

Law Subscribed
Mathew Kerbis, The Subscription Attorney
Mathew Kerbis interviews attorneys and technologists building for subscription legal services and other innovations within the law.
https://linktr.ee/lawsubscribed. www.lawsubscribed.com
https://linktr.ee/lawsubscribed. www.lawsubscribed.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 3, 2026 • 11min
(171) Live at Techshow: Your AI is in Your Inbox with Josh Dorward of TwinCounsel
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* The Rise of the Solo Attorney. Solos will increasingly operate at big-firm levels while keeping their independence, enabled by AI tools that handle the volume of work previously requiring a full team.* Your AI Lives in Your Inbox. TwinCounsel is built around where lawyers already work: email. No new dashboards, no software to learn. You just email your AI twin. It connects to both Outlook and Gmail.* A Legal Twin That Knows Your Cases. Unlike general AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini) that start cold, TwinCounsel is grounded in your documents and matter information, so it can take on tasks like drafting work product, extracting deadlines, and sending reminders without being re-briefed every time.* Proactive Agents vs. Invocation-Based Tools. Most AI tools require you to go prompt them. TwinCounsel’s agent works proactively in the background, for example, automatically flagging upcoming deadlines or drafting client follow-ups based on your preferred turnaround time without you having to ask.* Skills Make AI Auditable and Personalized. Behind the agent are “skills” — transparent, step-by-step instructions that define how tasks are performed. This matters for lawyers because if a court asks what your AI did to generate a work product, you can point to the skill and show exactly what happened.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out TwinCounsel.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 16min
(170) Trademarks + Subscriptions with Sonia Lakhany of 4L Education
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* Efficiency as entrepreneurial foundation. Sonia disliked the billable hour from day one as an associate because she works fast. Being efficient meant being penalized under hourly billing. That frustration directly drove her to go solo and price on flat fees, proving efficiency mindset is a core entrepreneurship catalyst.* Teaching your competition grows your own practice. Counterintuitively, training other trademark attorneys through her “Two Weeks to Trademarks” course skyrocketed her own firm. As her education brand grew, so did her personal brand as the go-to trademark expert, leading to more client inquiries than she could handle, which she then funneled to her own alumni.* Trademarks is an evergreen, jurisdiction-free practice area. Trademark demand goes up in both booms (more entrepreneurs) and downturns (side hustles, layoffs). It’s federal, so attorneys and clients can be anywhere. Built-in renewal and maintenance work creates natural repeat client relationships, making it an ideal subscription/flat-fee practice.* Think in restaurant margins, not per-transaction losses. When lawyers worry about flat fees (“what if a matter takes longer?”), Sonia reframes it: a restaurant comps one table’s meal occasionally but still profits overall. Occasional overruns reveal pricing or efficiency gaps to fix — they’re not a reason to abandon flat fees.* Try on new pricing models experimentally. Many lawyers feel trapped by hourly billing but don’t realize they have complete freedom to change their model client-by-client, matter-by-matter. Sonia’s advice: try flat fees or subscriptions on the next three clients. Treat it like a variable you can test, adjust, or abandon. The entrepreneurial freedom to experiment is the whole point.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out 4L Education.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Mar 24, 2026 • 5min
(169.5) Special Announcement for ABA Techshow 2026 In-Person Event and Subscription Law Firm Resources
Will you be in Chicago on March 26? Then get one of the last free tickets to the Techshow Happy Hour co-hosted by Practi and August.Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Ask your subscription and AI questions at notebook.practi.ai.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Mar 20, 2026 • 51min
(169) Business of Law Transformations with Justin Ergler
Justin Ergler, legal operations and pricing consultant who co-founded the Legal Value Network, explains why the billable hour persists and how true flat fees require deleting timekeepers. He stresses upfront planning for AFAs, how AI shifts focus to value delivery not just savings, and why firms can confidently price repeat matters like construction quotes.

