Insights On The Future Of Legal Work.

Press, videos, events, and articles by and about the firm, trends in the practice, and novel issues facing attorneys.

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Law.com

So You Want to Start Your Own Law Firm. Now What?

March 26, 2024

The founding idea behind Scale was that there was a gap between how lawyers work and how they want to work,” said David Reidy, who left fintech startup Payactiv, where he was chief legal officer, in 2021 to become managing partner of Scale LLP, a distributed law firm that began as a Silicon Valley boutique serving startups. “There are a lot of high-quality lawyers out there looking for a new way to practice.” According to Reidy, the dominant business model in Big Law alienates attorneys for three major reasons.

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Celebrating Women's Creativity at Scale

March 8, 2024

As we celebrate the collective achievements of women on this International Women's Day, we asked several of the many talented women at Scale to share their insights on fostering creativity as legal practitioners and advising clients that are on the cutting-edge of innovation.

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Empower and Impact: Navigating the Non-Profit Frontier

February 29, 2024

Who is this event for? Attorneys who want to advise non-profit organizations and individuals who are looking to start a non-profit or who are involved in nonprofit leadership and would like a refresher (or introduction!) on fundamentals. You will hear from our esteemed panelists - Scale attorneys, Jim Cashel, Kristen Smith Dayley. and Jon Van Loo. Our panel will also include Fidelma McGinn who is currently president at Scan Design Foundation in Seattle, and previously, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Seattle Foundation and Executive Director at Artist Trust.

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Linkedin

Scale Your Boutique Practice

January 12, 2024

If you run a boutique, you are probably like me: a builder more than a biller. You've shown what you can do on your own, but perhaps now it is time for something more. Come scale your practice and build something great with us.

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Tips for a Successful Fintech-Bank Partnership

January 7, 2024

For a fintech, finding the right bank partner accelerates the path to product launch. By partnering with a bank, the fintech is able to leverage the bank’s charter to deliver a uniform product across those states.

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Law360

Why 2 Ex-Boutique Attys See Firm Of The Future At Scale LLP

January 5, 2024

After more than a decade helping run their own Colorado-based boutique, a pair of attorneys who recently joined national dispersed law firm Scale LLP told Law360 Pulse that they were ready...

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PRWeb

Top Boulder, CO-based corporate team joins leading distributed firm Scale LLP, following national consolidation trend

January 4, 2024

Scale LLP, the full-service, national law firm built by former Silicon-Valley tech GCs to serve high-growth companies, announced today that Katy Reamon, Channah Rose, Jenna Geuke, and Tyler Hayden, formerly of Sage Law Group, are joining the firm's growing Corporate & Securities practice. Katy Reamon will join Scale LLP as its new Corporate & Securities Co-Practice Group Leader.

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Law360

Scale LLP Adds 4 Attorneys From Colo. Boutique

January 4, 2024

National dispersed law firm Scale LLP announced Thursday the firm was growing its western footprint with the addition of four attorneys from Colorado-based Sage Law Group, including one who comes on...

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CLE Day January 2024: Scale LLP In-House Bootcamp

December 13, 2023

Join Scale LLP on Friday, January 19, 2024 from 10 AM to 2 PM PST for our “In-House Bootcamp” CLE Day.

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DIY Law: Beware of the Legal Template

November 6, 2023

Many companies use contract templates in their day-to-day operations. When drafted properly and tied to the appropriate use case, templates can be a tremendous time and money saving resource. As outside general counsel to companies of all sizes, the review of existing contract templates comes up quite often. Some clients are looking for an upgrade, while others may be seeking a quick, validating green light or help with a contract negotiation utilizing a template as the foundation. Unfortunately, many templates do not accomplish the intended purpose, or worse. 

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Under the Corporate Transparency Act, Companies Face New Requirements in 2024

September 29, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of financial regulation and corporate transparency, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has emerged as a pivotal piece of legislation. Enacted in 2021 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, the CTA will require most new and existing legal entities operating in the United States to file reports with the federal government regarding their beneficial owners. The CTA goes into effect on January 1, 2024, and its key provisions are described below.

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Does the ‘Work from Anywhere’ Practice Model Lead to Increased Revenue? The Data Shows It Can.

September 7, 2023

The allure of working from home is here to stay. The pandemic showed us that not only is it possible, but it’s far more desirable for many, many lawyers and staff. Given the choice between taking a break from work by gossiping around the office water cooler or picking up their child from school, many have chosen the latter. Who needs to spend $20 on lunch when you can prepare a cheaper, healthier and more delicious lunch in your own kitchen? Why not clear your head by taking your dog for several walks throughout the day? And no one needs to sit in more traffic, ever. 

