6 Mar 2025

From Question to Insight: The Power of Deep Research in Action

KPMG has become the first Big Four firm to own a U.S. law firm. On Feb. 27, 2025, KPMG received final approval from the Arizona Supreme Court to launch KPMG Law US, making it the first of the “Big Four” accounting firms licensed to practice law in the United States.

This got me curious, so I asked ChatGPT 4o this simple question: "How many law firms currently operate in Arizona that are nonlawyer-owned?"

I was curious to find out not only how many firms exist but also who they are, how they operate, and what trends are emerging—all in a fast-moving and lightly documented regulatory landscape.

I used the Deep Research/Precision Research Mode in ChatGPT 4o.
The first immediate response was this: "I'll gather data on all nonlawyer-owned law firms currently operating in Arizona, including the total number, key players, and any notable trends since the regulatory change in 2020. I'll update you shortly."
It then proceeded to do "its thing," for a total of 5 minutes, without any additional prompting from me. It was nice that it kept me apprised of what it was doing so I can, if I want to, give it additional direction:

ChatGPT

I’m gathering info on the number of nonlawyer-owned law firms in Arizona post-2020 rule change. It’s interesting to see their business models and industries evolving since 2020.

Searched for Arizona nonlawyer owned law firm

ChatGPT

I'm gathering info on approved Arizona business structures for non-lawyer law firms. Reuters might have the latest numbers or names.

Read reuters.com

ChatGPT

First, I estimate the cosine similarity between the snippet and the headline using sklearn's cosine_similarity function. Then, I repeat this process with Doc2Vec.

Read more from reuters.com

ChatGPT

I’m mapping out the growth of nonlawyer-owned law firms in Arizona. The list spans from Trajan Estates LLC and Payne Huebsch PLC in March to Singular Law Group by April 2021. Now, I’m just figuring out the latest count.

Searched for Arizona ABS licensed firms

ChatGPT

I’m digging into the Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program, noting significant milestones in 2023 and 2024, and examining current data on nonlawyer-owned law firms in Arizona.

Read iaals.du.edu

ChatGPT

I’m noting the growth in Arizona's ABS from 65 in 2023 to 100 in September 2024, highlighting industries like estate planning, personal injury, and wealth management.

Searched for Arizona first nonlawyer owned "Law on Call"

ChatGPT

I'm thinking through the nonlawyer-owned law firms in Arizona, noting their growth to 100 by late 2024. The firms span various industries and business models, blending legal services with tech and financial planning.

Read azcourts.gov

Searched for Arizona courts alternative business structure directory

ChatGPT

I’ve located the ABS Directory from the Arizona Judicial Branch. Now, I’m mapping out its details.

Read more from reuters.com

ChatGPT

I'm thinking through how to cite specific lines for each bullet point, ensuring coverage of Legal Help Partners, eLegacy, and Singular, and considering whether to separate or include them together.

Read more from reuters.com

ChatGPT

I’m examining how Radix and Legal Help Partners are adapting to passive investment, influencing the legal landscape.

Read more from reuters.com

ChatGPT

I’m digging into the link and funnily enough, trying again might solve navigation issues.

I’m thinking of showcasing firms like "Justice Direct," an ABS that streamlines small claims court filings. Also, including multidisciplinary firms like Novus Law for a holistic approach.

I’m mapping out key trends in Arizona's ABS landscape, from tech-driven platforms to law firms entering the space. There’s a lot to unpack in this evolving field.

I’m pulling together key citations from various sources, covering ABS license approvals, law firm innovations, and tech advancements, ensuring a comprehensive and accurate reference set.

I'm fine-tuning citations for key trends and firms, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of Arizona's ABS landscape. This approach highlights both the broader innovation context and specific firm developments.

Research completed in 5m · 19 sources

4. Then it gave me this output:

Nonlawyer-Owned Law Firms in Arizona (Alternative Business Structures)

Overview and Current Numbers

In August 2020, the Arizona Supreme Court eliminated its ban on nonlawyer ownership of law firms, becoming the first U.S. state to allow Alternative Business Structures (ABS) – entities where nonlawyers can share ownership and fees with lawyers (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters). The rule change (effective January 1, 2021) aimed to spur innovation and improve access to justice by enabling new business models for delivering legal services. Since then, Arizona has seen a rapid rise in nonlawyer-owned law firms. As of late 2024, the state had approved around 100+ ABS licenses, with over 115 ABS firms licensed by the end of 2024 (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS) (). (By comparison, only a handful of firms were approved in early 2021.) This growth reflects significant interest in Arizona’s liberalized framework, which allows lawyers and entrepreneurs to co-own legal service firms and attract outside investment.

