How to Run a Law Firm Like a Tech Startup with Kyle Westaway

Kyle Westaway has run his firm for 17 years without ever tracking a billable hour. In this conversation, he breaks down why he believes 75% of a lawyer's value has nothing to do with documents—and why that makes AI a tailwind, not a threat, for firms built around outcomes instead of time. He also shares how he prices work without defaulting to hourly estimates, why clarity with clients takes courage, and what it means to design a law firm from first principles.

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿:

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💎 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸:

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https://ca.linkedin.com/company/spellbookai https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewhelanjr https://ca.linkedin.com/in/scottas

𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀:

0:00 - Introduction 1:14 - Meet Kyle Westaway 2:30 - Starting a firm fresh out of law school 4:00 - Designing a firm for startups from first principles 5:00 - What do lawyers actually sell? 7:00 - Why the billable hour persists 10:45 - Flat fees only: How Kyle prices work 13:00 - Why clarity with clients takes courage 15:00 - Why they've never tracked a single hour 17:00 - The "market for lemons" problem in legal 19:30 - Why AI helps flat-fee firms (and hurts hourly ones) 22:00 - Purpose and the future of law practice 23:30 - Connect with Kyle