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Unveiling the Digital Metamorphosis: Technology's Impact on the Legal Industry

September 5, 2023

The impact of technology on the legal industry is profound and multifaceted. It's not merely about adopting new tools - it's about redefining the way legal professionals think, collaborate, and serve their clients. Embracing this digital metamorphosis is not an option but a necessity for lawyers seeking to remain relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world. The fusion of legal expertise and technological innovation holds the promise of a more empowered, efficient, and accessible legal landscape for all.

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Women In Law Session 3: “Redefining Your Personal Brand”

September 3, 2023

In the third session of our Women in Law: Redefining Success 2023 Series, our panel of attorneys shared their journeys of building their personal brand – the challenges they faced, the benefits they saw – and why cultivating a personal brand is so crucial in the practice of modern law.

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Why D&O Coverage is Important

August 23, 2023

Like many legal issues, D&O coverage is often the last thing on the mind of a start-up founder. Nevertheless, addressing early on whether your company needs D&O coverage will likely pay large dividends down the road, while also protecting your hard-earned investment in the near-term. It’s just one more area where every start-up could use the help of a good, experienced general counsel. If you have questions about D&O insurance or would like to discuss risk mitigation strategies for your company, please contact Robert Gans at rgans@scalefirm.com.

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The rise of remote firms heralds a new era of boutique law firm mergers

August 10, 2023

The nature of law firms is changing rapidly, especially as firms strive to stabilize in a new post-pandemic reality. One of those realities is that law firms today are increasingly less local. Many traditional firms are struggling to redraw boundaries around the once indispensable requirement for its lawyers and staff to do their work primarily from a common office. Technology and the pandemic have helped the practice of law shift to less localized but equally connected modes. Remote firms like Scale LLP, which uses technology and a distributed platform to deliver services to its clients from primarily virtual spaces, are on the rise and growing and have even begun to snap up high-quality boutiques that fit their brand and profile.

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Law360

Texas IP Boutique Acquired By Virtual Firm Scale LLP

August 10, 2023

Dallas-area intellectual property boutique Creedon PLLC has been acquired by virtual law firm Scale LLP, the firms announced Wednesday....

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Law360

Scale Aims To Grow Virtual Law Firm Model With Texas Tie-Up

August 10, 2023

After virtual law firm Scale LLP struck a deal to acquire Dallas-area intellectual property boutique Creedon PLLC earlier this month, the leaders of the two firms told Law360 Pulse they were...

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What can the legal world learn from research on collaborative cultures and the rise of ‘conscious leadership’ in Silicon Valley?

August 3, 2023

It’s not hard to reach the conclusion that collaboration feels better, but is it any better for the bottom line? Despite what many lawyers believe, there is evidence in an article by Heidi Gardner, PhD at the Harvard Business School, about a collaborative culture’s positive impact on client revenue in the legal practice.

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PR Web

Leading IP boutique Creedon PLLC joins Scale LLP as the rise of remote firms drives a new era of firm mergers

August 1, 2023

Scale LLP announced today that it has acquired leading Texas IP boutique Creedon PLLC as part of its ongoing national expansion through strategic partnerships. James Creedon, whose firm received the Reisman Award in the Community Champion category, will join Scale LLP as its new Deputy Managing Partner, Impact Initiatives.

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Reuters

Virtual law firm Scale absorbs Texas IP firm in first acquisition

August 1, 2023

Virtual law firm Scale said Tuesday that it has brought on small Texas intellectual property firm Creedon in the first of what it hopes may be a series of acquisitions. James Creedon and two other attorneys from his firm have joined Scale, a Silicon Valley-founded law firm where lawyers work entirely remotely. Scale, which debuted in 2020, is among so-called "distributed" or virtual firms that use technology to operate without physical offices and embrace a non-traditional law firm business model.

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Alinea Invest is breaking boundaries for underrepresented groups in finance with support from Scale

July 21, 2023

Alinea Invest is a VC-backed fintech company focused on building an investment platform designed for first-time investors, particularly women and minorities with little to no financial fluency. The company’s founders, Eve Halimi and Anam Lahkani, first identified the need for more accessible and meaningful investment opportunities as undergraduate students at Columbia University.

