Hey there Legal Rebels! 👋 I'm excited to share with you the 35th episode of the 2025 season of the LawDroid Manifesto podcast, where I will be continuing to interview key legal innovators to learn how they do what they do. I think you're going to enjoy this one!
I’ve know Sam for years. He’s a man of many talents, but what’s most impressed me about him is his calm demeanor and good-natured attitude — it draws people to him. Sam has a talent for developing software that speaks to ordinary people’s needs and bringing people together in community. For that reason, I’ve dubbed him with the moniker, “The Bridge Builder.” I hope you enjoy watching this episode as much as I enjoyed participating in it.
If you want to understand how to build sustainable digital infrastructure for access to justice and see the power of open-source thinking in legal technology, you need to listen to this episode. Sam is at the forefront of creating tools that help people navigate the court system and has a unique perspective on building bridges for justice rather than marching over them.
Building Digital Infrastructure for Justice
Join me as I interview Sam Glover, clinical fellow at Suffolk Law's Legal Innovation Technology Lab and co-founder of Lawyerist.
In this insightful podcast episode, Sam shares his journey from State Department kid moving around the world to becoming a solo practitioner, then building Lawyerist, and now creating digital public infrastructure at Suffolk Law. He explores how the Document Assembly Line Project has evolved from a pandemic response to a sustainable platform that courts and legal aid organizations can rely on. Sam also demonstrates his philosophy of open-source sharing and how giving things away has consistently benefited both his career and the people he serves.
His stories and insights underscore his practical approach to legal technology adoption, from questioning everything he was told as a new lawyer to building tools that allow people to file court documents efficiently. This episode is a must-watch for anyone curious about the intersection of legal practice and sustainable technology infrastructure, offering valuable perspectives on building lasting change rather than quick fixes.
The Skinny
Sam Glover, clinical fellow at Suffolk Law's Legal Innovation Technology Lab and co-founder of Lawyerist, shares his journey from a State Department childhood in Panama and Santo Domingo through solo practice to building digital infrastructure for courts. With his background in English literature and early exposure to computers, Sam demonstrates how questioning conventional wisdom led him to create better solutions for lawyers and clients alike. Throughout the conversation, Sam emphasizes his philosophy of open-source sharing and how the Document Assembly Line Project represents "building bridges for people to march over" rather than being the ones marching. His work focuses on creating sustainable digital public infrastructure that courts and legal aid organizations can rely on, comparing his role to maintenance crews who keep bridges functioning rather than the visible heroes crossing them.
Key Takeaways:
Sam's international childhood, including experiencing political upheaval in Panama, shaped his comfort with unfamiliar situations and his belief that people stop being strangers when you spend time around difference
His career path from English major to solo practitioner was driven by questioning everything, from 10-page retainer agreements to inefficient software solutions
The Document Assembly Line Project evolved from a pandemic response helping people file court documents when courts were closed to a sustainable platform for guided interviews
Sam's philosophy of open-source sharing stems from his belief that knowledge should be shared and that giving things away consistently comes back to benefit you
His approach to work-life balance involves deliberately scoping projects to available resources rather than expecting people to work 80-hour weeks
The infrastructure work at Suffolk Law is like building and maintaining bridges for justice rather than being the visible hero crossing them
His transition from Lawyerist during the pandemic allowed him to focus on scaling digital public infrastructure for courts and legal aid organizations
Sam's ADHD and tendency to have multiple interests requires deliberate routines to step away from work and truly disconnect
Notable Quotes:
"I think when you spend time in other countries, especially long enough, well, I mean, living there, people stop becoming strangers." - Sam Glover (14:03-14:05)
"I'm the kind of person when somebody tells me to do something, I immediately, look the other way first. Like if somebody says go that way, I'm like, well, what's wrong with that way?" - Sam Glover (30:36-30:42)
"We're not marching over the bridge. We're making sure there's a bridge for people to march over." - Sam Glover (38:08-38:14)
"I'd rather be Hermione than Harry, if I'm honest. And I think that's more the work that we do." - Sam Glover (39:18-39:23)
"Every time I have given things away, it has come back to me. I've been like, I'm doing okay. And I've been giving things away from the very beginning." - Sam Glover (41:56-42:01)
"I think good guys do win. You know, and I think it comes back to you." - Sam Glover (41:50-41:53)
"We have to scope it to the resources we have, not just assume everybody's going to work their tails off 80 hours a week." - Sam Glover (46:30-46:33)
"I think in the last month 900 people have sealed their eviction record in Massachusetts using a tool that the students and Quentin and David and Bryce and I built together." - Sam Glover (48:54-48:59)
Clips
I’d Rather Be Hermione than Harry
Healthy Skepticism Has It’s Pros and Cons
The Selfish Reason Sam Does What He Does
Good Guys Do Win
Sam's journey reflects the evolution from questioning conventional legal practice to building infrastructure that enables systematic change. His perspective combines the cultural awareness gained from an international childhood with the technical skills developed through curiosity and necessity. This unique combination allows him to approach legal technology with both practical problem-solving skills and a broader understanding of how systems can better serve people.
What stands out most is Sam's emphasis on building sustainable infrastructure rather than seeking recognition. By focusing on creating tools that others can use to help people navigate the court system, he's demonstrating how thoughtful technology development can have lasting impact beyond any individual case or client.
Closing Thoughts
As a legal tech entrepreneur who's been in this space for years, I find Sam's perspective particularly compelling. He represents what I believe is essential for lasting change in legal services, practitioners who focus on building sustainable infrastructure rather than seeking immediate recognition. His bridge-building metaphor perfectly captures the often invisible but crucial work that enables others to achieve justice.
Sam's commitment to open-source principles and how consistently giving things away has benefited both his career and the people he serves. The Document Assembly Line Project shows how thoughtful infrastructure development can scale to help thousands of people access the court system more effectively.
For our Legal Rebels community, Sam's story serves as both inspiration and a practical guide. You don't need to be the visible hero to make lasting change. Sometimes the most important work happens behind the scenes, building and maintaining the infrastructure that enables others to succeed. The future of access to justice depends on people willing to do this essential but often unrecognized work.
As legal technology continues to evolve, those who approach it with Sam's combination of practical problem-solving and commitment to the greater good will be best positioned to create lasting positive change. The goal isn't to be the hero crossing the bridge: it's to make sure there's a bridge for others to cross.
