Daniel Goldgut, Co-Founder and CEO of our latest feature: Epilogue
Estate planning may not always be the foremost dream for many up and coming lawyers.
It may be that Shakespeare’s words have a constant haunting presence, “Lawless are they that make their wills their law”. Perhaps more commonly, thoughts of urns and coffins come to mind, but this innovator clearly lives by the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.
Meet Daniel Goldgut, co-founder and CEO of Epilogue, an online platform that allows you to create your Wills and Powers of Attorney in an easy and affordable manner.
Daniel was a lawyer that practiced corporate tax law along with estate planning law, and soon found himself more drawn to the latter. Daniel muses,
“Estate planning was an area of law I didn’t know much about, but I realized the impact it had on people’s lives. I found it very satisfying to help demystify for people the process of creating Wills because most people have this preconceived idea of how difficult it’s going to be. So, walking them through that and indicating the opposite, I found it to be very rewarding.”
This background provided Daniel a clear view of where the problems were in the system, but also how greater access to estate planning could be facilitated by the use of legal tech.
Yes, Shakespeare was referring to a different kind of “will”, but it may be fitting to draw some inspiration and claim, “lawless are they that have no Wills.” Over-incarceration would soon become a crisis (if it’s not already).
With the rise of COVID-19, many are coming to realize their “lawless” ways.
Less than a year since Epilogue's launch, under Daniel and co-founder Arin Klug’s experience and leadership, Epilogue has seen considerable recognition and is being regarded as a trusted tool for those seeking assurance as they plan ahead.
Nonetheless, there is still resistance towards legal innovation, in particular legal tech.
Legal innovators are no strangers to odd looks or the occasional skeptic, however, in some cases, these are healthy barriers. Daniel explains,
“There are opportunities to automate and drive the cost down. That’s why it is so important to work in parallel with the legal community so there can be a tech-driven solution and a lawyer-driven solution side-by-side, working together. Legal tech has a big role to play in the future of helping Canadians with estate planning.”
As the justice system is gradually being nudged towards greater reliance on automation, this presents a unique opportunity for conversations that previously might have fallen on deaf ears.
Daniel adds,
“There is a lot of appetite for legal innovation. So, it’s important to have conversations with lawyers at all levels. The more conversations we can have on what innovators are creating and how they work, the smoother the transition will be.”
As an innovator and a lawyer, Daniel has had the honour of wearing both hats, but also the responsibility of bearing their weight. Daniel reflects,
“If you have an idea, it’s important to understand the area of law the problem is found in. Arin and I spent years actually drafting Wills, so when it was time to look at how to develop a system, we had a really strong foundation. When it comes to legal tech, it’s not enough to just identify the problem, you need to understand the area of law and the broader context in order to start working on creating the right solution.”
Going forward, as Epilogue enters a new era of expansion, Daniel hopes to lead by example and show that change can be brought about in a thoughtful and gradual manner, translating into greater benefit for all.
You can connect with Daniel on:
You can find out more about Epilogue here: Epilogue
Comments