it is hiring at the wrong time. Hire too soon, and the firm may not have enough work or revenue to support the role. Hire too late, and the owner may be too overwhelmed to train, onboard, and set the new person up for success. Stephanie and Bernadette discuss how to evaluate consistent demand, identify whether the owner is the real bottleneck, and use capacity planning to make a more grounded hiring decision. They also explore why lawyers need to define the role clearly before bringing someone in, including the tasks, expectations, soft skills, and success metrics that will shape the position. If you are thinking about hiring because your firm feels chaotic, this episode will help you pause, look at the data, and make sure you are solving the right problem before adding another person to the payroll. Listen to our previous episodes on Law Firm Hiring, Delegation & Building Better Teams. #621: Stop Calling Them VAs: How to Build a High-Performing Remote Legal Team, with Raquel Gomes Apple | Spotify | LTN #616: From Solo to CEO: Letting Go of Legal Work to Grow Your Firm, with Ellen Williamson Apple | Spotify | LTN #615: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck and Build Stronger Teams, with Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN #523: Financial Red Flags: Are You Hiring Too Soon?, with Bernadette Harris Apple | Spotify | LTN Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction00:17 – The Case for Closing the Firm for a Week01:30 – What Has to Be True Before You Can Unplug02:35 – Planning Ahead So Time Off Actually Works03:25 – Meet Bernadette Harris03:55 – The Real Hiring Problem: Wrong Timing04:20 – Financial Stress vs. Operational Chaos05:25 – How to Know When Your Firm Is Ready06:05 – Why Hiring Decisions Need Data06:40 – Capacity Planning for Law Firm Owners07:40 – Are People in the Right Seats?08:45 – Consistent Work vs. One Busy Month09:55 – The Referral Problem and Predictable Demand11:15 – When the Owner Becomes the Bottleneck12:25 – The Time Study Every Owner Needs13:05 – Stop Hiring for “Help”14:20 – Role Clarity and the Type of Person You Need15:45 – Soft Skills Matter More Than You Think16:40 – Why You May Need the Opposite of Yourself17:45 – Onboarding Is More Than Paperwork18:30 – Creating a 90-Day Training Plan20:25 – Why Expectations Need to Be Clear Up Front22:50 – Showing New Hires What Success Looks Like24:30 – What Really Makes a Firm Ready to Hire24:45 – Closing Thoughts