It's estimated over 70% of Australians avoid hiring a lawyer.They do not qualify for legal aid.They are not wealthy enough to comfortably afford traditional law firm fees.This is the “missing middle majority” in legal services.In this episode, I sit down with David Vitek, founder of HiPages and now co-founder of Finchly, to discuss the future of legal marketplaces in Australia and the recent partnership between Law Connect and Finchly.We unpack how the Law Connect and Finchly partnership is reshaping the legal marketplace, improving access to justice, and creating new growth opportunities for law firms and self-employed lawyers.If you are interested in:• Legal marketplace platforms• Law Connect news• Finchly legal tech• Law firm client acquisition strategies• Legal marketing for lawyers• AI in the legal industry• Access to justice in Australia• The missing middle legal market• How to grow a law firm sustainablyThis episode is essential listening.What We Cover• How HiPages built trust in the trades marketplace• Why legal services feel inaccessible in Australia• The structural problem inside traditional law firm models• How Finchley built review systems before building a legal marketplace• The Law Connect merger and what it means for legal tech in Australia• Why speed to lead matters in law firm marketing• How to convert more legal inquiries into paying clients• Why specialisation increases law firm profitability• The future of AI in legal services• How marketplace models reduce legal costs while increasing lawyer incomeLegal services are not just expensive.They are often confusing, intimidating, and slow to respond.That is the real opportunity.The Law Connect and Finchly partnership aims to make legal services more accessible, more transparent, and more efficient for both lawyers and consumers and now they are offering a great special offer for The SELL Life League Loot members.For self-employed lawyers, consultant solicitors, and firm owners, this is a major shift in how legal work will be generated and distributed in the coming years and we are glad to be partnering with the companies leading that change from the front.Chapters00:00 – Intro and the HiPages Origin Story02:15 – Building a Marketplace Before Apps Existed05:00 – Trust, Reviews and Legal Consumer Behaviour07:45 – Why Legal Services Feel Inaccessible10:05 – How Finchley Built Trust First12:40 – AI and the Future of Legal Tech14:30 – The Missing Middle Opportunity16:20 – Speed to Lead in Law Firms18:00 – Selling vs Educating in Legal Marketing20:30 – Specialisation and Law Firm Profitability23:00 – Law Connect and Finchley Merger ExplainedLeague Loot Special OfferFinchly is now a League Loot vendor.SELL members receive:• $500 credit upon sign up with Finchly• $200 credit every year you remain a memberIf you are serious about law firm growth, legal client acquisition, and building a scalable specialist practice, this is a no brainer to get signed up to League Loot immediately.Learn more about League Loot here:https://thesell.life/start-here

From 1 July 2026, Tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms will apply to Australian lawyers under AUSTRAC.

Most sole practitioners don’t yet realise how significant this shift will be.

In this episode of The SELL Life for Lawyers Podcast, I sit down with Robbie Goldberg, Country Director (Australia) of LEGL, to unpack what Tranche 2 really means for small firms and independent lawyers.

We cover:

• Why Australia nearly landed on the FATF grey list
• What AUSTRAC’s new AML regime requires from lawyers
• How onboarding delays impact cashflow
• Why reputation risk outweighs financial penalties
• How documenting risk decisions protects your firm
• And how sole practitioners can compete with large firms using modern legal tech

Robbie brings a unique perspective, having previously worked at LinkedIn during its rapid growth phase before leading LEGL’s expansion into Australia. LEGL already supports over 500 firms in the UK and is now helping Australian firms prepare for Tranche 2.

If you are building — or planning to build — your own firm, this conversation is about more than compliance. It’s about infrastructure, confidence, and protecting your reputation in a digital-first legal market.

🎁 Exclusive for League Loot Members

Members of The Self Employed Lawyers League receive an exclusive 25% discount on LEGL’s risk products, with:

• No lock-in contracts
• Usage-based pricing
• Full access to onboarding, risk, and AML tools

Details are available inside the League portal.

