The Non-Billable Podcast The US law firm shaking up London - with partner pay Big Law rivals can't match
Dec 9, 2025
Michael Pierson and Joel Ferdinand co-founded Pierson Ferdinand, an innovative, AI-native law firm shaking up the traditional model. They share their journey from launch to quickly scaling up to over 270 partners, all under a unique partner-only structure. Transparency reigns with real-time compensation algorithms, letting partners earn significantly more than in Big Law. Their approach leverages AI tools for efficiency, allowing lawyers to focus on higher-value work, while their London expansion aims to attract top talent with promises of autonomy and reduced overhead.
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Partner-Only, AI-Native Full-Service Firm
- Pierson Ferdinand launched as a partner-only, fully distributed, AI-native firm replacing most junior work with technology.
- The firm grew from ~130 to 270+ partners in under two years by combining tech, remote work and senior talent.
Make Compensation Rules Explicit
- Sign a formal partnership agreement and operate as an LLP or partner-consultant depending on jurisdiction.
- Use a formula-based compensation algorithm so partners know exactly how origination and production pay out.
Remote-First Lowers Overhead And Aligns Culture
- Removing physical offices and overhead materially increases partner profitability and firm agility.
- Remote-first must be purpose-built, not hybrid, to avoid bifurcated cultures and expectations.