Neil Handwerker on the Future of Lawyers, Legal Careers, and Outsourced Research
Share This Post
After decades in the legal world, what drove you to launch ex judicata and focus on “No More Unhappy Lawyers”?
Neil Handwerker: To be more accurate, I was a practicing lawyer for the first year I got out of law school. I knew I wanted to do something else. I loved the education I had received and thought that the JD degree would help open doors for me in securing a nonlegal job. It did not.
People looked at me like I had 2 heads. “You’re a lawyer and you want to work at an ad agency as a creative?”
At the same time, I looked around and many of my law school colleagues were not happy practicing law either. I went on to found a few startups, one with my partner in Ex Judicata, Kimberly Fine. All were in the legal space, just not practicing law. For example, Fulcrum Information Services, my earlier startup with Kim, provided conferences, courses, a tradeshow, books and periodicals all for an attorney audience.
In 2022, I concluded that not much had changed from 35 years ago when I was a lawyer seeking to move to a nonlegal career. There were no defined paths, there were no recruiters placing lawyers in nonlegal jobs, there were few job postings on Indeed.com etc.
What had changed, though, was the sheer volume of lawyers seeking to leave the practice. That was when I called Kim and asked if she’d like to join me in launching a new startup focused on helping lawyers (and law students) move to nonlegal careers.
What’s the most prominent hurdle lawyers face when pivoting out of traditional practice, and how can they overcome it?
Neil Handwerker:
“Economics is often first. They become accustomed to earning a certain amount of money and must determine how to transition to a non-legal job, which will likely pay them less initially. Then, for some, it’s also hard to shed their identity as a lawyer. This is how the world sees them. They worry about loss of prestige, what family and friends will think.” – Neil Handwerker, CEO, Ex Judicata
The second one is easy to overcome. And I deliver this message dozens of times a week to lawyers seeking to move to a nonlegal job. “You will always be a lawyer and that education and prestige don’t go away. You’re simply choosing to use your JD skill set in a new way.”
Legal and business decisions rely heavily on data. How can outsourced research make this process smarter and faster?
Neil Handwerker: Typically, if the outsourcing firm is a good one, such as BolsterBiz Internet Research Services. The employees conducting the research and assembling the data are better-qualified and more skilled workers than those conducting this kind of research in the US. And the cost is much less. Better worker. Lower cost.
AI is reshaping every industry. Where do you see the greatest opportunities for lawyers and professionals to embrace this change?
Neil Handwerker: For those still practicing law, it is the ability to have tasks that used to take hours (researching a specific precedent, for example) done in less than a minute. Allowing them to focus more on the strategic practice of law and client service. It is also opening up more opportunities for lawyers in areas such as data privacy and Data Security.
At the same time, many of these new jobs in Data Privacy and Data Security require the person to have a law degree, but in many cases, they are no longer practicing law. They are working on business solutions.
Outsourcing is often seen only as cost-cutting. What overlooked benefits do you think it brings to law and business leaders?
Neil Handwerker:
“I can only speak to our experience using BolsterBiz. Supremely qualified and dedicated workers. And, of course, as mentioned earlier, speed.” – Neil Handwerker, CEO, Ex Judicata
How do you see outsourced data, research, and legal process outsourcing (LPO) shaping the future of law, consulting, and beyond?
Neil Handwerker: Since it has now been established over decades of service that outsourcing data and research makes economic sense and is delivered more efficiently, the next frontier would be for these same entities to provide more analysis and transition into a more strategic support role.
Summary
In this exclusive interview, Neil Handwerker reflects on his transition from practicing law to launching multiple startups, culminating in Ex Judicata’s mission of “No More Unhappy Lawyers.” He explains the most prominent hurdles lawyers face when pivoting to nonlegal careers, balancing financial expectations and identity—and how these can be overcome with perspective and adaptability.
Neil highlights the role of outsourced research and data analytics services and support in providing smarter, faster, and more cost-effective solutions for law and business leaders. He also discusses the expanding opportunities created by AI in the law, particularly in the areas of data privacy and security. Looking ahead, Neil believes outsourcing will evolve beyond cost-cutting to deliver strategic analysis and deeper business value, transforming how legal and consulting firms operate in the future.
About Neil Handwerker
Neil Handwerker is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ex Judicata and the EXJ Community, the first peer-to-peer network for lawyers transitioning into non-legal careers. With over two decades of experience building ventures in the legal space, he has helped thousands of lawyers transition beyond traditional practice. Neil’s work focuses on creating resources, connections, and opportunities for lawyers to thrive in new career paths.
To know more, connect with Neil on LinkedIn