Let’s be honest: the legal industry is famous for being “old school.” Most firms are still manually filling out forms and shying away from technology because they don’t know how to implement it safely. But after eight years of practicing law and building a legal tech startup, I’ve realized that if you aren’t using AI, you’re going to be worked out of the market by those who are.
I’m a “simple lawyer” in Toronto who can’t code, but I’m using AI to run two businesses without burning out. Here is some of the system I use to stay productive in business and law while keeping my gas tank full for my family.
1. The Personal Brand Machine: More Than Just “Likes”
Most professionals think personal branding is optional, but I disagree. In reality, building a brand is the ultimate survival tool if you want to generate your own clients, build your own firm, foster high-value referrals and a lot more.
- The “Gift That Keeps on Giving”: A quality following is an asset you own forever, regardless of your current job or side hustle.
- Generating Real Business: My personal brand has generated tons of business for my startup, Visto, and my law practice over the years.
- The AI Repurposing Strategy: I don’t have time to be a full-time influencer. I use custom GPTs to “steal” my own content – drafting new content based on my older content so it sounds like me, repurposing a single Substack post into professional LinkedIn “hot takes” and short-form video scripts for TikTok, and more.
2. High-Quality Drafting & Research: The AI “Intern”
Legal work lives and breathes in the details. I don’t trust AI to write a final brief, but I treat it as a 24/7 intern that helps me produce high-quality work 50% faster.
- NotebookLM & The Audio Overview: I upload laws, rules, Acts, guides and “washed” (anonymized) court materials into Google’s NotebookLM to perform deep research with virtually zero hallucinations. My favorite hack? Generating a 17-minute “Audio Overview” to listen to on my drive to court so the core issues are top-of-mind before I even see the judge.
- Custom Gems for Legal Drafting: I use specific custom GPTs (or “Gems”) to draft affidavits and complex emails in my own voice. By feeding the AI specific precedents and “washing” all identifiable data first, I ensure the output is accurate, professional, and sounds exactly like me.
3. The “Why”: Leveraging AI to Buy Back Life
Law is hard. It’s emotionally draining, especially in family law where you’re navigating high-conflict separations. I’ve learned that pushing 24/7 without a break leads to diminishing returns.
- Refilling the Gas Tank: We all have a gas tank, and if you don’t refill it, you simply won’t run as far. Leveraging AI to save time, even 5 minutes here or 32 minutes there, compounds by the end of the week.
- Family & Purpose: The real reason I’m obsessed with efficiency is my one-year-old daughter. Seeing your child smile is the closest thing to pure bliss. I use AI to streamline the “boring” work so I can be a present father and husband, rather than just another lawyer chained to a desk.
- The Year of Discipline: My theme for 2026 is “Discipline.” I’ve mapped out my weekday schedule from wake-up to bedtime to ensure I hit my work goals while still prioritizing health and family time, and AI is one of my secret weapons to help make it happen.
Keep Grinding (With Me)
If you’re a solopreneur, lawyer, or tech enthusiast tired of the generic corporate fluff, I’m sharing everything I learn while growing my business, law practice, and legal tech products on my Substack.
I dive deep into what I’m doing, week in and week out, on my path to building a personal brand, implementing AI agents, and navigating the highs and lows of the lawyer/solopreneur journey. Make sure to sign up for free here:
