It all started with a simple question: How do I draft a legal application to get a copy of a petition? I turned to ChatGPT for help and was amazed at how easily it generated a professional application. When I submitted it to the court, I believe the judge appreciated its clarity and structure. That moment planted a seed in my mind—a curiosity about how AI could simplify legal processes, hence LawAIassist.
A few months later, AI was making waves everywhere, and I began to wonder: Could I build something impactful using AI? The challenge was that I had no idea how to code AI products. I didn’t understand how AI worked, what programming languages were needed, or even the difference between AI and AI chatbots. After some research, I learned that Python was the go-to language for AI development. But the thought of learning a new programming language felt overwhelming. I wasn’t interested in becoming a programmer; I just wanted to create something useful.
That’s when I stumbled upon AI tools that could write code for you. It felt like assembling a jigsaw puzzle—step by step, piece by piece. If you break your vision into smaller, actionable tasks, AI can help you bring it to life. Giving it detailed, complete instructions often backfires, but when you take it one feature at a time, the results are surprisingly good.
By October, I was brainstorming ideas for an AI-based product. At the time, I was already creating legal applications for my ongoing court case. That’s when it hit me: Why not build a platform that empowers others to create legal documents using AI? The concept of a SaaS platform for legal applications was born.
Thanks to AI tools, I set up a staging website in just 30 minutes. But there was a big challenge—no high-speed internet. My phone’s mobile data was limited and would run out in less than two hours. So, I adapted. I built almost everything using just my phone.
I chose WordPress as the base CMS for its flexibility. Creating a custom plugin to handle my specific needs was the next hurdle. Without internet access on my laptop, I had to get creative. I modified an old plugin offline, compiled it, transferred it to my phone, and installed it on the website. From that point on, 98% of the development work happened on my mobile device.
ChatGPT became my constant companion—helping me brainstorm features, debug code, and optimize workflows. It was more than a tool; it felt like a co-developer. In just 40 days, I had a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) ready for testing.
Initially, I focused only on creating legal applications. But within five days, I expanded to include notices and affidavits. The platform was evolving rapidly. Now, I’m working on Phase Two—adding legal document analysis.