Ep. 15 - Entrepreneurial Insights from Legal Maverick Karl Seelbach

In this episode of the NewLaw Podcast for Entrepreneurial Lawyers , I interview seasoned litigation attorney and entrepreneur Karl Seelbach, who shares his journey from a young, curious kid in Texas to a pioneering force in the legal tech industry.?

We explore Karl’s unique career path, the challenges he faced in starting his own firm, and hear his innovative approach to making legal services more affordable and efficient through his venture, Skribe.ai .?

Key Takeaways from this episode :

1. Embracing Entrepreneurship in Law: Karl’s transition from a large law firm to founding his own practice highlights the importance of understanding the business side of law and seizing entrepreneurial opportunities.
2. The Importance of Finding Your Why: Karl discusses the significance of understanding your core motivations, whether it's providing for family or uncovering the truth, to drive career satisfaction and success.
3. Adapting to Market Needs: Discover how Karl’s ability to identify and respond to market gaps has been crucial in both his legal practice and his tech venture, illustrating the dynamic nature of law and technology.
4. Navigating Financial Uncertainty: Insights on how Karl managed the financial risks and stresses associated with starting a new firm, emphasizing the importance of networking and diversifying case types.
5. Innovating with Skribe.ai : Learn how Karl's legal tech platform, Skribe.ai , is revolutionizing court reporting by making it faster, more affordable, and accessible, ultimately aiming to enhance the pursuit of justice.

Karl’s story should inspire entrepreneurially-minded lawyers and business leaders to think beyond traditional paths, while showcasing the potential of technology to transform legal services for the better.

Follow along:

6:21 Karl’s early interest in law is explained, influenced by his father’s work in oil and gas and safety expert witness cases, and his childhood experiences with depositions. He also shares how reading depositions about catastrophic injury cases during his childhood played a pivotal role in sparking his interest in law.

12:13 Karl talks about his early venture into legal tech by developing an iPad app for depositions while still working at Winstead.

14:47 I reflect on my journey to get clients at a large law firm and how that initial step eventually led me to start my own law firm.

16:40 Karl shares the challenging start of his own firm with only one client and one case, leading to financial stress, and the eventual buildup of a successful practice through relentless networking and client acquisition.

23:19 Karl describes the initial confusion in choosing between plaintiffs' and defense work, and how eventually deciding on a focus contributed to their growth and financial backing for Skribe.

26:29 Karl discusses the inspiration and mission behind founding Skribe, targeting the high costs associated with traditional court reporting and aiming to make justice more affordable and efficient.

32:18 Karl breaks down Skribe’s pricing and the inclusive services provided, such as the virtual room, live liaison support, redundant recording, and professionally proofread transcripts, all contributing to its cost-effectiveness.

Listen to the episode here.

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