Problem
IP practice already organizes as company → file → matter → asset. Software that ignores that creates training tax forever.
What happened
Horizontal CRM metaphors (“deals”, orphaned tasks) forced practitioners to translate their work into the tool’s language.
Why it happened
Horizontal products optimize for TAM narratives. Desks optimize for Monday morning.
What changed
Domain model mirrored the desk. Deadlines and documents attach to matters — not generic cards.
What I’d do differently
Refuse schema decisions that require renaming the profession’s nouns. Specialize earlier.