In this episode, we sit down with Alexander Kardos-Nyheim, a lawyer who remarkably built a legal AI company as a side project during his training contract at A&O. In 2024 - just as he was qualifying - he sold the business to Thomson Reuters for a life-changing sum of money.

Alexander shares his inspiring journey from a young advocate fighting against a developer threatening his community to becoming a lawyer and co-founding his legal tech startup, SafeSign Technologies. He discusses the challenges of balancing a training contract at A&O with the startup, the dynamics of the legal market, and the eventual acquisition by Thomson Reuters.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Alex's Journey

02:49 The Catalyst for Becoming a Lawyer

05:36 Navigating Law School and Early Advocacy

08:07 The Appeal of Big Law Firms

10:31 The Impact of Rising Salaries in Law

13:14 The Shift in the Legal Market Dynamics

15:45 Starting a Tech Business During a Training Contract

18:22 Building a Legal Tech Startup

20:56 Balancing Work and Startup Life

22:58 The Challenges of a Dual Career

29:30 Navigating Dual Careers: Law and Entrepreneurship

31:50 Pivoting to Legal AI: The Birth of a Startup

35:18 Building a Legal-Specific AI Model

39:21 Funding and Team Dynamics in a Startup

42:49 Acquisition Talks: The Thomson Reuters Interest

49:52 Life After Acquisition: New Beginnings at Thomson Reuters

54:36 Advice for Aspiring Lawyer-Entrepreneurs

About Non-Billable

Non-Billable is an email newsletter and media company for modern legal professionals, brought to you by a small team of former City lawyers and finance professionals.

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The A&O trainee who built (and sold) a legal tech startup as a side project during his training contract

The Non-Billable Podcast

The A&O trainee who built (and sold) a legal tech startup as a side project during his training contract