Episode
Unlimited PTO at Your Law Firm: Genius Policy or Culture Killer?
- Podcast
- Maximum Lawyer
- Published
- Jun 2, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3979
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/7e4d9fd6
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/maximum-lawyer-425981/episodes/unlimited-pto-at-your-law-firm-genius-policy-or-culture-killer/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/maximum-lawyer-425981/unlimited-pto-at-your-law-firm-genius-policy-or-culture-killer.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Watch the YouTube version of this episode HERE What happens when two successful law firm owners take the exact opposite stance on unlimited PTO and both have the results to back it up? In this episode, Tyson Mutrux sits down with Kevin Cheney and Billie Tarascio separately, so neither hears the other's answers to get the real, unfiltered truth about unlimited paid time off in law firms. Kevin Cheney has run unlimited PTO at his 37-person firm for 8 years. He's never denied a single vacation request. Zero abuse. Eight figures in revenue. He'll tell you exactly how he makes it work with KPIs, trust, and the right hiring strategy. Billie Tarascio tried it. She watched roughly 25% of her team take advantage of the policy, her A-players got fed up, and she eventually scrapped it entirely, replacing it with a progressive PTO system that gives employees up to 6 weeks off and a full sabbatical at 10 years. Same policy. Completely different outcomes. So who's right? In this episode, you'll learn: How Kevin built a culture where 100% of vacation requests get approved and no one abuses it The 3 accountability pillars Kevin uses instead of tracking days: KPIs, client satisfaction scores, and anonymous peer reviews Why Billie says unlimited PTO attracted the wrong candidates and created a "cushiest job" reputation What actually caused Billie's A-players to revolt and how she handled taking the benefit away Whether a tiered PTO system (unlimited for lawyers, structured for staff) is actually legal What both owners wish they'd known before implementing the policy Whether you're building your first firm or rethinking your benefits structure, this conversation will sharpen how you think about freedom, accountability, and culture. Highlights 00:00 – Introduction: The Great Unlimited PTO…