Mar 13, 2026 • 43min
(168) Curated Knowledge + Subscriptions with Austin Brittenham of 2nd Chair (Relay)
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* Solves the “Shadow Usage” Problem and Protects Privilege: Relay is designed to prevent clients from using consumer-grade AI tools like ChatGPT for legal matters. It offers a secure, curated environment that wraps client-attorney conversations in attorney-client privilege, directly addressing the risk of non-privileged AI usage being used in discovery or trial.* Curated and Up-to-Date Legal Data: The tool provides an “enhanced search” that gives the AI access to three buckets of data: firm/client-curated documents, up-to-date case law and statutes from all 50 states (acting as an embedded legal research tool like Lexis or Westlaw), and general public web data. This curation is considered the “superpower” for producing net better, more reliable answers.* Human-in-the-Loop for Legal Advice: It clearly delineates between legal information provided by the AI and legal advice from an attorney. Clients can use a “Request Review” button to notify their lawyer, and attorneys use a “Complete Review” button on the back-end to “rubber stamp” conversations, which transitions the information from legal information to legal advice/counsel.* Revenue and Lead Generation Opportunity for Law Firms: Law firms can leverage Relay to generate predictable, recurring revenue by rolling it out as a new subscription tier or bundling it with existing service models. It’s also viewed as an effective lead generation tool, providing a closer relationship with clients to spot new matters early.* Client-Specific Data Partitioning and White-Labeling: The product ensures strict data privacy by partitioning client files so that Client A’s data is completely inaccessible to Client B, and even restricting attorneys’ access to documents outside of their assigned clients. Furthermore, it allows for complete white-labeling, enabling law firms to use their own logo, colors, and AI name, positioning Relay as their firm’s proprietary AI tool.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out Relay.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Mar 6, 2026 • 56min
(167) Legaltech + Subscriptions with Tom Pfennig of GOLT AI
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* AI is “Augmented Intelligence” and a Catalyst for Transformation: AI should be viewed as an augmenting tool to enhance legal work, not a “magic box” for perfect results. The systemic and responsible deployment of AI/legal tech is essential for a business transformation that shifts from a reactive to a proactive service delivery model, ultimately freeing up time from mundane tasks.* Focus on Strategy First, Tools Second (Stage One vs. Stage Two): The mistake many make is focusing on the sheer number of AI tools (Stage Two) before defining a strategy (Stage One). The first step should be to map current operations, identify pain points, define a target operating model, and understand what to do with the surplus capacity created by efficiency. Deploying tech without a defined structure is “piecemeal.”* The Human Element and Risk Allocation Remain Critical: Despite advancements in AI, people still seek lawyers for human interaction, to assign and share accountability, and to feel a sense of confidence and comfort in resolving legal problems. The human lawyer acts as a “guardian” and “shield,” and human judgment is necessary for interpreting legal dilemmas, especially since a 1% uncertainty will always exist, regardless of machine precision.* The Need for Purpose-Built Technology: Using a single, ultimate generalist AI tool for everything in law is like “trying to saw a two by four with a power drill.” Lawyers must select technology that is purpose-built for specific use cases (e.g., contracts, litigation, research) to achieve true efficiency and higher-quality work.* A Shift in Business Model is Essential for AI Success: The full potential of AI cannot be realized if the fundamental incentive structure remains the billable hour. If all incentives are to “bill more time,” AI’s 4% time saving is seen as lost revenue. However, by adopting models like subscriptions or value-based billing, AI helps with problem avoidance and speed to deal, making the more efficient model more profitable.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out G.O.L.T.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 1min
(166) Fractional GC + Subscriptions with Rachel Saunders of Saturday Legal
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:1. Fractional GC Model Fills a Critical Gap. Rachel discovered the fractional general counsel model while working at PEAK6, where the legal department provided services to multiple operating businesses that couldn’t afford or didn’t need full-time counsel. This experience showed her how valuable legal services can be when delivered in a flexible, accessible way - a model she now offers through Saturday Legal with flat monthly fees.2. Subscription Billing Aligns Incentives Better Than Hourly. The billable hour creates friction - clients withhold information to avoid running up the meter, and lawyers lack context on the business. With flat monthly fees, clients get unlimited access for strategic advice and routine legal work, eliminating the anxiety of watching the clock and enabling lawyers to add value beyond just legal tasks.3. The Billable Hour Wasn’t Always the Standard. Before the billable hour became prevalent in the early 1900s, lawyers commonly used annual retainers - essentially the original subscription model. The shift back to flat fees and subscriptions isn’t revolutionary; it’s returning to a model that better serves both clients and lawyers.4. Subscription Practice Enables Work-Life Integration. Rachel can operate at a sophisticated level while maintaining autonomy - chaperoning her son’s field trip, working out, having dinner with her kids, then logging back on after bedtime. The predictable revenue from subscriptions also allowed her to hire two employees and avoid the feast-or-famine cycle that plagues many solo practitioners billing hourly.5. Specialization Makes Subscriptions Even More Viable. While Rachel offers broad corporate counsel services, the subscription model also works for specialists (IP, tax, employment law, etc.) because it’s easier to productize services and create efficiencies when you’re deeply focused on a specific niche rather than being a generalist.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out Saturday Legal.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Feb 20, 2026 • 55min
(165) The Billable Hour Won't Be Around In 5 Years with Ted Theodoropoulos of Infodash
Ted Theodoropoulos, CEO of InfoDash and legal-tech entrepreneur, explains how AI is reshaping law firm work and pricing. He talks about AI cutting associate hours, the need for law firms to build R&D and new talent, why partnerships must evolve, and how subscription models and legal-AI companies will redefine revenue. Short, provocative, and future-focused.