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Patreon delivers on its commitment to creators with a tailored legal offering built by Scale

July 21, 2023

In 2013, YouTube musician Jack Conte and his college roommate, developer Sam Yam, turned an innovative idea into a fully-functioning web-based service (in the span of 6 weeks!) designed to help artists and creators like himself get paid for their work, and in doing so, achieve both the creative and financial freedom to continue doing what they love.

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Synthetaic’s innovative RAIC technology is transforming AI with help from Scale’s deep bench

July 21, 2023

Synthetaic is a VC-backed, end-to-end artificial intelligence company that works with leading companies and organizations to accelerate insights derived from AI. The company was founded in 2019 by Corey Jaskolski, inspired by his conservation work as a National Geographic explorer and fellow.

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Why Startups Need a General Counsel

July 13, 2023

It’s hard to imagine most start-ups embarking on a capital raise without an experienced Chief Financial Officer or other key personnel responsible for the venture’s success, but many of these same companies often view a general counsel as an unnecessary extravagance.

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PR Web

Boutique Northern California Real Estate and Litigation Team Joins Scale LLP

June 27, 2023

The Silicon Valley-based remote work firm continues its national growth with the addition of a Northern California team of real estate, wealth planning and litigation pros.

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Law 360

Veteran Tech GC Goes Back To Private Practice At Scale

June 27, 2023

Silicon Valley virtual full-service law firm Scale LLP is bolstering its attorney roster with the addition of an experienced financial technology general counsel as its latest partner, the firm announced Monday....

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PR Web

Prominent Fintech GC Jason Altieri Joins Scale LLP as More In-House Lawyers Return to Private Practice

June 27, 2023

Jason Altieri joins Scale LLP, bringing 25 years’ experience as a nationally known fintech GC and corporate specialist; Altieri’s move follows a trend of GCs returning to private practice.

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8 Crucial Risk Mitigation Strategies for Startups from a Former Litigator

June 20, 2023

For young start-ups with limited capital, founders are typically even more focused on devoting resources to growth initiatives rather than paying lawyers to prevent missteps regarding seemingly arcane or theoretical matters. However, those issues being ignored are usually far from trivial.

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Women in Law Session 2: "Redefining your Domain"

June 1, 2023

The great redefinition of success in law is here, and women have a large role in driving that change. That’s why we’ve brough together women and allies in the practice of law for Scale LLP’s Women in Law: Redefining Success 2023 Series, a quarterly webinar series where we hope to spark meaningful conversation and build a strong network of allies and accountability partners in order to build a fulfilling practice for 2023 and beyond.

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Managing Customer Complaints to Mitigate Risk: Be the Canary in the Coal Mine

May 30, 2023

No matter what business you’re in, dealing with unhappy customers can be tedious, time consuming, and a distraction from more important business objectives. However, there are benefits to being a so-called “canary in the coal mine.” Customer complaints actually provide important feedback for any company

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The Virtues of a Virtual Practice in Summer

May 24, 2023

With summer only a month away, attorneys are thinking about how to juggle their summer plans while keeping up with their practice obligations. Now more than ever, a remote work practice is enabling more attorneys to do that with greater ease.

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Is Being “Online 24/7” Good for Business?

May 3, 2023

Around-the-clock online availability has long been considered a “non-negotiable” expectation by many in the legal profession. But it begs the question - is being “online 24/7” really what it takes to be a successful lawyer? New research suggests it may actually hinder attorney performance and client service.

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Antitrust Laws Protect Innovative Startups & Small Businesses

April 24, 2023

Small businesses and start-ups tend to operate on tighter profit margins than do larger, more established enterprises, making them particularly vulnerable to anticompetitive threats in the marketplace. Fortunately, the U.S. antitrust laws are designed to promote robust competition for businesses of all stages and sizes. Learn more about how the antitrust laws can protect small businesses.

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Is there a growing need for the fractional GC?

April 13, 2023

Flexible work is on the rise. In the wake of the pandemic, Great Resignation, economic downturn and mass layoffs, many attorneys are redefining what it means to be successful. These conditions have turned out to be the perfect storm for a surge in the “fractional GC”.

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Go solo, but don't go it alone

March 30, 2023

If you’re an in-house or BigLaw attorney, there is a statistical probability that you have thought about pivoting away from those traditional paths at some point in your career. You may be contemplating your options and wondering what it would be like to establish your own practice. Would you have enough steady business to pull it off? What are the risks? Would you have time to do the other things that bring you joy in your life? Would you be happy?