Business Models, Industries, and Trends (2020–Present)

Arizona’s nonlawyer-owned law firms span a diverse range of business models and industries. Broadly, they fall into two categories: consumer-focused services and business-oriented services (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS) (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). On the consumer side, many ABS law firms target individuals with affordable, niche legal services – for example, helping people with small claims filings or providing streamlined estate planning assistance online (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Some ABS firms focus on specific demographic or professional groups (e.g. dedicated legal services for dentists or medical professionals) (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Many of these consumer-focused models leverage technology (online platforms, apps, phone consultations) to offer convenient, on-demand assistance at lower cost. Notably, the first entirely nonlawyer-owned law firm in the U.S., Law on Call, expanded into Arizona in 2022, offering immediate legal advice by phone at flat rates as an alternative to the traditional law-firm retainer model (Arizona Supreme Court Approves ABS License for Law on Call) (Arizona Supreme Court Approves ABS License for Law on Call).

On the business-facing side, Arizona ABS entities include firms serving small businesses and corporate clients. These models often emphasize efficiency, scale, and “one-stop shop” convenience. For instance, some ABS companies help entrepreneurs with business formation and filings (integrating legal advice into online incorporation services) (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS), while others combine business consulting with legal services under one roof. A number of ABS entrants are affiliated with the legal tech and alternative legal services (ALSP) industry, aiming to provide in-house counsel services, compliance, or legal operations support to companies. Even one of the Big Four accounting firms has joined the trend – in 2025, KPMG became the first Big Four firm licensed to practice law in the U.S. through an ABS subsidiary in Arizona (Breaking: KPMG Becomes First of Big Four To Practice Law in U.S., As Arizona Approves Its ABS License | LawSites). This illustrates a growing convergence of law with other professional services. Established legal service companies and investors are using Arizona’s ABS program to inject capital and technology into law firms, create multidisciplinary practices, and offer integrated services (legal, financial, technical) to clients (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Overall, the trends since 2020 include rapid growth in ABS adoption, experimentation with subscription plans and alternative fee models, and a push toward greater accessibility in areas like personal injury, estate planning, and small business law. Arizona’s experience is being watched closely as other states consider similar reforms (LegalZoom gets Arizona approval for alternative legal biz structure | Reuters).

Notable Nonlawyer-Owned Law Firms in Arizona (Examples)

Below is a list of some prominent ABS-licensed firms in Arizona, illustrating their ownership structures, business models, and the industries/services they focus on:

