What happens when a Big Law associate decides the business model itself is broken?
In this episode of the StartWell Podcast, we sit down with Brett Colvin - co-founder and CEO of Goodlawyer - to unpack how legal services are evolving, and why the next generation of high-growth companies are rethinking how they structure legal support.
From a coffee shop moment in law school (“Be a good lawyer.”) to building a 400+ lawyer network serving enterprises across Canada and the US, Brett shares how frustration with billable-hour incentives turned into a platform designed to “win the talent, win the game.”
The Problem With Traditional Law Firms
Brett doesn’t hold back.
Inside Big Law, he saw:
- 90%+ margin spreads between billing rate and take-home
- Incentives that reward taking longer, not being efficient
- Zero innovation in pricing models
- Talented lawyers burning out inside rigid structures
- The result? Clients feel friction. Lawyers feel trapped. And firms rarely evolve.
Goodlawyer was built to change that equation.
The “Gap in the Middle” - Where Goodlawyer Operates
Today, Goodlawyer embeds experienced in-house lawyers into companies on a fractional to full-time basis.
Not Big Law.
Not traditional recruiting.
Not pure marketplace.
Instead, they focus on the space between large firms and fully staffed in-house legal teams - what Brett calls “owning the gap in the middle.”
As companies scale, legal needs become continuous. Deals stack up. Regulatory complexity increases. Big firm bills balloon. But hiring a full-time General Counsel too early can be inefficient.
That’s where fractional GC and specialized embedded legal talent comes in.
Tech, Talent, and Leverage
Goodlawyer now supports over 400 lawyers with a lean internal team under 20 people.
Their edge isn’t just pricing - it’s:
- Proprietary backend systems for matching and workflow
- Ongoing feedback loops between lawyers and clients
- Flexible engagement models (including try-before-you-buy full-time hires)
- A strong focus on the lawyer experience
Their thesis is simple:
Win the talent, win the game.
When lawyers have flexibility, autonomy, and community, they do better work - and clients benefit.
A Different Kind of Legal Brand
What stands out about Brett isn’t just the business model - it’s the culture.
From hosting yacht parties during Toronto tech events to running Future of Law awards and building community among in-house leaders, Goodlawyer is intentionally building brand gravity.
Not just a service.
A platform.
A network.
A talent magnet.
That community layer matters more than most people think.
Practical Advice for Founders
We close the conversation with tactical advice for entrepreneurs:
- Early stage? Set clear equity vesting schedules with co-founders. Don’t leave dead weight on your cap table.
- Scaling fast? If big firm bills feel unreasonable or disconnected from your business reality, consider a fractional GC before hiring full-time.
- Regulated industry? Treat your first in-house legal hire as an executive function, not just a compliance role.
Legal strategy shouldn’t be reactive. It should scale with the business.
If you're building in Canada - or anywhere - this episode is a grounded look at how one founder is modernizing an industry that hasn’t changed much in decades.
Watch the full conversation above.
