The Fact Pattern Epiphany

Lawyers believe that every client is unique. While emotionally true, mathematically it is false. The number of legally distinct fact patterns in any given practice area is finite.

This "Fact Pattern Epiphany" is the turning point for any firm scaling their operations. Once you realize you are seeing the same 50 patterns on loop, you can stop building from scratch and start assembling.

Key Concepts

Recognizing patterns is the first step toward automation.

• Finite State Space — The realization that there are a limited number of valid combinations of legal variables.
• Standardized Fact Models — Pre-defined templates for common client situations (e.g., "Married, Blended Family, Taxable Estate").
• Combinatorial Explosion — The error of trying to account for every possibility rather than the 95% of probable realities.

Finite State Space

In estate planning, a client is either married or not. They have children or they don't. They are US citizens or they aren't. When you multiply these variables, you get a large but finite number of buckets.

Instead of treating every client as a blank canvas, we identify which bucket they fall into. This connects them immediately to a validated strategy for that specific profile.

Standardized Fact Models

We have codified these profiles into Standardized Fact Models. When a new lead comes in, the system recognizes, "Ah, this is a Profile 7 (Single, No Kids, High Net Worth)."

The system then pre-loads the relevant questions, documents, and risks for Profile 7, saving hours of diagnosis time.

Conclusion

Customization should be reserved for the 5% of a client's life that is truly unique. For the other 95%—the structure, the tax logic, the administrative provisions—standardization is superior.

The Fact Pattern Epiphany frees the lawyer to focus on the human nuance, because the math is already solved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this make the work robotic?

No, it removes the robotic parts (data entry, basic logic) so the attorney can be a counselor.

What if a client fits two patterns?

Usually, this means there is a primary pattern with a specific deviation. The system handles this via "overrides."

How many patterns are there?

In a typical estate practice, about 20 patterns cover 90% of revenue.

Sources & Further Reading

• Susskind: Tomorrow's Lawyers
• Legal Engineering Manifesto