Learn more about how to join: League Loot Demo

Independence is powerful.

But independence without infrastructure is fragile.

This episode will help you build both.

What happens when lawyers stop thinking about billable hours… and start thinking AI-first?

In this episode of The Self-Employed Lawyers League Podcast, I sit down with Samuel Junghenn, founder of AI Legal Assistant, to unpack how AI is already reshaping legal practice – and why solo and boutique lawyers are perfectly positioned to win the next decade.

We talk candidly about:

• Why AI doesn’t replace lawyers – but does replace outdated workflows

• How solos can now operate with the firepower of a large firm

• The collapse of the billable hour and the rise of value-based pricing

• Using AI as your first hire to flatten peaks, reduce risk, and reclaim time

• Why big firms are paralysed… and why that’s your opportunity

This is not theory.

This is what’s already happening inside real practices today.

If you’re a lawyer thinking about self-employment, scaling without hiring, or simply working less without earning less – this conversation will change how you see your practice.

👇 Chapters & timestamps below

📥 Special League member offer mentioned in-episode

⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Sam’s unlikely path from farm kid to legal AI founder

04:30 – Why lawyers are language experts (and why that matters)

08:45 – From junior lawyer tasks to senior associate output

12:20 – AI Compass: managing AI with AI

17:10 – Why big firms are stuck in “meeting about meetings”

21:40 – Value-based pricing, litigation, and reducing risk

27:30 – AI as your first employee

32:00 – Presence, sales, and why recording client meetings changes everything

38:20 – AI-first law firms as a competitive advantage

44:10 – New practice areas emerging because of AI

50:00 – Why solos who move now will dominate the next decade

Key Takeaways

• AI replaces tasks, not judgment
• Solos can now compete head-to-head with top-tier firms
• Billing models must change – or break
• Presence + efficiency = more referrals

The opportunity window is now, not 2027

AI is changing legal research fast — but here’s the uncomfortable truth most lawyers already feel in their gut:

👉 You still need a human to sign off on the answer.

In this episode, we're joined by Jonathan Seifman, founder of Legal Query, a platform built to solve the exact problem solo and small-firm lawyers face every day: confidence.

We unpack:

• Why Australian lawyers are adopting AI faster than anywhere else

• The real risk of “verification burden” and how it quietly fuels imposter syndrome

• How Legal Query puts an expert lawyer at the end of your research process

• Why this model is an insurance policy for self-employed lawyers

• How niche experts are actually winning more work through collaboration

• Why the future of law isn’t AI or humans — it’s both, together

If you’re self-employed, thinking about going solo, or already using AI in your practice but still double-guessing yourself… this episode will click.

👇 League Members: Legal Query is now available inside League Loot, with an exclusive 30% ongoing discount.

⏱️ Episode Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & Jonathan’s unconventional path into legal tech02:00 – From CCH to Asia to building legal platforms04:45 – The AI hype vs trust problem in legal research07:40 – Why solo lawyers feel the confidence gap hardest10:00 – “Human in the loop” explained without the buzzwords13:00 – How lawyers actually use Legal Query (surprising insight)16:30 – Imposter syndrome, liability, and sleeping better at night18:45 – Niche expertise, referrals, and rising tides22:00 – How experts win work through Legal Query24:00 – League Loot benefits & exclusive discount27:00 – Where to learn more

🔗 Links & Resources

Legal Query: https://legalquery.com.au

Contact: [email protected]

League Members: Access Legal Query via League Loot inside The SELL Life App 30% ongoing discount for League members

Book a Demo to Join the League

Plan Your Exit to Start a Firm

Key Takeaways

• AI is powerful — but unchecked AI increases risk, not confidence
• Most lawyers already know the answer… they just want expert confirmation
• Self-employed lawyers don’t need to know everything — they need access
• Legal Query acts like a specialist second opinion, without the $800 phone call
• Collaboration beats competition in modern legal practice

What happens when a law student decides the traditional research grind is broken… and builds something better?

