It might still strike some as a surprise when a lawyer decides to leave a large firm—and the stability of a regular paycheck—for a technology-focused startup with presumably higher risks.

But for some Bay Area-based lawyers, the call of entrepreneurship is one they cannot resist. Many are motivated by the opportunity to test out new business strategies, while others are convinced that their products will give them a first-mover's advantage in an ever-changing market for delivering legal services.

Andrew Dick, a former associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Morrison & Foerster and the founder of his own small transactional firm, last year launched Select Counsel, an online platform that allows clients to search through a curated network of independent boutiques across the country.