In this impactful episode of the Lead Counsel Podcast, host Tom Tona speaks with Elise Buie, founder of the Elise Buie Family Law Group in Washington, and her Client Hospitality Coordinator, Mackenzie Corbin. Together, they unpack how a family law firm can deliver a white-glove, client-first experience in one of the most emotionally challenging legal fields.

From Remote Firm to Legal Spa
Elise shares her journey of growing a fully remote law firm over the past decade and how she embedded "unreasonable hospitality" into the firm's DNA. Inspired by Will Guidara's book of the same name, Elise discusses how operationalizing care and empathy can be a business advantage—and a human imperative.

Creating the Role of Client Hospitality Coordinator
Mackenzie Corbin's role is rare and innovative in the legal space. With a background in mental health, probation services, and funeral care, Mackenzie brings deep emotional intelligence to her non-billable role. Her focus? Active listening, rapid client feedback loops, personalized support, and helping clients feel seen and heard throughout their legal journey.

Key Takeaways and Highlights:

• How unreasonable hospitality drives client satisfaction, retention, and referrals.

• Why Elise operationalized kindness and empathy as key performance indicators (KPIs) at her firm.

• The measurable impact on business: A drop in accounts receivable from $350k to $40k, increased referrals, and dramatic client satisfaction.

• The role of empathy and active listening in building law firm culture.

• How to scale client care through structure, training, and leadership modeling.

This episode is a must-listen for firm owners, operations managers, and attorneys who want to move beyond check-the-box client service and deliver transformative legal experiences.

Featured Guests from Elise Buie Family Law Group:

Elise Buie
Founder / Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
LinkedIn: Elise Buie
Website: Elise Buie Family Law Group

Mackenzie Corbin
Client Hospitality Coordinator
LinkedIn: Mackenzie Corbin
Website: Elise Buie Family Law Group

Your Host:

Tom Tona
Founder & Managing Attorney, Tonalaw
Website: https://www.tonalaw.com
LinkedIn: Tom Tona
X: @NYPITrialGuy

This podcast is sponsored by TonaLaw.

TonaLaw is not just another law firm. They're defining what it means to fight for their clients. We get a lot of attorney referrals from across the country. We pay fee participation in all jurisdictions where it's permitted. We focus on integrity, innovation and relentless advocacy. TonalLaw is proving that the business of the law can scale without losing its heart. Do you want to see how a modern firm is built for impact and happy client referrals? Check out tonalaw.com mention again the Lead Counsel Podcast and I'm happy to get on the phone with you.

This episode is also brought to you by Meet Gabbi, the voice AI built for law firms. Gabbi answers your phones 24-7, qualifies leads and books consultations so you never miss another client. Imagine cutting intake time in half or giving every caller a five star experience. That's the power of Meet Gabbi. Learn more at meetgabbi.com mention the Lead Counsel Podcast. You can also hit me up and I'm glad to make an introduction to the owner.