Revenue Projections for Law Firms & The "10-80-10 Rule" of AI

Dec 26, 2025

Massyl Mallem, CEO and co-founder of PatentPlus AI, shares his journey from chemical engineering to revolutionizing patent law with autonomous AI. He reveals how his AI system, AutoPat, excels at invalidating complex 'troll patents' and discusses the insightful '10-80-10 Rule' of AI, where humans strategize and AI handles the bulk work. Plus, Massyl tackles Connecticut trivia, proving his local knowledge in a light-hearted segment. Dive into the future of legal tech and discover the balance between human expertise and AI efficiency!

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ADVICE

Reverse-Engineer Your Firm's Revenue Goal

Do build revenue projections by reverse-engineering your target from average case values and practice mix.
Use stretch, break-even, and downside scenarios to force marketing, intake, and budgeting conversations.

ADVICE

Model Cases By Average Value

Do track average case value and convert that into expected cases to reach revenue targets.
Spread contingent-case settlement values over multi-year workbooks to model cash flow.

ADVICE

Project Contingency Settlements Over Time

For contingency firms, estimate settlement value, probability to settle, and projected settlement date for each case.
Maintain workbooks across years to forecast cash flow and trial contingencies.

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Welcome back to Legal Late Night! In this episode, host Jared Correia explains how to predict your law firm's financial future and explores the cutting edge of AI-driven patent law.

First, Jared shares his favorite year-end activity: Revenue Projections. He breaks down exactly how to reverse-engineer your financial goals by analyzing average case values, setting "stretch goals," and using data to spot dangerous trends in your business before they spiral.

Then, we are joined by Massyl Mallem, CEO and Co-Founder of PatentPlus AI. Massyl, a chemical engineer turned legal tech founder, explains why "humans are bad at patent searching" and how his autonomous AI system, AutoPat, is winning competitions by invalidating "troll patents" that human experts couldn't crack. He also introduces the "10-80-10 Rule" of AI automation: humans handle the strategy (first 10%) and the decision-making (last 10%), while AI does the heavy lifting in the middle.

Finally, stick around for the Counter Program: "Con Man." Jared tests Massyl's local knowledge of the "shittiest of the New England states"—Connecticut. From "package stores" to the Hartford Whalers, find out if Massyl is a true nutmegger or just a poser.

Learn more about Massyl Mallem on LinkedIn.
Learn more about PatentPlusAI.

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(00:00) - Intro & Monologue: How to Make More Money
(01:07) - Why You Need Revenue Projections (Stop Guessing!)
(03:00) - The "Reverse Engineering" Method for Law Firm Goals
(06:29) - Handling Contingency Fee Projections & Settlement Values
(10:52) - Introducing Guest: Massyl Mallem (PatentPlus AI)
(12:24) - Why Startups Are for Learning, Not Getting Rich
(13:48) - From Chemical Engineering to Intellectual Property
(19:49) - Winning "Patent Troll" Bounties with Unified Patents
(21:48) - The Third Option: Autonomous AI Patent Searching
(25:30) - The "10-80-10 Rule": How AI & Humans Work Together
(28:57) - Can AI Hallucinate in Patent Search? (The "Incapable" Argument)
(30:59) - The USPTO Backlog & "Vibe" Patent Applications
(36:08) - Will There Be AI Lawyers in the Future
(37:37) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Chess: The Lawyer's Sports
(39:33) - Counter Program: "Con Man" (Connecticut Trivia)
(41:36) - "Grinders" vs. Subs: The Sandwich Debate
(42:58) - What is a "Package Store"?
(43:58) - I-95 vs. The Merritt Parkway
(45:44) - The Hartford Whalers & "Brass Bonanza"
(49:02) - Where Did the Gilmore Girls Live?
(50:38) - Conclusion & Outro

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