March 17, 2025

Hunter Steele on Why He Built Smokeball for Small Law

Enclosed in this file: how a small-town law firm shaped Smokeball, the door-knocking hustle that landed its first U.S. client, the expansion mistake that nearly backfired, and why Smokeball AI assistant, Archie, became its most successful feature launch in 15 years.

Hunter Steele grew up surrounded by small law. Now, as the founder and CEO of Smokeball, he’s built a legal tech company that helps small firms get more work done in less time.

From his early days shadowing his father in a three-person law firm to knocking on doors in Naperville, Illinois, Hunter shares the journey of how Smokeball found product-market fit, expanded across three countries, and became one of the most popular practice management systems in Australia, the U.S. and the U.K.

We cover:

  • How growing up in his Dad's small-town law firm shaped his vision for Smokeball
  • How Smokeball got its first client in the U.S.
  • Why small law firms struggle with running a business and how technology helps
  • What it takes to launch and scale a legal tech company across different regions
  • The surprising success of Smokeball’s AI assistant, Archie
  • The biggest lessons from leading a fast-growing legal tech company
  • Why small law firms should be billing more for the work they do

Whether you're building a legal tech company, running a small law firm, or fascinated by how great businesses are built, this episode is packed with insights.

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