In this episode Lofty sits down with William McCartney, founder of HABEAS, a next-generation AI legal research platform designed to make the law more accessible, intuitive, and commercially viable for modern lawyers.

William shares his unconventional path from humanities student to legal tech founder, why he stepped away from law school to go all-in on building HABEAS, and how AI is reshaping legal research, access to justice, and the future of the profession itself.

This is not hype-driven AI chatter.

It’s a grounded, lawyer-to-lawyer conversation about where AI actually helps, where it still falls short, and how lawyers who learn to work with it will outpace those who ignore it.

If you’re a sole practitioner, small firm lawyer, law student, or simply curious about how AI will impact justice and the business of law, this episode is essential listening.

• 00:00 – Welcome & intro to Will McCartney

• 02:00 – From humanities to law to legal tech

• 05:00 – Why entrepreneurship isn’t taught (and why it matters)

• 08:30 – Dropping out of law school to build HABEAS

• 12:00 – What’s broken about traditional legal research

• 15:30 – AI, semantic search & natural language law queries

• 19:00 – Hallucinations, accuracy & why lawyers still matter

• 24:00 – AI as a “first-year lawyer” vs a senior practitioner

• 28:00 – What AI means for grads and junior lawyers

• 32:00 – Small firms, leverage & the future of legal practice

• 36:00 – Access to justice: promise vs risk

• 40:00 – HABEAS x League Loot offer

• 43:00 – Where to find HABEAS & final thoughts

• AI doesn’t replace legal judgment, it compresses time and removes friction

• The future lawyer is part practitioner, part strategist, part technologist

• Legal research is shifting from keyword hunting to conversational discovery

• Access to justice improves when research costs drop, but only if deployed responsibly

• Grads who learn AI and fundamentals early will move faster than prior generations

• Small firms now have enterprise-level research power at their fingertips

• HABEAS AI Legal Research Platform
  👉 Free trial + demos available via the Habius website

• Self-Employed Lawyers League (SELL)
  👉 Members receive 25% off HABEAS subscriptions

⏱️ Episode Chapters & Timestamps🧠 Key Takeaways🛠️ Tools & Resources Mentioned

What happens when a career in hospitality at sea turns into a 20-year legal career, and then into self-employment by design?

In this episode of The SELL Life for Lawyers Podcast, Lofty sits down with Jackie Kitching, a self-employed residential conveyancer working with Taylor Rose inside their innovative Consultant Solicitor Program.

Jackie didn’t follow the traditional law school path.

Instead, she worked six years aboard the QE2, built deep client-service instincts, trained while working full-time, and spent two decades honing her craft before stepping into consultancy.

We unpack:

• Why flexibility, not money, was the real driver

• How confidence grows when clients validate your work
• Why fewer, higher-quality matters can beat high-volume stress
• What surprised her most about business development and the League

• Client service skills compound over time
• Financial awareness is essential before going solo
• Business development doesn’t have to feel “salesy”
• Confidence follows evidence, especially client feedback
• Lifestyle design beats default career progression
• The hidden financial realities of conveyancing cashflow

This is an honest, grounded conversation for experienced lawyers or conveyancers who feel the pull toward autonomy but want clarity before making the leap.If you’re considering self-employment, consultant life, or simply a calmer way to practice law, this one’s for you.

Episode Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & across-the-pond hello

01:20 – From the QE2 to law: Jackie’s unconventional start

03:40 – Why hospitality prepared her for conveyancing

05:10 – Career training while working full-time

07:30 – Long firm stints vs flexibility

09:45 – Deciding to go self-employed

11:30 – The financial realities of conveyancing

13:10 – Confidence, reviews & word of mouth

15:20 – Any regrets leaving employment?