Feb 13, 2026 • 59min
(164) Niche Legal Services +Subscriptions with Chris Chiafullo of FFLGuard
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:1. Start Early for Maximum Lifestyle Benefits. Chris started his subscription model in 2008 during the Great Recession, which allowed him to build his practice alongside his family life. The timing meant he never missed his sons’ games or important moments – a work-life balance that would be much harder to achieve if transitioning from big law partnership later in your career.2. Niche + Brand Name = Credibility. FFL Guard (Federal Firearms License Guard) became the gold standard in its niche. The trade name made Chris’s solo practice appear larger and more established than it was, while his deep specialization in federal firearms law created a defensible market position. Regulators even recommend his services off-the-record.3. Monetize Your Work Product Repeatedly. Chris built an online library, training courses (via Thinkific), and client portal where the same legal knowledge gets sold multiple times. As he learned from a mentor: “No man ever made millions billing by the hour.” The key is creating systems that generate revenue while you sleep.4. Annual Subscriptions with Payment Flexibility Work. Chris requires minimum one-year engagements but offers clients the choice to pay annually (at a discount) or monthly. This SaaS-style approach provides cash flow flexibility while ensuring enough time to build proper compliance infrastructure for clients. He ethically provides opt-out notices before renewal.5. Selling Prevention is Harder Than Selling Cures. The biggest challenge is convincing clients to pay $2,500/year proactively rather than $25,000 when disaster strikes. Chris positions himself as an “exterminator” – the reason clients don’t see problems is because he’s preventing them. This requires strong sales skills, public speaking, and building long-term trust and reputation.Bonus insight: Chris’s tech stack evolved from Salesforce to Zoho (CRM), uses Grasshopper for phones, Thinkific for courses, and even adapted a debt collection tool (CHAX) for recurring check payments - proving you don’t need perfect systems to succeed, just functional ones that work for your practice.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out FFLGuard.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

Feb 6, 2026 • 52min
(163) Transformations + Subscriptions for Professional Services with Ed Kless of Threshold
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:1. The Transformation Economy is the Future of Professional Services. Professional services are evolving beyond commodities → goods → services → experiences to transformations. Clients will pay for meaningful life/business changes (opening a business, planning legacy, scaling to $1M) rather than just deliverables. Transformations subsume all previous economic levels and are best monetized through subscriptions.2. Subscription vs. Recurring Revenue: A Critical Distinction. There’s a fundamental difference between recurring (predictable repeat billing) and reoccurring (periodic invoicing). True subscription models create 5-10x higher business valuations and require upfront payment, automation, and a membership mindset—not just monthly invoicing for the same service.3. Nature of Work Trumps Scope of Work. Instead of selling defined scopes (hours, tasks, deliverables), professionals should sell nature of work (bookkeeper vs. controller vs. CFO; pair of hands vs. expert vs. collaborator). This shifts focus from transactional outputs to strategic relationships and enables premium subscription pricing.4. The Billable Hour Persists Due to Inertia, Profitability, and Technology Gaps. Despite decades of criticism, hourly billing survives because: (1) it’s still profitable enough, (2) switching requires overcoming massive inertia, and (3) existing legal/accounting tech is built to optimize billable hours rather than enable alternative models. Bottom-up transformation (solo practitioners first) is more feasible than top-down.5. AI Won’t Replace Human Expertise—It Will Enhance It. While AI can handle execution (like robotic surgery or document drafting), clients will still want human subject matter experts for consultation, strategy, and decision-making. The key is “prescription before diagnosis”—professionals must diagnose before prescribing solutions, and AI should augment rather than replace that consultative relationship.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out Threshold.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis’ law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe


