Trailblazing in Legal Tech: A Founder's Twenty-Year Trek (Part I)

Hello & welcome to my corner in the world of entrepreneurship and legal tech. My name is Gaby Isturiz, and I’d like to share the story of my journey through the landscape of legal technology—a story that spans over two decades, starting two companies and eventually stepping into the big wide world of venture capital.

My foray into legal tech began nearly twenty years ago when I landed my first full-time job at a prominent law firm in Pittsburgh, fresh out of my master’s program in Information Sciences. Contrary to what many might assume, I am not a lawyer; my background is in software engineering. I always had a knack for programming and a passion for tackling complex problems.

Leading the Way with eBillingHub

The challenge that set everything in motion was the law firm's enormous electronic invoicing mess (back in 2001). With over 5,000 bills a month transitioning from paper to electronic formats, the firm's top clients demanded a modern solution, and there were no suitable solutions in the market. Seizing this opportunity, I teamed up with my future co-founder and husband, Dani Garcia. Dani took the bold step of quitting his job, I stayed at the firm a little longer, decided to bootstrap our startup, and embarked on the most incredible and scary adventure.

Our solution, eBillingHub, was born out of necessity but thrived on innovation. We envisioned a future where "eBilling" would be "billing"—conducted electronically. Before the term SaaS became a staple in tech lingo, we were already pioneering cloud solutions for law firms, integrating seamlessly with on-premise practice management systems and streamlining the billing process across hundreds of clients.

Our early decisions—to adopt per-transaction pricing and distribute our solutions directly and through OEM partnerships with large practice management firms—catalyzed our growth. By the time we sold eBillingHub to Thomson Reuters Elite, it had become the global leader in its field and remained unchallenged for the first decade of its existence.

The Rise of the Mobile Lawyer 

Not one to rest on our laurels, Daniel and I soon embarked on another venture. Bellefield emerged just as the mobile technology wave was rising—with the release of devices like the iPhone 4 and the first iPad. Recognizing that lawyers were increasingly mobile and needed better tools to manage their time regardless of location, we launched iTimekeep. Our platform quickly evolved to support not just iPads but also iPhones and Android devices, growing into a comprehensive time-tracking and compliance platform.

Starting with small to medium law firms, we eventually scaled to serve the top 50 in the AM Law rankings, broadening our impact to include large accounting firms. Our rapid growth soon attracted a strategic acquisition by Aderant, a subsidiary of Roper Technologies.

It may sound like a glamorous journey, but the reality was anything but. Every day brought new challenges—operational hurdles, strategic decisions made with limited information, and the constant push to expand beyond my comfort zone. Through it all, I had to balance these demands with personal responsibilities, like raising a family.

From Founder to Funder

After exiting my second company, I wanted a change of pace—to pause and smell the roses. This period of reflection opened up new avenues through my network and connections, leading me down an exciting path in the venture capital world. I began by advising startups and investing as an Angel investor and Limited Partner, which stoked my passion for supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.

This newfound enthusiasm led to the inception of The Fund XX, an early-stage investment fund specifically aimed at empowering women founders. We recognized a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a space where women have historically been underrepresented. The experience has been nothing short of exhilarating and deeply fulfilling. Fast forward to the present, and we've made over 20 investments. Each of these ventures brings its own story of innovation and determination, and being a part of these journeys has been incredibly fun and rewarding.

Reinventing My Journey in Legal Tech 

With such rich experiences behind me, I've launched Build Legal Tech to support the next generation of founders in professional services tech. Today, there's no shortage of capital or general entrepreneurial advice, but there's a significant gap when it comes to navigating the peculiarities of the legal tech space. Through this platform, I aim to offer the insights and tactical advice I wish I had when starting.

The Timeline

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” Lao Tzu.

As I reflect on these two decades of innovation, challenges, and learning, I'm eager to share the numerous lessons I've learned, which I will explore further in our upcoming newsletters. If you have questions or ideas, or if you're simply on a journey of your own, don't hesitate to reach out. If this story resonates with you, consider subscribing to our newsletter for more insights and stories from the front lines of legal tech entrepreneurship.

Thank you for reading. I look forward to connecting and learning with you in this exciting field of legal tech. Stay tuned for part two. 

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