17:00 – Niche focus: fewer matters, higher quality

19:10 – What surprised her about the League

21:00 – Advice for lawyers considering self-employment

Resources & LinksThe Self-Employed Lawyers League:

https://thesell.life/start-here

Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn:  Jackie Kitching

Connect with Lofty on LinkedIn: Lofty

Most lawyers write dry blog posts.Jaz Dhaliwal wrote a children’s book on property law.In this episode of The SELL Life Podcast, I sit down with Jazz, a UK residential conveyancer with Taylor Rose and a self-employed consultant, who decided to teach her kids (and everyone else’s) what “home” really means – from flats and terraces to caravans and everything in between.We unpack how she:-Went from criminal law to conveyancing- Left the 9–5 when she fell pregnant and jumped into consultancy with zero clients and zero guaranteed income- Used networking with mortgage brokers and property professionals to build a steady pipeline- Turned her children’s book into a powerful lead generator for her conveyancing practiceFound support, clarity and new ideas inside the Self Employed Lawyers League (SELL).If you’re a lawyer who’s ever thought, “There has to be a better way than the factory-style law firm,” this conversation will hit home.In This Episode, We Cover:- Why Jazz wrote a kids’ book about different types of homes- How growing up around property-investor parents shaped her career- The moment she realised criminal law wasn’t going to give her the family life she wanted- What it really felt like to walk away from a “safe” salary into self-employment- How she used community groups, networking events and mortgage brokers to grow fast- The mindset shift from “my book is separate” to “my book is part of my business”- Why self-employment is a lifestyle choice, not just a revenue decision- How she’s now working to change the school curriculum in the UK so kids actually understand property⏱️ Chapters & Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Meet Jazz, UK residential conveyancer & children’s book author01:20 – Why a children’s book on property law? Explaining “home” to her kids03:30 – Growing up with property-investor parents & early exposure to auctions04:40 – Studying law and discovering criminal law wasn’t the right fit05:30 – Pregnancy, childcare and the decision to leave the 9–506:30 – Discovering the consultancy model & dealing with “zero clients, zero income”08:15 – Traditional firms, file factories and why clients become “just a number”09:30 – How Jazz built her practice: networking, mortgage brokers & referrals12:00 – Working backwards from income goals & the “lamington story”14:30 – Freedom vs fixed salary: why she’ll never go back to a 9–516:00 – Risk tolerance, lifestyle design and being a present parent17:30 – Jaz’s experience inside the Self Employed Lawyers League19:00 – Connecting the dots: merging the book and the conveyancing business20:20 – Shaking up the UK school curriculum with modern property education21:30 – How to get the book & how brokers, agents and clients can connect with Jazz🔗 Show Notes & LinksConnect with Jaz:LinkedIn: Search “Jaz Dhaliwal”Instagram: @ukproperty_solicitorGrab Jaz’s children’s property book:Amazon – https://www.amazon.com.au/My-Home-Your-Jasbir-Dhaliwal/dp/1068444835Learn more about the Self Employed Lawyers League:Website: https://thesell.life

Is the presumption of innocence still alive and well in Australia… or are we quietly drifting towards a “presumption of guilt” in practice?

In this episode, I’m joined by Victorian criminal lawyer and one of the Owners at EAS Legal consultant program Joseph (Joey) Stephenson, who spends his days dealing with bail, remand, contested hearings and the harsh reality of court backlogs.

We dive into:

• How time pressure on courts, prosecutors and solicitors is eroding the presumption of innocence

• Why so many accused people are pleading guilty just to get out of the system

• The impact of remand on jobs, homes and families – even before guilt is decided

• Why court technology is still stuck in the past, and how defence lawyers can use tech better

• How EAS Legal’s consultant solicitor model gives lawyers their time back without the headaches of running a firm

• The business development and marketing support that helps criminal lawyers build portable practices

• How the Self Employed Lawyers League has become Joey’s go-to place for daily referrals and niche connections

If you’re a lawyer considering self-employment, consultant solicitor programs or simply a more sustainable way to practice criminal law, this conversation will give you a clear, unvarnished picture of what’s possible.