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Above the Law

Women In Law Are Driving An Entirely New Practice Model

March 23, 2023

The traditional path for women in the legal profession remains riddled with inequities. Entrepreneurial attorneys like Heather Cantua, Amy Duvanich, and Jamie Wells are driving an entirely new way to practice -- exercising greater autonomy over how they work, finding more compensation and more time for their passions, ultimately achieving their own meaning of success.

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Blazing a New Legal Career Path

March 17, 2023

We recently got the chance to sit down with a community of entrepreneurial attorneys to share lessons learned from their not-so-linear legal career experiences - off the traditional path - to create a whole new way of practicing law.

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How the Best Attorneys Leverage LinkedIn

March 3, 2023

The most successful attorneys are brilliant personal brand builders who have mastered how to tap into the power of their LinkedIn network in order to engage the community, develop business, or generate new career opportunities. We’ve compiled a list of essential best practices followed by attorneys at Scale LLP to help make sure you’ve taken all the steps to optimize your LinkedIn profile and build awareness and engagement around your personal brand.

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Women in Law Session 1: “Redefining The Career Path”

March 1, 2023

In the first session of our Women in Law: Redefining Success 2023 Series, three attorney panelists shared their not-so-linear legal career experiences in their journey to now finding themselves at Scale LLP.

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Above the Law

Leaving Your In-House Role: You Don’t Need A Portable 'Book' To Be Successful

February 16, 2023

Traditionally, in-house legal roles have offered more accommodating schedules and opportunities to gain valuable business experience. Now though, the calculus is changing and you no longer need a portable “book” to grow a fulfilling practice. See how in-house attorneys are defining success on their own terms.

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Top 3 Goals for Attorney Success in 2023

February 7, 2023

The Scale Community gathered this year in Denver for its firmwide attorney retreat to discuss what it would take to build, grow and thrive in 2023. Here are the top 3 goals from those discussions that can help the broader attorney community as we all look ahead to the year as it unfolds.

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The Rise of the Lawyer Entrepreneur

February 1, 2023

Interview with Scale Founding Partner, Adam Forest

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Above the Law

Why Scale LLP Is Driving A ‘Great Redefinition’ Of Attorney Success

January 19, 2023

These lawyers built a practice that benefits the pocketbook — and the soul. Here’s how they did it.

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Lawfully Remaining in the US After a Layoff: Immigration Options for Foreign Tech Workers

November 11, 2022

Foreign-born tech workers in the U.S. face uncertainty following recent layoffs in the tech sector and a worrying economic forecast for the months ahead.

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Can Remote Work Solve BigLaw’s Gender Problem?

September 14, 2022

Law firm life has changed in the last two decades, and for a majority of attorneys, not for the better.

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Is It Time to Abolish the Bar Exam?

August 19, 2022

Professor Carter argues that bar exam requirements—and needlessly high passing rates, or “cut scores”–are anti-competitive.

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Law Firms Can Thrive in a Coming Recession. History Provides a Guide.

August 3, 2022

Most economists believe the U.S. is headed for a recession in 2023–or is already experiencing one.

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Lawyers May Work From Home, but Will Firms Ditch Those Expensive Leases?

June 28, 2022

Bloomberg reports that in the last week of December, 2021, over 40% of US workdays were worked from home, according to economists. Before the pandemic, that number was 5%.

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Law Firms Are More Profitable Than Ever (So Why Aren’t They Promoting More Equity Partners?)

April 27, 2022

In its annual survey of law firms, Wells Fargo’s Legal Specialty Group found that most firms reported increased revenue in 2021, with the top 50 firms reporting 16% growth on average.

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It’s Time to Scrap Rule 5.4 (and Allow Outside Investment in Law Firms)

April 15, 2022

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.4, adopted in most states, effectively prohibits investment in law firms by non-lawyers.

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To Diversify Their Outside Counsel, Clients Should Think Beyond Big Law

April 1, 2022

Women’s history month is coming to a close, and I’m reading a story about Coca-Cola struggling to figure out a way to diversify its outside counsel.

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Legal Market Report Says Firms Will Struggle to Retain Talent

March 11, 2022

The 2022 Report on the State of the Legal Market published by Georgetown University Law Center and Thomson Reuters confirms that, despite record profits, law firms still struggle to recruit and retain talent.

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Reuters

Is virtual firm Scale LLP the wave of the future?

October 7, 2021

Years ago, when my husband was a Big Law litigation associate, we took our kids on a vacation to Disney World. Each night after everyone else went to bed, he stayed up until all hours working, using the hotel bathroom as his “office” so he wouldn’t disturb us...