Elevate Services (ElevateNext) – A global legal services company (ALSP) that received an Arizona ABS license in 2022, enabling it to integrate a law firm (ElevateNext) with its business. Elevate became the first nonlawyer-owned law company in the U.S. with an affiliated law firm, allowing it to offer end-to-end legal solutions for corporate clients (combining legal practice with consulting and technology) (ALSP Axiom Opens Law Firm in Arizona Under Alternative Business Structure License | LawSites).
Axiom Advice & Counsel – Axiom, one of the largest ALSPs, opened this Arizona-based law firm after obtaining an ABS license in 2022. The firm is owned by Axiom (a nonlawyer entity) and provides corporate legal services to businesses, functioning as outside counsel for companies (ALSP Axiom Opens Law Firm in Arizona Under Alternative Business Structure License | LawSites). (The law firm is separate from Axiom’s traditional contracting business but under the same ownership structure.)
LegalZoom (LZ Legal Services LLC) – Online legal platform LegalZoom secured an Arizona ABS license in late 2021, allowing it to directly offer limited legal services through a lawyer-managed subsidiary (LegalZoom gets Arizona approval for alternative legal biz structure | Reuters). With this license, LegalZoom can serve small businesses and individuals in Arizona more directly (beyond just providing documents or referrals), integrating licensed attorneys into its online service model.
Law on Call – A first-of-its-kind ABS law firm that is 100% nonlawyer-owned (by Northwest Registered Agent). Law on Call was authorized in Utah’s sandbox and later licensed in Arizona (Arizona Supreme Court Approves ABS License for Law on Call). It offers on-demand legal advice by phone to both individuals and small businesses, with upfront pricing (no retainers). Clients can sign up instantly and speak to a lawyer in real time, making legal help more accessible and efficient (Arizona Supreme Court Approves ABS License for Law on Call).
KPMG Law US – An ABS subsidiary of KPMG LLP (Big Four firm) approved in 2025. KPMG Law is an independently managed law firm under KPMG’s umbrella, aligned with the accounting firm’s tax and advisory practice (Breaking: KPMG Becomes First of Big Four To Practice Law in U.S., As Arizona Approves Its ABS License | LawSites). It plans to provide business clients with legal services integrated into broader professional offerings – for example, delivering legal operations consulting, contract management, and tech-enabled solutions alongside KPMG’s other services (Breaking: KPMG Becomes First of Big Four To Practice Law in U.S., As Arizona Approves Its ABS License | LawSites) (Breaking: KPMG Becomes First of Big Four To Practice Law in U.S., As Arizona Approves Its ABS License | LawSites). This marks the entry of a Big Four firm into the U.S. legal market via Arizona’s ABS system.
KWP Estate Planning – An ABS formed by Keystone Wealth Partners, a financial advisory firm. KWP’s model brings legal services in-house at a wealth management firm – it offers estate planning legal advice to the firm’s clients as part of a holistic financial planning package (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters). (The founder described adding estate lawyers as “the third leg of the stool” alongside wealth management and tax planning (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters).) This multidisciplinary approach lets clients address their legal estate needs and financial goals under one roof. (Another similar early ABS is Trajan Estate, affiliated with Trajan Wealth, also focusing on estate planning for financial clients.)
Legal Help Partners – A personal injury and mass-tort law firm structured as an ABS. It is co-owned by a licensed attorney and two nonlawyer marketing professionals, combining legal practice with marketing expertise (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters). Legal Help Partners leverages its owners’ marketing skills to acquire and serve PI clients, showcasing how ABS ownership can merge legal know-how with other business skillsets (in this case, advertising and client acquisition in the injury law industry).
eLegacy Law – A tech-driven estate planning law firm that operates entirely online. As an ABS, eLegacy provides online estate planning services to consumers (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters) – for example, enabling clients to prepare wills and trusts through a digital platform with attorney oversight. This model focuses on convenience and transparency in estate planning (an area traditionally served by high-cost law firms), using technology to reduce costs.
Singular Law Group – A subscription-based, bilingual law firm serving small businesses and individual consumers. Singular’s ABS license allows a mix of lawyer and nonlawyer ownership; it offers monthly plans for legal services, targeting affordability for entrepreneurs and Spanish-speaking communities. Services include business legal advice, document review, and more on a flat-fee subscription, delivered in both English and Spanish (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters).
Shared Practices Legal & HealthLaw PLLC – Two niche ABS law firms focusing on specific professional industries. Shared Practices Legal is a law firm devoted to dentists and dental practices, while HealthLaw PLLC specializes in legal services for medical professionals and healthcare businesses (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Both are examples of ABS firms that partner lawyers with industry experts to serve specialized client bases (providing targeted counsel on regulatory compliance, practice transitions, employment contracts, etc., in their respective fields).
Justice Direct & Rasa Legal – These ABS entities leverage technology to make legal processes more accessible. Justice Direct is an Arizona ABS that streamlines the small-claims court process – it helps individuals and small businesses prepare filings and navigate small disputes without costly litigation (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Rasa Legal focuses on criminal record expungement services, using an online platform to help clients clear their records efficiently and at low cost (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). Both illustrate how nonlawyer ownership can fuel legal tech innovations addressing high-volume, underserved legal needs (small claims and expungements).
Novus Law – A multidisciplinary legal services firm that became an ABS to expand its capabilities. Novus Law combines law, business, engineering, and technology expertise to serve corporate clients in a holistic manner (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS). As an ABS, it can involve nonlawyer professionals (data analysts, engineers, project managers) as co-owners and decision-makers. Novus uses proprietary technology and processes (for example, in e-discovery or contract analysis) to deliver efficient legal solutions, exemplifying the innovative models emerging under Arizona’s ABS program.

Sources: Arizona Judicial Branch & Supreme Court announcements; Thomson Reuters legal news (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters) (Arizona approves five more entities for new legal business structure | Reuters); IAALS report on Arizona’s ABS program (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS) (Arizona Alternative Business Structure Program Reaches Major Milestone with 100th Participating Entity | IAALS); LawNext/LawSites legal industry coverage (ALSP Axiom Opens Law Firm in Arizona Under Alternative Business Structure License | LawSites) (Breaking: KPMG Becomes First of Big Four To Practice Law in U.S., As Arizona Approves Its ABS License | LawSites); press releases and company websites for ABS firms (Arizona Supreme Court Approves ABS License for Law on Call).

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The Final Product: A Data-Backed Legal Industry Snapshot

📌 Time to complete: Under 15 minutes (start to finish)

The final research piece (above this section!) now serves as: ✅ A real-time industry briefing on nonlawyer-owned law firms ✅ A practical roadmap for law firms watching regulatory trends ✅ A proof of GenAI’s power in cutting through noise to surface meaningful insights.

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What This Means for Law Firms and the Future of Legal Research

Let’s be clear: While I would verify and expand upon this output before using it in an official publication, who could argue that a research and writing task that once took a skilled paralegal 4-8 hours can now be done in 15-60 minutes?

That is not just an efficiency gain—it’s a complete restructuring of how legal work is done.

If AI can source, synthesize, and deliver meaningful legal insights in minutes, what happens to the traditional research model? Do we still need the same staffing structures? The same billable hours model? The same approach to legal education and training?

This is not a future problem. This is happening now.

The question is: Will law firms leverage AI to work smarter, or will they resist change—until clients demand it?

One thing is clear: The practice of law is changing, whether firms are ready or not. Full stop.