🎧 Listen in to hear:

• A frontline view of the justice system from a criminal defence lawyer

• The pros and cons of going out on your own vs joining a consultant solicitor program

• How community and referrals can replace “spray and pray” marketing

🔗 Links:

• EAS Legal: https://easlegal.com.au

• Join the Self Employed Lawyers League: https://thesell.life

If you’re a lawyer who secretly hates “networking” but loves great clients and warm referrals, this one’s for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by Chris White, founder of Now Group, to rethink networking completely – especially for self-employed and consultant lawyers who don’t have time to waste at random events hoping for a miracle.

Instead of throwing 100 people in a room and praying for business cards to magically turn into briefs, Chris walks us through how to engineer small, high-trust mastermind groups that actually generate matters, referrals and long-term partnerships.

We dig into:

Why traditional networking events are so superficial (and why most value goes to the bar tab)

How introverts can out-perform extroverts at networking by playing to their strengths

The simple “5 key relationships” model that can feed a self-employed practice for years

How to use values alignment and “networking chemistry” to pick the right referral partners

Why digital networking (done well) can build deeper trust than in-person events

How to think like a mastermind builder, not just a card-collector

If you’re a lawyer trying to build a portable client base and steady referrals without feeling like a desperate salesperson, this conversation will give you a different way to think about networking, relationships and BD.

Listen if you want to:

Build a lean referral engine instead of chasing “more leads”

Turn a handful of great referral partners into predictable work each month

Stop feeling guilty about “not networking enough” and start doing it on your terms

Learn how to show up better in online rooms, not just physical ones

Links & resources

Learn more about Now Group: https://www.nowgroup.co.nz/

Connect with Chris White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswhitenowgroup/

Join the Self Employed Lawyers League (SELL): thesell.life/start-here

What if the problem in your firm isn’t policy… it’s apathy?In this episode we were joined by Nicole Rose. Ex-Big Law employment lawyer turned global compliance program builder who shows how creativity, behaviour science, and tiny daily habits can transform “tick-the-box” into cultures that actually speak up.We cover: early big-firm days in London and the moment Nicole realised she was sketching clients instead of taking notes; shifting into employment law and then compliance/financial crime; why middle management is the real leverage point; the “walk before you run” method for moving people from silence to speaking up; and a simple nudge that took hand-washing compliance from ~15% to ~90%. We also talk self-employment, pricing for long-term value, and why the Self-Employed Lawyers League is building a big-firm impact without needing to become one.Chapters00:00 Intro + the “I drew the client instead of notes” moment05:03 Creativity is not a luxury in law—it’s essential to outcomes08:10 Moving into employment law and working with high-stakes individuals10:40 Into compliance/financial crime; seeing policy vs behaviour up close15:05 Australia pivot: art school, identity shift, and a new direction18:10 Rio Tinto: turning 45-minute trainings into 3-minute animations20:20 Building child-safety culture at Uniting Church; influence over authority25:10 Apathy over opposition: why “not my job” is the true risk30:05 Speaking different languages across the org; surprising learners on the floor35:20 The forgotten power of middle management in compliance rollouts37:20 Lofty’s story on apathy and justice; moving people to act40:05 “Walk before you run”: micro-behaviours that unlock speaking up45:05 The nudge that set a new baseline (hand-washing board)48:00 Why this work changes lives—well beyond the policy binder50:15 Nicole on the League: big-firm effect without becoming one51:30 How to reach Nicole (site, email, LinkedIn, podcast)Guest links• Website: untoldcompliance.com/frame-training-method-workshops/• Email: [email protected]• Book: untoldcompliance.com/told-book/• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicolerose2018/• Search for: The Eight Mindsets PodcastShow notes & resources• Behaviour change in compliance: small daily actions over one big memo• Why middle managers are the true “line one” multipliers• Pricing compliance/legal projects for long-term value (not billable-hour bursts)• The League model: independent lawyers, collective firepower & a rising tide lifting all boatsWork with us and join the League• thesell.life/start-here