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Above the Law

Former CLO And Biglaw Partner Joins Virtual Law Firm As Managing Partner

July 1, 2021

With the legal industry in flux, the lines between traditional law firms and virtual law firms are blurring

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Westlaw Today

Virtual law firms scale up amid 'forced experiment' of remote work

February 9, 2021

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The American Lawyer

New Virtual Firm Grows With Talent From Big Law

January 12, 2021

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Reuters

Virtual firm Scale is emerging out of 'stealth mode' – and growing fast

January 11, 2021

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AccDocket

The Operational GC: Are Your Lawyers as Agile as Your Company?

September 25, 2020

Agile Development meets the practice of law.

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Medium

Your new remote law practice is better. Why go back?

September 25, 2020

A remote practice affords attorneys more time, money, and flexibility. Before you go back, you might ask what you’re going back for.

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A Practice that Reflects the Impact You Want to Make in the World

November 27, 2023

Does your law practice support the larger impact you want to make in the world? See how Scale Partner Kristen Smith Dayley wears two hats - building a successful Corporate practice serving top clients and serving as Executive Director to a major non-profit organization, where she uses her unique skillset to focus on the deeply rewarding work of humanitarian relief and refugee resettlement.

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Passion for Clients Leads to a Deeply Rewarding Practice Experience

July 1, 2023

Some attorneys find that they want to branch out to a wider range of clients or provide more tailored, practical solutions to the problems that clients face. The traditional legal model doesn’t necessarily suit these priorities. As a result, modern law firms are emerging and cultivating an atmosphere where senior attorneys can apply their substantial experience and a deep understanding of their clients in a way that provides better solutions to client business needs. See how Brian Elliott’s decades of experience and entrepreneurial expertise positioned him to provide services perfectly tailored to helping businesses grow, as his practice thrives.

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Challenge the Status Quo by Forging Your Own Legal Career Path

May 18, 2023

After having worked in BigLaw and as in-house counsel, Heather Cantua found that the direction of her legal career path was being determined by the equity partners and the business priorities of her in-house client. Eventually, she chose not to wait for others to provide her path, and created her own. See why she thinks Scale is the perfect home for entrepreneurial-minded attorneys like her who seek to challenge the long-held assumptions of the legal industry.

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Fractional General Counsel and Disruptive Startups: The Perfect Match

April 20, 2023

After previously working in an in-house role, for the last several years Amy Duvanich has pivoted to operating as a fractional general counsel to tech startups. She found it incredibly fulfilling to help disruptive companies change the world and realized that the Scale model was a terrific fit for this dynamic. See how she was drawn to the role and why she feels fractional GCs are best suited to meet the legal needs of startups.

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Freedom to work where, when, and with whom you want

December 12, 2022

With a decade of legal experience under his belt, Doug Mitchell knew that his valuable expertise merited more autonomy than BigLaw could offer. Doug sought out a better law firm experience at Scale LLP, giving him the opportunity to continue practicing on his own terms, with more control over his career. See how this new approach provided a better path to accomplish goals in all areas of his life - as an attorney, husband, and father.

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Build, Grow, Thrive at the 2022 Scale Firmwide Retreat in Denver

November 8, 2022

We’re excited to be growing such a strong nationwide community of entrepreneurial attorneys who “Build, Grow & Thrive” together. Check out highlights from this year’s Firmwide Retreat at the Tech Hub in downtown Denver, and see what it’s like to be part of a community of top-tier attorneys who are all dedicated to building a more flexible, fulfilling, and lucrative practice.

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Lucrative for the Pocketbook… and the Soul

November 4, 2022

Scott Wiegand left the comfort of big law partnership and in-house executive GC roles to build a more fulfilling practice that’s “lucrative for the pocketbook … and the soul.” The traditional practice of grinding out billable hours is a thing of the past. See how Scott left all of that behind to build a modern legal practice that fits into his life, not the other way around.

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Success is delivering the best service to your clients and doing what you love.

November 4, 2022

As a litigator, Jamie Wells loves the adrenaline rush of being in a courtroom. Being a partner at a traditional law firm, she enjoyed advocating for her clients but found she had no personal time and felt her career was being defined for her. See how she was able to bet on herself to build her own litigation practice and provide even better service to her clients “with ease.”

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Legal Ops and Workflows Playbook

March 14, 2024

Legal Operations, a term synonymous with efficiency in the in-house legal world, encompasses both a designated function and a set of processes aimed at streamlining tasks like document management and client onboarding.

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