Adam Maxwell on Why Employment Law Is About to Explode

December 18, 2025 Joe Stephens

Employment law stands at the cusp of transformation in the age of AI, but poor hiring strategies could cost you everything. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Adam Maxwell, litigation partner at Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell Glazer LLC, to explore why employment law compliance shouldn't stifle business growth, how to navigate non-competes across state lines and the critical softer skills that separate good lawyers from exceptional ones.

What You’ll Learn:

How to identify and close compliance gaps before they become costly liabilities:
Why credibility, not perfection, wins cases and mediations
The strategic framework for evaluating non-competes in a patchwork regulatory environment
How to screen clients early by establishing candor as a non-negotiable condition
The business development principle of selective growth over rapid expansion
Why AI efficiency gains should reduce client costs, not firm profits

If you’ve been looking for actionable insights to stay ahead of compliance gaps before they become costly litigation, this is the conversation for you.

Want to watch this episode of Between the Briefs instead? Get the full video on YouTube.

About the Contributors

Joe Stephens

Joe Stephens, J.D., is Steno's Director of Legal Solutions as well as a Clinical Lecturer at Texas Tech University School of Law. With over 15 years of experience in criminal defense and public service, he founded and led Texas' largest rural public defender office, which serves a 12-county area. A graduate of The University of Texas School of Law (cum laude) and Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Stephens currently serves as a Board Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association (TCDLA) and sits on multiple State Bar of Texas committees. His expertise spans the intersection of legal practice and technological innovation in the justice system.

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Adrian Cea

Adrian Cea is Steno's Social Media Manager, leading content strategy, audience engagement, and digital brand-building across platforms. He also produces and co-hosts Between the Briefs, Steno's podcast covering the intersection of legal technology, court reporting, and the future of litigation. With a background spanning content creation, field marketing, and sales at companies like Sell Better and Chili Piper, Adrian brings a multi-disciplined lens to making complex legal tech topics accessible and engaging.

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